| The critical role of education in fostering economic growth and social development is universally recognized. While historical precedent places the provision of education firmly within national control, heightened access and efficiency requirements increasingly drive countries to search outside national borders for alternative distribution frameworks. Correspondingly, the World Trade Organization recently included education as sector of service trade within the General Agreement for Trade in Services (GATS) negotiations. Such activity increases the intensity of debate over who controls a nation's education as countries struggle to create policies that balance nationalism with economic responsiveness.; This study investigated factors influencing countries' education trade policy setting. More specifically, it employed multivariate data from international trade databases to question whether trade openness in 162 countries was associated with openness to trade in education, and whether countries' commitments to lower barriers to education trade paralleled the strength of their commitments to lower barriers to all trade. Historical analysis, identification of stakeholders involved in education trade debates, and examination of concerns related to the increased liberalization of education services trade are also presented.; Among the findings: (1) On average, countries with education commitments experienced slightly higher levels of general trade openness than those without education commitments; (2) In lower middle income countries, education trade openness and general trade openness were positively related; and (3) When controlling for education, population, geography, and income, lower levels of education trade barriers were the single best predictor of countries' having made education commitments under GATS. A model for systemic improvement in education trade policymaking is presented in the final chapter. |
