Showing papers in "International higher education in 2015"
TL;DR: In the last two decades, the concept of the internationalization of higher education has moved from the fringe of institutional interest to the very core as mentioned in this paper, and while gaining moral weight, its content seems to have deteriorated.
Abstract: Over the last two decades, the concept of the internationalization of higher education has moved from the fringe of institutional interest to the very core. While gaining moral weight, its content seems to have deteriorated. There is an increasing commercialization under the flag of internationalization. This attitude has exacerbated the devaluation of internationalization and the inflation of defensive measures. While in need of more philosophy, we also require a greater sense of reality. We need to rethink and redefine the way we look at the internationalization of higher education in the present time.
218 citations
212 citations
TL;DR: A brief overview of five prevalent myths about internationalisation in higher education can be found in this paper, with the purpose of identifying and reflecting on these myths to ensure that internationalisation is on the right track and that we are aware of intended and unintended consequences as higher education sectors weather turbulent times where competitiveness, rankings, and commercialism seem to be the driving forces.
Abstract: As internationalisation of education matures, it is becoming a more important and complex process. It is firmly embedded in institutional mission statements, policies, and strategies as well as national policy frameworks. This signals that internationalisation has come of age and is a legitimate area of policy, practice, and research in higher education. This article suggests that over the years implicit assumptions have developed about internationalisation, myths perhaps, that need to be exposed and discussed. A brief overview of five prevalent myths follows. The five myths are: (1) foreign students as agents of internationalisation of institutions; (2) international reputation as a proxy for quality; (3) international institutional agreements as a measure of success; (4) international accreditation as a measure of quality; and (5) global branding as a measure of institutional success. A common element of each myth is that the benefits of internationalisation or the degree of internationality can be measured quantitatively. The purpose of identifying and reflecting on these myths is to ensure that internationalisation is on the right track and that we are aware of intended and unintended consequences as higher education sectors weather turbulent times where competitiveness, rankings, and commercialism seem to be the driving forces.
196 citations
TL;DR: Rankings of academic institutions, programs, and departments are all the rage worldwide as discussed by the authors, and at least two worldwide rankings exist: U.S. News and World Report and the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES).
Abstract: Rankings of academic institutions, programs, and departments are all the rage worldwide. National rankings are ubiquitous and at least two worldwide rankings exist. These operations are widely criticized for questionable or flawed methods as well as for the concept itself, but everyone uses them. When done well, they can be valuable to consumers, policymakers, and to academic institutions themselves as they compare themselves with peer institutions at home or abroad. Rankings range from irresponsible musings by selfappointed experts and money-making schemes by commercial organizations to, at their best, serious efforts by academic or research organizations. Publications—including U.S. News and World Report in the United States, the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and the Financial Times in Britain, Der Spiegel in Germany, Reforma in Mexico, and Asiaweek (now defunct), and others—have sponsored rankings. A few outlets, such as U.S. News and THES, have achieved a degree of respectability. Rankings have achieved a degree of public legitimacy and an aura of credibility because respected research and policy organizations have sponsored some of them. The research and teaching assessments carried out by the funding councils in the United Kingdom, the rankings of disciplines done by the National Research Council in the United States, and some others are examples. This past year, Shanghai Jiaotong University and the THES have published worldwide university rankings.
163 citations
TL;DR: The World Trade Organization (WTO) is considering a series of proposals to include higher education as one of its concerns, ensuring that the import and export of higher education be subject to the complex rules and legal arrangements of the WTO protocols and free of most restrictions as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Higher education is increasingly seen as a commercial product to be bought and sold like any other commodity. Higher education commercialization has now reached the global marketplace. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is considering a series of proposals to include higher education as one of its concerns, ensuring that the import and export of higher education be subject to the complex rules and legal arrangements of the WTO protocols and free of most restrictions. In the United States, the National Committee for International Trade in Education and a group of mainly for-profit education providers are supporting this initiative. The established higher education community, including the American Council on Education, is not involved in this undertaking. The WTO initiative poses a severe threat to the traditional ideals of the university, as well as to the national and even institutional control of education, and therefore needs careful scrutiny. We are in the midst of a true revolution in higher education, a revolution that has the potential to profoundly change our basic understanding of the role of the university. The implications are immense and as yet little discussed or understood. It is especially alarming, but not surprising, that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Service Industries is behind the effort to commercialize higher education in the United States and worldwide. I am not arguing against globalization either as a reality or as a concept. Higher education institutions everywhere are subject to global trends—massification and all of its implications, the impact of the new communications technologies, accountability of academic institutions to government, an increasingly international and mobile academic profession, global research networks, and other phenomena. Many of these developments link academic institutions and systems globally. The use of English as the lingua franca for scientific communication and for teaching, especially when combined with the Internet, makes communication easier and quicker. The advent of multinational higher education institutions makes it possible to disseminate new curricular and other innovations quickly and to meet the immediate needs of students and the national economies of countries that lack adequate providers of higher education. For centuries, universities were seen as institutions that provided education in the learned professions (law, medicine, and theology) and scientific disciplines. Universities, as independent and sometimes critical institutions, preserved and interpreted, and sometimes expanded, the history and culture of society. In the 19th century, research was added to the responsibilities of the universities, followed a little later by service to society. Academic institutions were, in the main, sponsored by the state or the church. Even privately sponsored institutions were defined by the service mission. Higher education was seen as a “public good,” as something that provided a valuable contribution to society and was therefore worthy of support. Universities were places for learning, research, and service to society through the application of knowledge. Academe was afforded a significant degree of insulation from the pressures of society—academic freedom— precisely because it was serving the broader good of society. Professors were often given permanent appointments— tenure—to guarantee them academic freedom in the classroom and laboratory to teach and do research without fear of sanctions from society.
