Internationalization of higher education

Last updated

Internationalization of higher education in theory is "the process of integrating an international, intercultural, or global dimension into the purpose, functions or delivery of postsecondary education." [1] Internationalization of higher education in practice is "the process of commercializing research and postsecondary education, and international competition for the recruitment of foreign students from wealthy and privileged countries in order to generate revenue, secure national profile, and build international reputation." [2] The main components of internationalization of higher education are recruitment of international students, development of international branch campuses, students, staff and scholars exchange programs, internationalization of the curriculum, and research and education partnerships between institutions regionally and internationally. [2]

Contents

There are specific rationales which are driving the internationalisation and strategies which are being used in the internationalisation of the high education institutions (HEIs).

Internationalization rationales

There are three rationales of internationalization: idealism, instrumentalism and educationalism. [3] [4]

Idealism

An idealist rationale of internationalization in higher education can generate a more democratic, fair and equal world with regard to international cooperation.

Instrumentalism

The second rationale is consistent with its practical and economic goals. This rationale influences policy-makers on developing the level of transparency and mobilization between national educational systems, enabling and simplifying the mobility of people and integrating university degrees, grading systems etc. According to instrumentalists, higher education is a way of increasing profit, ensuring economic boost and sustainable development and transferring ideologies of governments, transnational corporations, stakeholders or supranational regimes.

Furthermore, higher education is required to meet the demands of the capitalist and global world. In this respect, universities espousing internationalization are more likely to promote their country's competitiveness in the global academic arena. Instrumentalism can be contrasted with idealism in terms of hidden ideocultural goals.

Educationalism

Educationalists accept internationalization in higher education (HE) as a way of broadening the academic experiences of students and academic staff. [3]

Internationalization preparedness

Preparedness for internationalization of higher education can be understood better at two levels; organizational and systemic. Organizational preparedness includes structural preparedness, functional and administrative preparedness, academic preparedness and cultural preparedness. Systemic preparedness is about political will and support to internationalization, economic and financial support by the state, administrative and regulatory mechanism that is conducive for globalized outlook and importantly, social structures that enable. [5]

Internationalization strategies

Academic strategies

Academic strategies focus on academic programmes, research and scholarly collaboration, external relations: domestic and cross-border and extra-curricular activities. [6]

Organizational strategies

Organisational strategies include governance, operations, services and human resources. Governance mainly focuses on the active participation of faculty and staff, recognition of the international dimension in institutional mission/mandate statements and in planning, management. Additionally, it indicates the importance of operations which highlights appropriate organizational structures, systems for coordination, communication and cooperation, adequate financial support and resource allocation systems. [7]

Internationalization categories

The internationalization of higher education can be divided into two processes:

Internationalization at home

As a response to domestic postsecondary students lacking opportunities with cross cultural experiences, schools have developed on campus internationalization efforts to promote a global student identity. [8] Examples of on-campus cultural learning opportunities include: internationalizing the curriculum, developing inter-cultural research projects, collaborating with local minority groups, and promoting interactions amongst domestic and international students. [8] Examples of good practice in this area are now also widely available. [9]

Crossborder internationalization

Crossborder internationalization is "the movement of people, programs, providers, policies, knowledge, ideas, projects and services across national boundaries." [8] Traditionally, crossborder internationalization was demonstrated through student mobility, but now postsecondary institutions are borrowing and implementing foreign programs within their own campus. [8] This demonstrates how internationalization efforts involve the exchange of both people and ideas to new countries. [8]

Impacts of internationalization

Economic impacts

Considered to be a product of and response to globalization, internationalization has an economic orientation. [10] Within the Anglo-American tradition of higher education, internationalization is increasingly associated with commodification and commercialization of postsecondary education. [11] [12] [13] [14] There is international competition for recruitment amongst postsecondary institutions to recruit foreign students from privileged countries in order to generate revenue, secure national profile, and build international reputation. [11] Anglophone postsecondary institutions benefit from international students enrolling at their school due to the higher tuition fees for foreign students. [15] International students contribute to their host country's economy through their tuition fees and their living costs during their study period. [16]

Social impacts

Postsecondary institutions promote interactions between international and domestic students to develop their cultural fluency skills in preparation for a globalized future. [15] The rise of internationalization has meant students from countries with limited access to domestic higher education opportunities are able to access and obtain their education in a foreign country. [16] Postsecondary institutions that offer internationalization experiences, whether crossborder or within their own campus, are viewed as more prestigious and competitive than schools who have limited international mobility initiatives. [16]

