Comparative study of the missions, prospects, general features, and method of student admission in the system of higher education in the selective Asian countries

Abstract: The main aim of this study is to identify and compare similarities and differences of universities in the East Asian countries offering distance learning with Payame Noor University in terms of missions, prospects, general features and method of student admission. The present research is a documentary study conducted by a comparative-analytic method. Statistical population for the study included all of the universities in Japan, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Iran. Among them, The Open University of Japan, The Open University of China, Indira Gandhi national Open University of India, Allama Iqbal Open University of Pakistan, Terbuka University of Indonesia, and Payame Noor University were selected by a purposeful sampling. Data required for the research were collected by study of documents and formal websites of the universities. Results indicated that the universities under study made fundamental changes in their educational systems by their own initiatives. Thus using their successful experiences and localizing them in our country could lead to development and better quality of distance learning in our country.