159 citations
137 citations
TL;DR: In Australia, where there has been a U.S.style shift to the private good idea, the funding system is based on a concept of a tax on the earnings of university graduates as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Other Examples Other countries offer alternatives to American thinking. In Western Europe, tuition remains low, or in some cases entirely free. There is still a commitment to the public good argument. The European experience shows that modern postindustrial societies can support public higher education systems and provide access to growing numbers of students. In Australia, where there has been a U.S.-style shift to the private good idea, the funding system is based on a concept of a tax on the earnings of university graduates—degree holders pay back the cost of their higher education, over time, based on their incomes. There is less of an immediate burden on individuals and a greater degree of equity. These examples show that there are other ways to think about financing large higher education systems.
130 citations
99 citations
TL;DR: According to the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, the number of branch campuses has increased by 43 percent to a total of 162 between 2006 and 2009 (See Rosa Becker's article in this issue of IHE) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Branch campuses are sprouting around the world, like mushrooms after a heavy rain. According to the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, the number of branch campuses have increased by 43 percent to a total of 162 between 2006 and 2009 (See Rosa Becker’s article in this issue of IHE). Definitions are slippery; the Observatory's description will suffice: “An international branch campus is an off-shore entity of a higher education institution operated by the institution or through a joint venture in which the institution is a partner (some countries require foreign providers to partner with a local organization) in the name of the foreign institution. Upon successful completion of the course program, which is fully undertaken at the unit abroad, students are awarded a degree from the foreign institution.” Many of the growing mushrooms may only hold a limited life span and a few might be poisonous. Let us be honest about branch campuses. With a few notable exceptions, they are not really campuses. They are, rather, small, specialized, and limited academic programs offered offshore to take advantage of a perceived market. Not surprisingly, the most popular programs offered are in business management and information technology—with fairly low setup costs and significant worldwide demand. Except where generous hosts—such as in the Arabian Gulf, Singapore, and a few other places—provide facilities and infrastructure, branch campuses become rather spartan places, resembling office complexes rather than academic institutions.
93 citations
93 citations
TL;DR: According to the results of the 2005 International Association of Universities (IAU) Survey, there is overwhelming agreement (96 percent of responding institutions from 95 countries) that internationalization brings benefits to higher education as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: While the process of internationalization affords many benefits to higher education, it is clear that there are serious risks associated with this complex and growing phenomenon. According to the results of the 2005 International Association of Universities (IAU) Survey there is overwhelming agreement (96 percent of responding institutions from 95 countries) that internationalization brings benefits to higher education. Yet, this consensus is qualified by the fact that 70 percent also believe there are substantial risks associated with the international dimension of higher education. (Information on the 2005 IAU Global Survey Report on the Internationalization of Higher Education: New Directions, New Challenges is available at iau@unesco.org.)
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a methodology for measuring research productivity in universities. But, they do not consider the social sciences and humanities, and do not pay sufficient attention to books.
Abstract: Measuring research productivity in universities is a complicated and problematic process. Yet, such measurements are important for calculating the productivity of institutions, individual researchers, and academic systems. They count for a lot in the rankings. Current measures undercount the social sciences and humanities, and don’t pay sufficient attention to books. Further, the ways that knowledge is communicated is changing.
TL;DR: For instance, the European programs for research and education have been the motor for a broader and more strategic approach to internationalization in higher education in Europe and have set an example for institutions, nations, and regions in other parts of the world as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Internationalization of higher education (IoHE) is a relatively new phenomenon but, as a concept, it is one that is both broad and varied. Over the last 30 years, the European programs for research and education—in particular the ERASMUS program but also research programs like the Marie Curie Fellowships—have been the motor for a broader and more strategic approach to internationalization in higher education in Europe and have set an example for institutions, nations, and regions in other parts of the world.