The emergence of concepts as internationalization of educational policies, students-staff exchange programs, internationalization of curriculum, internationalization at home (IAH) or even the emergence of multinational agencies to expedite global exchanges in the realm of Higher Education lead educational policy-makers to confess that segregation of the educational policies from nations’ foreign affairs policies have no promising results than failure of the nations’ educational goals and priorities. [17]

Academic impacts

The rise of international students at postsecondary institutions has led to faculty adapting their teaching style and content delivery to better fit diverse student needs, especially language gaps, within the classroom. [18] These academic modifications include providing diversity focused materials, promoting cross cultural collaboration in class, avoiding colloquial language, and presenting images/visual material to support lecture content. [18]

At postgraduate level, the internationalization of higher education has been shown to contribute to the internationalization of research as researchers who travelled as part of their study tend to maintain networks and connections they established as students. [19]

Challenges of internationalization

The internationalization of higher education can pose several challenges:

Influential programs

Similarities – in systems or even in ideas – that schools share internationally have led to an increase in international student exchanges. The European Socrates-Erasmus Programme [23] facilitates exchanges across European universities. The Soros Foundation [24] provides many opportunities for students from central Asia and eastern Europe. Programs such as the International Baccalaureate have contributed to the internationalization of education. The global campus online, led by American universities, allows free access to class materials and lecture files recorded during the actual classes.

The Programme for International Student Assessment and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement objectively monitor and compare the proficiency of students from a wide range of different nations.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tertiary education</span> Advanced level of education, usually for adults

Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including universities as well as trade schools and colleges. Higher education is taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, while vocational education beyond secondary education is known as further education in the United Kingdom, or included under the category of continuing education in the United States.

Cross-cultural communication is a field of study investigating how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavor to communicate across cultures. Intercultural communication is a related field of study.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International student</span> Foreigner temporarily re-located for the purpose of tertiary study

International students, or foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their tertiary education in a country other than their own and move to that country for the purpose of studying.

A nontraditional student is a term originating in North America, that refers to a category of students at colleges and universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upward Bound</span> Federally funded U.S. college readiness program

Upward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs now referred to as TRiO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act of 1965. Upward Bound programs are implemented and monitored by the United States Department of Education. The goal of Upward Bound is to provide certain categories of high school students better opportunities for attending college. The categories of greatest concern are those with low income, those with parents who did not attend college, and those living in rural areas. The program works through individual grants, each of which covers a restricted geographic area and provides services to approximately 59,000 students annually. The program focuses on academic and nonacademic resources and activities like visits to museums or tutoring for school work. Students are encouraged to be involved in Upward Bound for the entire academic year and a 6-week long summer program. Many students who are also granted access into the Upward Bound program are labeled as first generation college students, who are students that are the first in their family to attend college. This program is set in place for students who come from low income families as well as underrepresented schools and gives them an opportunity to excel in college.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Student affairs</span> Department of services for student success at institutions of higher education

Student affairs, student support, or student services is the department or division of services and support for student success at institutions of higher education to enhance student growth and development. People who work in this field are known as student affairs educators, student affairs practitioners, or student affairs professionals. These student affairs practitioners work to provide services and support for students and drive student learning outside of the classroom at institutions of higher education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Tsukuba</span> National University in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

The University of Tsukuba is a public research university located in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. It is a top 10 Designated National University, and was ranked Type A by the Japanese government as part of the Top Global University Project.

International education refers to a dynamic concept that involves a journey or movement of people, minds, or ideas across political and cultural frontiers. It is facilitated by the globalization phenomenon, which increasingly erases the constraints of geography on economic, social, and cultural arrangements. The concept involves a broad range of learning, for example, formal education and informal learning. It could also involve a reorientation of academic outlook such as the pursuit of "worldmindedness" as a goal so that a school or its academic focus is considered international. For example, the National Association of State Universities prescribes the adoption of "proper education" that reflects the full range of international, social, political, cultural, and economic dialogue. International educators are responsible for "designing, managing, and facilitating programs and activities that help participants to appropriately, effectively, and ethically engage in interactions with culturally diverse people and ideas."

