The view from within the business school sector reveals the MBA competition is intensifying and diversifying. Ledetta Asfa-Wossen reports.

Thanks to significant boosts in research funding, universities in Singapore and Korea are gaining ground in the QS University Rankings: Asia over traditional leaders Japan and Hong Kong. The National University of Singapore tops the list for the first time, while Korea's KAIST climbs from sixth to second place.

APAIE held its annual conference this week in Seoul and high on the event's agenda were linkages between institutions and industry. Seven leading Asia Pacific institutions have partnered with i-graduate to launch a three month pilot study to measure the impact of exchange programmes in the region.

Campus Asia, an academic consortium launched by Japan's Ministry of Education in 2012, has marked one year of supporting students to move between institutions in Japan, Kora and China. Participants say the scheme has been instrumental in helping expand student exchanges and Japan's influence.

India’s third largest private sector bank, Axis, has launched a pre-paid travel currency card for students in association with The International Student Identity Card (ISIC). It is the first photo travel card available to Indian students in USD, Euro, GBP and AUD currencies that can be used at over 2 million MasterCard ATMs worldwide.

The three-day K conference in Korea succeeded in putting Asian education in the spotlight, by hosting Asian educators, Western educators and education agencies from the region. An online social forum to build up networks for Asian professionals was unveiled too.