TL;DR: For higher education, globalization implies the broad social, economic, and technological forces that shape the realities of the 21st century as discussed by the authors, and how these forces affect higher education policy and academic institutions.
Abstract: What is globalization and how does it affect higher education policy and academic institutions? The answer is deceivingly simple and the implications are surprisingly complex. For higher education, globalization implies the broad social, economic, and technological forces that shape the realities of the 21st century.
TL;DR: The importance and benefits of international education have been recognized, but at the same time, new risks have been widely acknowledged, such as commercialization, foreign degree mills, brain drain, and growing elitism as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: During the last decade internationalization has increased in importance, impact, and complexity. In fact, international education is now seen by both politicians and academic leaders as instrumental to regionalization initiatives. students. In the past decade the importance and benefits of internationalization have been recognized, but at the same time, new risks have been widely acknowledged, such as commercialization, foreign degree mills, brain drain, and growing elitism. All in all, we have seen a very dynamic evolution of internationalization in the past 10 years.
TL;DR: The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWC) as mentioned in this paper ranks 1,200 institutions world wide and ranks Chinese universities as the best of the best in the world, based on their academic performance.
Abstract: Conceived as a project to benchmark Chinese Universities, the Academic Ranking of World Universities ranks 1,200 institutions world wide. As international interest in rankings increases, efforts continue to improve and diversify this ranking system.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors emphasized a view of international students as a source of income generation and emphasized the pull factors for international students: reputation and employability are the pull-factors for international student: in turn, brain drain is a problem in developing countries at the end of the chain.
Abstract: Institutions of higher education recently emphasized a view of international students as a source of income generation. Like the UK and Australia, other countries have also introduced out of state fees for international students. The competition for international students has increased even among traditionally sending countries. Selected recruitment of top talents is also a trend. Reputation and employability are the pull-factors for international students: in turn, "brain drain" is a problem in developing countries at the end of the chain.
TL;DR: In this article, a particularly serious problem will likely infiltrate the Arabian Gulf region, where numerous branches have been established and the local and perhaps even the regional student population will have many other options over time.
Abstract: unpredictable as more branches are developed, and local institutions are inevitably improved. This particularly serious problem will likely infiltrate the Arabian Gulf region, where numerous branches have been established and the local and perhaps even the regional student population will have many other options over time. Some of the branches, established generally with funding from host governments or other agencies, are already facing enrollment problems, and many are operating under capacity.
TL;DR: The decline in public expenditure on higher education has been a global crisis and the most important trend as discussed by the authors, and most countries have inflicted serious cuts in public budgets for higher education in many countries.
Abstract: The decline in public expenditure on higher education has been a global crisis and the most important trend. Compelled by economic reform policies or convinced of the rationale for the reduced role of the state in funding higher education, most countries have inflicted serious cuts in public budgets for higher education. This trend exists in many countries, in some or all of the following areas: total public expenditure on higher education, per student expenditures, public higher education expenditure’s share in relation to a particular country’s national income or total government budget expenditure, and allocations in absolute and relative terms to important programs that include research, scholarships, and so on. The decline is not confined to developing countries, though it is more prevalent in developing than in developed countries. There has been a significant fall even in advanced countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand— though generally higher education in high-income countries has not suffered much. The decline is steep in some countries—such as Botswana, Jamaica, Hungary, and New Zealand.
TL;DR: The Women's World (India) Network as discussed by the authors is a worldwide network of women writers that works to counter censorship and protects the right to free speech. But it has not been able to provide legal aid to women victims of violence.
Abstract: to the securing of equal rights for women under the constitutional scheme and has campaigned for the past 16 years on women's right to free speech and their right against censorship by state and private actors. It has provided counselling and legal aid to women victims of violence; provided training to organisations in rural areas in Andhra on designing and implementing programmes that are gender sensitive; supported networks of persons with disabilities in the state; organised women writers, published anthologies of creative writing by women, dalit and Muslim writers, and has initiated campaigns on secularism and diversity. Women's World (India) is part of a worldwide network of women writers that works to counter censorship and protects the right to free speech. Formally launched in 2003 it has more than 200 members and was one of the first to protest against the smear campaign against actor Khushboo in Tamil Nadu. It also protested against the ban by the West Bengal government on Taslima Nasreen's autobiography and offered her protection and support after the initial fatwa was taken up by Women's World (International). Writers likeNabaneeta Dev Sen, Jeelani Bano, Mridula Garg, Rukmini Bhaya Nair, Abburi Chaya Devi, Bama are members of the network.
