Governments have been looking for ways to reduce the costs and maximise the benefits of higher education. Fostering cooperation between higher education institutions is one of the strategic options chosen by European countries in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their higher education systems. This report draws on a systematic review of empirical evidence to summarise what is known and what is not known about the economic and non-economic benefits and costs associated with transnational cooperation in higher education. The analytical framework used to review empirical evidence on the benefits and costs of transnational collaborative partnerships reflects the understanding that: 1) benefits and costs occur at different levels: macro (regional/national), meso (institutional) and micro (individual); and 2) benefits and costs can be: economic or non-economic (academic, socio-cultural and political)

Benefits and costs of transnational collaborative partnerships in higher education

In response to the scant academic research about higher education internationalization in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, this paper investigates the characteristics and influences of internationalization in the Republic of Georgia. Based on interviews with Georgian government representatives and university faculty and administrators, this research identified the perceived benefits of internationalization and the effectiveness of its implementation. The research findings indicate that three main engines are driving internationalization in Georgia: western influences through modeling and international programs; national higher education accreditation processes; and the academic programs, courses, and partnerships developed by internationally-mobile Georgian faculty and students. In addition, two recent opportunities for additional growth in internationalization are described – international students in Georgia and joint and dual degrees – along with recommendations on how to further enhance internationalization efforts.

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Internationalization of Georgian Higher Education: National and International Influences

Many international scholarship programs expect that graduates will return home to apply their education for socioeconomic development, yet national contextual factors shape these anticipated outcom...

Exploring the Relationship of Home Country Government Reforms and the Choices of International Higher Education Scholarship Program Participants

In this introductory essay to the special issue, we discuss the importance of regional and national contexts for understanding internationalization of higher education and provide contextual information about the cluster of former Soviet and Eastern bloc nations. Drawing from findings from the three studies included in the special issue, we also identify themes that may characterize the internationalization of higher education in former Soviet and Eastern bloc nations. We conclude the essay by discussing the value of comparative research on internationalization of higher education and identifying directions for future research.

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Higher Education Internationalization in the Context of Ongoing Economic-Political Transitions: Insights from Former Soviet and Eastern Bloc Nations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of study abroad on identity development among Azerbaijani academics. The results suggest that study abroad has had a transformative impact on ...

The Internationalisation of Higher Education and Identity Construction in Azerbaijan

Internationalization of higher education has become a priority for many universities in post-Soviet small states. Focusing on international communication networks, student mobility, or international curriculum development, universities invest human and financial resources to prepare graduates to meet global challenges. Globalization and post-Soviet independence have promoted emerging patterns of international education strategies and new approaches to managing international activities. This study explores current trends of university internationalization in post-Soviet Moldova as understood and interpreted by Moldova state universities’ administrators. International Relations Department officials who are responsible for the design and implementation of international education programs discuss their perceptions of post-Soviet small state international outreach strategies, smallness and marginalization, and the unique aspects of academic internationalization in Moldova. Respondents’ diverse internationalization techniques and expectations illustrate the importance of academic dialogue with post-USSR small states and raise possible standards for international collaboration with Eastern and Southern European universities.

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Ludmila Cojocari

Papers

Internationalization of Higher Education in Post-Soviet Small States: Realities and Perspectives of Moldova.