Transcript Economic - Higher Education Academy

Internationalisation: establishing a collective
understanding of the issues
Kevin Thomas
Northumbria University
22 May 2012
Session plan
Introduction – outline of a definition of internationalisation
and institutional rationales (5 mins)
Group exercise (40 mins)
Plenary and discussion (15 mins)
2
Outline of a definition
Different things to different people and different things to
different institutions
Needs to embrace;
• Wider institution
• Not just academic staff
• All students
• Culture
• Globalisation
• Usefulness- education, skills
3
Rationales for internationalisation
How an institution approaches and operationalises
internationalisation will be influenced by the rationale(s)
motivating it;
Political
Foreign policy, national security, peace and mutual understanding,
national identity, regional identity
Economic
Economic growth and competitiveness, labour market, financial
incentives, income generation
Academic
International dimension to research and teaching, extension of academic
horizons, institution-building, profile and status, enhancement of quality
and curriculum development, international academic standards,
research collaborations
4
Rationales cont.
Developmental
Student and staff development, institutional learning and
exchange, capacity building, technical assistance
Social and cultural
National cultural identity, intercultural understanding,
citizenship development, social and community
development
Competitive
International branding and positioning, strategic alliances,
knowledge production, knowledge transfer
(Middlehurst & Woodfield, 2007, p 31)
5
Group exercise
Working in small groups consider
1.Your definitions/views of internationalisation
2.The rationale(s) motivating your institution
3.What are the internal “enablers” to internationalisation?
4.What are the main internal “barriers”
restricting/preventing internationalisation at your institution
6
A definition…
‘Internationalisation at the national, sector and institutional
levels is defined as the process of integrating an international,
intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions or
delivery of post-secondary education and it should aim to
create values, beliefs and intellectual insight in which both
domestic and international students and staff participate and
benefit equally. It should develop global perspectives,
international and cultural and ethical sensitivity and useful
knowledge, skills and attitudes for the globalised market place’.
7
ENABLERS
Resourcing
Institutional links
Internationally focused curriculum
Student recruitment (UG and PG)
Staff and student exchange
Staff interaction in internationalisation
Senior management support and leadership
Research collaborations
8
BARRIERS
Resourcing
Internationalisation at home
Internationally focused curriculum
Use of a strategy and monitoring
Staff and student mobility
Staff interaction in internationalisation
Senior management support and leadership
Communication and clarification
Complicated and over-bureaucratic procedures
9
References
de Wit, H. (1995). Strategies for Internationalization of Higher
Education: a comparative study of Australia, Canada, Europe
and the United States of America. Amsterdam: European
Association for International Education.
Elkin, G., Devjee, F., & Farnsworth, J. (2005). Visualising the
"internationalisation" of universities. International Journal of
Educational Development, 19(4), 318-329. Retrieved from
www.emeraldinsight.com
Knight, J. (1997). Internationalization of higher education: a
conceptual framework. In J. Knight & H. deWitt (Eds.),
Internationalization of Higher Education in Asia Pacific Countries
(pp. 5-19). Amsterdam: EAIE.
10
Knight, J. (2003). Updating the Definition of
Internationalisation. International Higher Education, 33(Fall),
2-3. Retrieved from http://www.bc.edu/bc
Middlehurst, R., & Woodfield, S. (2007). Responding to the
internationalisation agenda: implications for institutional
strategy: Higher Education Academy.
11