"I was born smart, but education ruined me"

We want to study in good schools, get education, earn our diploma and become "smarter". But only a few people really think about education system, specifically higher education systems, their national and international standards.  Once accepted to college, a student has an important decision to make, that is, in what direction she/he should specialize on and what classes to take (unless she/he exactly knows what she/he wants to study). A certain list of required courses is provided and a student starts to studying that, often without thinking if it worth it. We obey the rules, most of us do not question already created standards. But who sets those standards? Is it a Ministry of education or a donor who makes big donations? And are the standards set in the past still relevant today?

I haven't been thinking much about this issue, but got really inspired to think on this when attended the public lecture called How 'Global' is the Global Transformation of the University? The Importance of Transnational Knowledge Production and Critique by Sarah Amsler - PhD, Reader in Education, University of Lincoln, UK. She raised questions on cross-national crisis experiences, forms of neoliberal restructuring in Central Asia, dominated by international financial institutions, non-governmental organization and local power elites who, she thinks may be shaping higher education.

University education really is becoming global as we have more opportunities to study abroad or attend online classes from prominent universities. Many universities look for greater diversity and thus attract foreign students. "Why do countries strive to attract foreign students? The export of education services in developed countries generates billions of dollars through tuition fees, accommodation and discretionary spending, creates new jobs and generates additional government revenue" (Nubek Jenish, Export of Higher Education Services in Kyrgyzstan, 2012). Despite the fact that educating foreigners brings positive externalities in terms of extra money for the economy, it may also mislead students. That is a student should clearly understand the historical, economical, political, etc. differences between his home country and the country he is getting education from.
While still paying that huge tuition for the university, we still can allow ourselves to question the rightness of the educational system.