Foreword
It is said that nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come. We
have conceived QS WorldClass SHOWCASE at a time when Asian universities
are rising in world rankings and recognition. Like QS-APPLE (QS Asia Pacific
Professional Leaders in Education) and QS WorldClass, SHOWCASE meets
the need of the time in Asia.
While Asia’s leading higher education institutions may increasingly
be ‘snapping at the heels’ of their Western counterparts, their peers in
American, European, African and Australasian institutions may not be
familiar with their academic achievements, research breakthroughs,
innovations and international expansion. QS Asia recognizes this need and
intends to fill it with SHOWCASE. Its name says it all.
This inaugural edition of SHOWCASE includes main articles based on
interviews with leading luminaries of the academic world, including
Professor Richard Levin, President of Yale University. We have also invited
thought leaders in Asian higher education to share their perspectives and
insights; their contributions are included in our special features. Next, we
feature the academic and research achievements of Asian countries in their
respective country sections, as articulated by academics and administrators
whom we have invited to contribute their views.
This prestigious publication aims to present Asia’s best universities to
the presidents of leading higher education institutions around the world.
They are the top 500 universities featured in the latest QS World University
Rankings, top 200 universities featured in the most recent QS Asian
University Rankings, China’s 106 “Project 211” universities and the top 20
universities in India and the Middle East. In addition, SHOWCASE will be
presented to the heads of state of G20 countries, ambassadors and high
commissioners of 250 major diplomatic offices worldwide and the chief
executives of the top 200 Asian corporations.
The content of SHOWCASE will also be published online as an e-book,
which may be freely accessed via web browsers. To ensure that it reaches
the worldwide academic community, the e-book will be publicised via
email sent to QS-APPLE’s database of some 65,000 senior academics and
administrators in over 60 countries.
SHOWCASE provides Asian higher education leaders with an unprecedented
platform to share their achievements, strategies and philosophies with
a distinguished audience of global thought leaders. They may choose from our advertising packages comprising president’s profile, institution’s
profile and advertisement.
We have secured the services of one of the world’s top education journalists,
John O’Leary, former editor of Times Higher Education and co-author of
QS Top Universities Guide. For the 2010 edition of SHOWCASE, John has
interviewed the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Najib Razak, for his
views on higher education development in his country and in Asia.
As befitting an exclusive top-level publication of its stature, SHOWCASE
will be launched officially at the 3rd QS WorldClass globalization seminar
in April 2010 in the Malaysian island resort of Langkawi. The event will be
attended by university presidents, vice-chancellors, deans, registrars and
other senior administrators, as well as senior officials from the Ministries of
Education in Asia.
SHOWCASE is published by QS Asia, the regional subsidiary of QS
Quacquarelli Symonds, producer of the widely respected QS World
University Rankings and QS Asian University Rankings. Their latest ranking
results (top 200 universities) are included in this edition. QS’ stated mission
is to enable motivated people around the world to fulfill their potential by
fostering educational achievement, career development and international
mobility.
The 2010 edition of SHOWCASE has set the stage for an annual edition that
will chart Asia’s progress in higher education for many years to come. Like
QS-APPLE and QS WorldClass, SHOWCASE is also an idea going places. As
the Middle East beckons and the rest of the world watches Asia’s relentless
march onto the global stage, we have noted a sense of optimism and
promise for the future among the many contributors who have so willingly
shared their ideas and thoughts in SHOWCASE. I would very much like to
express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to them for their invaluable
contributions and for helping to promote a better understanding of higher
education in Asia in the international academic community.
Mandy Mok
Managing Director
QS Asia Quacquarelli Symonds
Singapore
April 2010 |