In the United States, higher education is an optional stage of formal learning following secondary education. It is also referred as post-secondary education, third-stage, third-level, or tertiary education. It covers stages 5 to 8 on the International ISCED 2011 scale. It is delivered at 4,360 Title IV degree-granting institutions, known as colleges or universities. These may be public or private universities, research universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, or for-profit colleges. US higher education is loosely regulated by the government and by several third-party organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Healey</span> British economist, now working on higher education policy and management

Nigel Healey is a British-New Zealand academic in management and higher education, who is Professor of International Higher Education and Vice-President at the University of Limerick. He served as Interim Provost and Deputy President during the Covid-19 pandemic from September 2020 to June 2022, returning to his substantive position in July 2022. His current research interests are in the internationalization of higher education, transnational education and higher education policy and management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Peloponnese</span>

The University of Peloponnese is a Greek tertiary educational institution, composed of campuses in Tripoli, Corinth, Kalamata, Nafplio, Sparta, and Patras with more than 25,000 students in 9 schools across the campuses, with the former being in turn composed of 22 departments.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is a U.S.-based international network of academic institutions organized to support and defend the principles of academic freedom and to defend the human rights of scholars around the world. Network membership includes over 530 higher education institutions in 42 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higher education in Ontario</span> Colleges and universities in Ontario, Canada

Higher education in Ontario includes postsecondary education and skills training regulated by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and provided by universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, and private career colleges. The current minister is Jill Dunlop who was appointed in June 2021. The ministry administers laws covering 22 public universities, 24 public colleges, 17 privately funded religious universities, and over 500 private career colleges. 18 of the top 50 research universities in Canada are in Ontario.

Virtual mobility refers to students and teachers in higher education using another institution outside their own country to study or teach for a limited time, without physically leaving their home. It complements physical mobility in which students travel to study abroad, such as within the Erasmus Programme. The two forms of mobility together constitute academic mobility. Student and teacher mobility are perceived as important quality issues in higher education.

Academic integrity is the moral code or ethical policy of academia. The term was popularized by Rutgers University professor Donald McCabe who is considered to be the "grandfather of academic integrity". Other prominent academic integrity scholars and advocates include Tracey Bretag (Australia), Cath Ellis (Australia), Sarah Elaine Eaton (Canada), Thomas Lancaster (UK), Tomáš Foltýnek, and Tricia Bertram Gallant (USA). Academic integrity supports the enactment of educational values through behaviours such as the avoidance of cheating, plagiarism, and contract cheating, as well as the maintenance of academic standards; honesty and rigor in research and academic publishing.

Student migration is the movement of students who study outside their country of birth or citizenship for a period of 12 months or more. During the period of globalization, the internationalisation of higher education increased dramatically and it has become a market driven activity. With the rapid rise of international education more and more students are seeking higher education in foreign countries and many international students now consider overseas study a stepping-stone to permanent residency within a country. The contributions that foreign students make to host nation economies, both culturally and financially has encouraged major players to implement further initiatives to facilitate the arrival and integration of overseas students, including substantial amendments to immigration and visa policies and procedures. Institutions are competing hard to attract international students at a time when immigration policies in leading destinations like the US and the UK are not enabling transition to work visas.

Cross-border education is the movement of people, knowledge programs providers and curriculum across national or regional jurisdictional borders. It also refers to dual and joint degree programs, branch campuses, and virtual, on-line education. It is a division of "internationalization of higher education" and can be linked to development cooperation projects, academic exchange programs and commercial initiatives.

An international branch campus (IBC) is a form of international higher education whereby one or more partnering institutions establishes a physical presence in a foreign location for the purpose of expanding global outreach and student exchange. Generally named for their "home" institution and offering undergraduate and graduate programs, graduating students are conferred degrees from one or all partnering institutions, dependent on the agreement. Instruction most often occurs in properties owned or leased by the foreign institution, sometimes with a local partner, and may also include additional services and facilities to mirror Western universities. IBCs are delivered in many formats and currently exist all over the world. As a relatively new method of delivering post-secondary education, IBCs have been deemed successful and yet face continual criticism.

Bridget Terry Long is the 12th Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the Saris Professor of Education and Economics. She is an economist whose research focuses on college access and success. Long is a Faculty Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a member of the National Academy of Education.

International student services are the services, supports and programming available to undergraduate and graduate international students provided by the institution at which they are studying. These services have been developed to meet international students' specific needs during their post-secondary studies and can include: orientation programming, immigration advising, academic and language support, financial aid support, employment services, health and wellness support, residence and housing support, social programming, and post-graduation planning support.

