Developing Capacity in Tertiary Education through Trade Liberalisation and the GATS

This chapter explores opportunities and challenges of developing capacity in higher education through enhanced trade and investment, and in the context of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). It shows that while many of the policies needed to manage liberalisation of tertiary education services are not shaped by the GATS, the Agreement can affect the regulatory conduct of governments in some areas of tertiary education. If appropriately designed, bound liberalisation under the GATS can contribute to the advancement of national objectives by improving investor’s confidence when countries decide to allow private sector participation in higher education.