Philosophy, culture, and the battle against mission drift in higher education in Asia

Abstract

Higher education in Asia is marked by a variety of belief systems that are intertwined by local context and culture. Historically colleges by and large have all been initiated with a clear mission and vision that are tied toward a fundamental purpose and public good, but over time, most institutions drift from their original mission, embracing a variety of different approaches and techniques to either remain competitive in a global environment or fight to stay financially viable. In addition imperialism and colonization have left an indelible mark, and the lingering impact is still evident in policies and practices. In this chapter we also introduce the concept of spiritual capital, borrowing from the framework of Pierre Bourdieu, and argue that spiritual capital can ultimately serve as symbolic capital in societal contexts that are invisibly driven by certain beliefs and philosophies.