This article adresses the dual issues of competition and conflicts around the world arising as a result of export and import of higher education, specifically focusing on how open universities and distance education institutions play their roles in a dynamically challenging environment. Open universities and distance education instituttions around the world share common egalitarian philosophy, in which all citizens have access,equity of opprtunity to participate in university education, irrespective of their work, other professional commitments, family commitments, geoghraphical locations, social and economic status, and other factors. Open niversities and distance education institutions share the common goal of improving the quality of human resources, having significant role to play towards providing improved access and quality of higher education. In this pursuit, they can explore possibilities for expanding their outreach across borders, however, there are constrains and challenges to be addressed by open universitas and distance education institutions to serve in new roles in provision of borderless higher education.