Achieving Soft Power Goals Through Education Diplomacy by Southeast Asian Nations

Abstract

Globalization has brought huge changes in every section of life, including education. The international relations have been impacted on by globalization as well. The students, scholars and researchers, these days, are regarded as actors in diplomacy. Education diplomacy is considered as an important tool in the conduct of international relations worldwide. The public diplomacy through provision of education opportunities, known as soft power tool, has emerged as a new trend by which countries extend their national interests and attempt to shape the preferences of others and affecting their behaviour in one’s favour. International Education has proved to be a major contributor to soft power goals and has emerged as an important part of public diplomacy that has created many advantages. The countries anticipate, by means of education diplomacy, the promotion of nation’s policy priorities and interests and subsequently, to contribute to country’s economic development and investment. The present study aims to explore the soft power goals of the Southeast Asian Countries. It further explores the goals that are achieved by the countries through implementation of public diplomacy in education.