Is there a distinctive model of an Asian University or are universities worldwide based on a Western model?

Do Asian universities have a distinctive model and are universities across the globe based on the western model? (Name) (University) (Course) (Tutor) (Date) Universities are globally recognized as institutions for higher learning. As the name suggests, universities offer universally accepted education and academic programs. This ensures that the imparted academic knowledge is relevant to all the enrolled students regardless of their country of origin. Generally, universities are founded on specific models. However, the adopted university models are heavily dependent on the environment or context within which the institution is operating from. Consequently, aspects such as educational demands, institutional and societal culture, and changes within the environment profoundly influence the general model of a university. Additionally, the overriding social ideologies of the society within which the institution is established also impact heavily on the university model that institutions in the region are likely to adopt. Nevertheless, there is a general tendency for institutions of higher learning to emulate the existing university models or adopt slightly modified versions of university models from other regions CITATION Reb11 \l 1033 (Wells & Wells, 2011). Based on this background, this paper seeks to establish whether Asian universities have a distinctive model or they are based on the existing models. The paper will also examine whether institutions of higher learning from across the globe are founded on the western model of universities. By and large, universities from across the globe are primarily founded on the western model of higher education. This is evidenced by a number of aspects. To begin with, most universities throughout the world offer academic programs that closely resemble, if not replicate, those offered in the west. For instance, almost all the universities offer bachelors degree as the lowest university qualification, followed by a masters degree, and then the doctorate degree. Generally, individuals enrolling in an institution of higher learning, particularly a university, have to progress through each of these steps regardless of the location of the institution. In addition, the roots of the universal requirement that one can only become a professor after successfully completing undergraduate, graduate and post graduate courses besides fulfilling several other academic conditions can be traced to the western model of education, and it is practiced throughout the world CITATION Mor09 \l 1033 (Sirat & Ling, 2009). Secondly, the duration of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses offered in the universities all over the world resemble those of the west and hence, these institutions are founded on the western model of university education. For instance, globally, undergraduate courses in fields such as arts, education, business, management, nursing and humanities take at least four years to complete and hence, western model-based four-year universities have cropped up across the globe. Additionally, just like in western universities, other undergraduate courses such as medicine and engineering that are offered in other parts of the world take a relatively longer period of time to complete. In general, the western model of universities where undergraduate degrees take at least 4 years, and graduate and postgraduate degrees, i.e. master`s and doctorate degrees, take several more years, is widely replicated throughout the globe CITATION Luc13 \l 1033 (Luckerson, 2013). Thirdly, the standard western universities language of instruction, English, is widely accepted as the universal language of instruction. Universities across the world use English as their language of instruction in most of their education programs. The wide acceptance of the English which originates from the west evidences the influence of the western model of universities across the nations. As a pragmatic prerequisite, therefore, world universities are compelled to develop competence in and sufficient command of the language among their students in an effort to enhance their relevance internationally. Likewise, extensive use of the western model across the globe has also compelled universities in various parts of the world to English tutorials at entry level to students who lack sufficient preparations in the language. For instance, the Asian University for Women which is located in Chittagong, Bangladesh and largely based on the western model, offers acknowledges that English constitutes a pragmatic necessity and the internationally recognized medium of communication and hence, it uses English as the standard language of instruction besides offering English tutorials to non-English speaking students joining the university CITATION AUW08 \l 1033 (AUW, 2008). Additionally, the influence of western model of education is also evident in the widespread adoption of western-style learning curriculums in the Asian universities. For instance, the liberal arts learning curriculum employed in the Asian University for Women borrow some of its content from the traditions of the west while incorporating some regional content. Just like most western curriculums, the program also emphasizes practical application of concepts learnt in class to issues affecting the community, country, and the region in general. Also, the curriculum follows the western academic sequence where professional training and education are heavily integrated and reinforced through progression from bachelor`s, master`s and other higher degrees CITATION AUW08 \l 1033 (AUW, 2008). Likewise, adoption of western-style academic curriculums in Asian universities has also been necessitated by a strong need for educational programs that are global. Consequently, numerous Asian universities have been internationalized; thereby emulating education models that are western based CITATION Tan10 \l 1033 (Chuan, 2010). Moreover, education models adopted by most Asian universities tend to emphasize on highly specialized programs and hence, reminiscent of the western university models. This reflects the western notion of equipping graduates with a single "career for life" as opposed to arming them with "a lifetime of careers". The high level of academic specialization derives from adoption of western-style academic programs that are broken down to finer specialties, thereby limiting the flexibility of one`s career and academic pursuits. In effect, this western-based model of education limits the ability of the university graduates to handle complex issues especially those that traverse numerous realms of knowledge CITATION Tan10 \l 1033 (Chuan, 2010). Increased strategic partnerships between universities in the west and Asian universities and astounding compatibility of some of their education programs also indicate continued influence of the western model on Asian institutions. For instance, National University of Singapore (NUS) offers a medical education program that is based on the Duke University, an American university, education curriculum. Likewise, NUS also offers other programs such as liberal arts which are derived from Yale University. These strategic partnerships and collaborations between...