References

  1. ↑ Knight, Jane (2003). Updating the definition of internationalization. International Higher Education. pp. 2–3.
  2. 1 2 Khorsandi Taskoh, Ali (2014). A Critical Policy Analysis of Internationalization in Postsecondary Education : An Ontario Case Study. Ontario: Western University.
  3. 1 2 Stier, J (2004). "Taking a critical stance toward internationalization ideologies in higher education: Idealism, instrumentalism and educationalism". Globalisation, Societies and Education. 2: 1–28. doi:10.1080/1476772042000177069. S2CID   216590240.
  4. ↑ Knight, J (2004). "Internationalization Remodeled: Definition, Approaches, and Rationales". Journal of Studies in International Education. 8: 5–31. doi:10.1177/1028315303260832. S2CID   145731215.
  5. ↑ Inamdar, N.(2019). Transcending Boundaries in Higher Education: Are We Really Ready?. In Bhat, H.V., & Inamdar, N. (Ed.), Internationalization of Higher Education: The Dynamics of Educational Ecology (pp. 9-32). Manipal: Manipal Universal Press.
  6. ↑ Murshudova, R (2011). "Internationalization of Higher Education in Azerbaijan: Transforming Post-Soviet Legacies through Higher Education Development". Capstone Collection Paper 2430.
  7. ↑ Knight, J (2008). Higher Education in Turmoil. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Knight, Jane (2012). "Student Mobility and Internationalization: Trends and Tribulations". Research in Comparative and International Education. 7 (1): 20–33. doi:10.2304/rcie.2012.7.1.20. ISSN   1745-4999. S2CID   143986229.
  9. ↑ Manning, Anthony; Colaiacomo, Silvia (2021). Innovations in Internationalisation at Home. Cambridge Scholars. ISBN   978-1-5275-6656-9.
  10. ↑ Beck, Kumari (2012). Globalization/s: reproduction and resistance in the internationalization of higher education. Vol. 35. Canadian Journal of Education. pp. 133–148.
  11. 1 2 Khorsandi Taskoh, Ali (2014). A Critical Policy Analysis of Internationalization in Postsecondary Education : An Ontario Case Study. Ontario: Western University.
  12. ↑ Knight, Jane (2004). Internationalization remodeled: Definitions, approaches and rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education. pp. 5–31.
  13. ↑ deWit, Hans (2011). Trends, issues and challenges in internationalization of higher education. Amsterdam, Centre for Applied Research on Economics and Management.
  14. ↑ Altbach, Philip (2002). Perspectives on international higher education. Change. pp. 29–31.
  15. 1 2 3 Robson, Sue (2011). "Internationalization: a transformative agenda for higher education?". Teachers and Teaching. 17 (6): 619–630. doi:10.1080/13540602.2011.625116. ISSN   1354-0602. S2CID   143947137.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Altbach, Philip G.; Knight, Jane (2007). "The Internationalization of Higher Education: Motivations and Realities". Journal of Studies in International Education. 11 (3–4): 290–305. doi:10.1177/1028315307303542. ISSN   1028-3153. S2CID   146416698.
  17. ↑ Khorsandi Taskoh, Ali (2020). "Internationalization in Canadian Higher Education Institutions: Ontario". Higher Education for the Future. pp. 97-117, https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120930538
  18. 1 2 Sawir, Erlenawati (2011). "Dealing with diversity in internationalised higher education institutions". Intercultural Education. 22 (5): 381–394. doi:10.1080/14675986.2011.643136. ISSN   1467-5986. S2CID   55492153.
  19. ↑ ALEJANDRO, AUDREY (2020). WESTERN DOMINANCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS? : the internationalisation of ir in brazil and india. [Place of publication not identified]: ROUTLEDGE. pp. 79–89. ISBN   978-0-367-54010-4. OCLC   1145913401.
  20. ↑ Khorsandi Taskoh, Ali (2020). "Internationalization in Canadian Higher Education Institutions: Ontario". Compare: Higher Education for the Future. 7 (2): 97–117. doi:10.1177/2347631120930538. ISSN   2347-6311. S2CID   220910567.
  21. 1 2 Bedenlier, Svenja; Zawacki-Richter, Olaf (2015). "Internationalization of higher education and the impacts on academic faculty members". Research in Comparative and International Education. 10 (2): 185–201. doi:10.1177/1745499915571707. ISSN   1745-4999. S2CID   145405665.
  22. ↑ Maringe, Felix; Woodfield, Steve (2013). "Contemporary issues on the internationalisation of higher education: critical and comparative perspectives". Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education. 43 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1080/03057925.2013.746545. ISSN   0305-7925. S2CID   143866095.
  23. ↑ "Socrates-Erasmus Program". Erasmus.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  24. ↑ "Soros Foundation". Soros.org. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.