Unravelling the concept of internationalisation in tertiary education

Abstract

Over the past two decades, internationalisation has slowly but steadily become the mot du jour in tertiary education, a concept brandished by all involved as the way forward towards achieving greater standards of excellence. No university strategic plan would currently be complete without a strong stance on internationalisation. However, in practice, the term is proving difficult to define, encompassing a wide range of strategies and activities and open to multiple and not always converging interpretations.

This paper aims to examine these conceptual nuances by looking into the fundamental principles of internationalisation as well as some of the prevalent myths and misconceptions regarding its meaning at higher education level. It also analyses quality-related issues that stem from internationalisation models and processes, such as: indicators to measure success; theoretical and practical challenges in any international strategy; the significance of the term internationalisation versus globalization; and the potential difficulties in assessing the validity and value of some of the most widespread internationalisation strategies being implemented by institutions across the world.