East Asia and its higher education systems are growing in prominence and importance in the global higher education landscape. Meanwhile, the growth of global issues, such as global warming and cross-border conflicts, have prompted the formation of a global governance system by various actors in the international community including universities. This special issue explores how higher education in East Asia is undergoing redefinition of their ideals and objectives for institutional internationalization and transforming their mission in alignment with the forming global governance frameworks, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, the issue illustrates how East Asian universities balance global demands for solving transnational problems with conventional nation-state perspectives on protecting national interests. The current realities of East Asian “global universities” to be presented in this special issue are expected to allow for consideration of the future of internationalization of higher education in the region and beyond as the world grapples with the precarious balancing act of international cooperation and national competition.
