CHANGING GLOBAL DEMOGRAPHICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: ITS IMPLICATIONS

The world today is undergoing profound economic, social, and political transformations based on the 'Knowledge Economy', that depends upon the creation and application of new knowledge. Such an economy demands highly educated people with innovative ideas and skills of application. To produce such personnel is the responsibility of higher education system of a country. Subsequently, a worldwide boom in the demand of higher education is observed, which has resulted in massification of higher education. This has significantly changed the demographics of the student Population worldwide. Such a demographic change in the student population has far and wide impact not only on the structure and types of Universities, patterns of funding higher education and curricula but international relations as well. The present paper attempts to discuss the changing demographic patterns of the global student population, its implications and suggest future directions to adapt to this transformation.