GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BANGLADESH, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, AND PAKISTAN

Ashar Johnson Khokhar

Ashar Johnson Khokhar Associate Professor, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Keywords: Higher Education, Graduate Attributes, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Higher Education Policies, Higher Education Strategic Development Plan

Abstract

This study explores evolving landscape of higher education in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia & Pakistan, emphasizing graduate attributes necessary for the success in the 21st-century workforce. The higher education policy documents were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method and the themes were derived from developed countries’ higher education documents. The analysis of documents analyzed in this study revealed that all the skills identified in higher education policy document of developed world were also the focus of higher education plans and these plans asked the universities to offer the programmes that prepare graduates who can thrive in multicultural, technology-driven environments while addressing local and global challenges, creating and strengthening the indigenous knowledge, employable & lifelong learning skills, intercultural adaptability, critical thinking, communication skills, ethical awareness, and adaptability. The analysis offered significant indormation in reaching the conclusion and making the suitable decesions about the phenomena under consideration. Moreover, this study recommends continuous evaluation of educational programmes to ensure the alignment with emerging trends as well as the development of the comprehensive frameworks for assessing the policy implementation.