Internationalization of Higher Education: some reflections on Russia and China

Given that there appears to be a dichotomy within the BRICS, we focus on Russia and China, discussing recent developments in their respective Higher Educational systems, and what these changes might mean in terms of internationalization. Moreover, given that the importance of Higher Education for a balanced development is something that is now widely recognised by International Organizations, such as the World Bank and UNESCO, as well as by governments, we enquire if past and current changes in Russian and Chinese Higher Educational systems have encouraged balanced development in those countries.