THE Asian education miracle - which has seen countries such as China, Singapore and Korea climb to the top of international student rankings - has not been achieved without great costs, warns an expert on Asian education.

Dr Yong Zhao, from the University of Oregon, gave the keynote address last night at an East Asian education round table in Melbourne organised by the Grattan Institute.

Bad report … US academic Yong Zhao, in Melbourne yesterday, says students under the East Asian model are under stress. Credit:John Woudstra

While outsiders tend to glorify and exaggerate the successes replicated by Asian-background students in the West, the consequences of strict adherence to authority figures, rigorous discipline and single-minded dedication to standardised test results are severe, Professor Zhao, who taught in China before moving to the US, said.

''The East Asian students suffer, actually. There is psychological stress, there is a lot of direction, a lack of social experiences and therefore emotional development,'' he said.