TL;DR: This paper pointed out that cultural and linguistic affinity does not serve as an adequate basis for international partnerships (especially beyond the first-generation diaspora), and the fact that most of the partnerships indicated above are in the area of business and administration underlines a more widespread bias in such agreements.
Abstract: Conclusion These collaborations illustrate several key points about internationalization. First, Singapore’s misplaced optimism that led to its failed science park venture in Suzhou underlines the fact that presumed cultural and linguistic affinity does not serve as an adequate basis for international partnerships (especially beyond the first-generation diaspora). Second, the fact that most of the partnerships indicated above are in the area of business and administration underlines a more widespread bias in such agreements. Thus, the prospects for developing effective partnerships in areas such as the social sciences and humanities do not appear strong. Third, the strength of regional partnerships and agreements is a refreshing reminder that not all internationalization occurs between “the West and the rest,” or between elite institutions in the West. Internationalization is a broad river, with many fascinating if still largely unexplored tributaries.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that education is not merely a value-free instrument for the transfer of skills across national and regional boundaries, as some might like us to believe, but education must embrace the intellectual, cultural, political, and social development of individuals, institutions, and nations.
Abstract: into a commodity and privatized “the more it will either corrode the collective knowledge base or itself corrode as it distances itself from that collective wellspring.” Education is not merely a value-free instrument for the transfer of skills across national and regional boundaries, as some might like us to believe. On the contrary, education must embrace the intellectual, cultural, political, and social development of individuals, institutions, and nations. This “public good” agenda should not be held hostage to the vagaries of the market. International “trade” in education services, particularly at the higher education level, has grown significantly in the past period, with increasing numbers of students studying outside their home countries, increased international marketing of academic programs, and the establishment of overseas “branch campuses,” etc. It should come as no surprise that the movement of students and staff is mainly from South to North, while export of educational services in the form, among others, of educational information, provision, and facilities (e.g., branch campuses) is in the reverse direction.
TL;DR: The 2009 world university rankings showed a modest increase in the number of universities in Asia that have entered the top 100 as mentioned in this paper, which was referred to as academic rise of Asia and a concomitant decline of the West.
Abstract: The 2009 world university rankings showed a modest increase in the number of universities in Asia that have entered the top 100—in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities from 5 to 6, and in the Times Higher Education/QS rankings from 14 to 16. Commentators immediately referred to the academic rise of Asia and a concomitant decline of the West.
TL;DR: In this article, a distinction between program and provider mobility is made, where the learner is not necessarily located in a different country than the awarding institution as is the case with program mobility; and this raises other issues and challenges.
Abstract: grams or services offered and the local presence (and investment) by the foreign provider. Credits and qualifications are awarded by the foreign provider (through foreign, local, or selfaccreditation methods) or by an affiliated domestic partner or jointly. The key question remains who monitors and recognizes the “legitimacy” and “recognition” of the qualification for future study and employment purposes. The forms of crossborder provider mobility include branch campuses, merger with or acquisition of domestic providers, independent institutions, study and support centers, virtual delivery, plus other types of innovative affiliations. A distinguishing feature between program and provider mobility is that with provider mobility the learner is not necessarily located in a different country than the awarding institution as is the case with program mobility; and this raises other issues and challenges.
TL;DR: In this article, a survey of faculty research in Russian universities showed that the higher education system is far from achieving an appropriate level of research activity, due to the Soviet tradition of allocating research mostly to research institutes, the traditionally high teaching loads of junior and middle academic personnel, inadequate government funding of universities and limited opportunities for faculty to raise research funding directly.
Abstract: Prospects for the Research University The challenges of globalization suggest that research activity in Russian universities should be intensified. A survey of faculty research in Russia shows that the higher education system is far from achieving an appropriate level of research activity. Among the factors working against this progress are the Soviet tradition of allocating research mostly to research institutes, the traditionally high teaching loads of junior and middle academic personnel, inadequate government funding of universities, and limited opportunities for faculty to raise research funding directly. Faculty members need to spread themselves among multiple jobs because one salary is not enough to live on. Besides, a model of appropriate knowledge production requires a certain financial autonomy of research organizations, whatever their kind. In Russia such autonomy has been shrinking, especially in higher education institutions and also requires appropriate legislation on intellectual property. These conditions simply are not in place. Under present circumstances Russia cannot build knowledge production as a national asset and develop a robust research university sector. The external incentives for research are weak, in a natural resources–based economy with a state sector whose priorities now seem to be elsewhere. The internal mechanisms governing faculty research are also weak (e.g., evaluation and peer-review practices). Cultures of strong research performance and productivity are on average absent. In the post-Soviet period, government has initiated a set of programs designed to encourage the integration of higher education and research. However, genuine integration faces legal, organizational, social, and psychological barriers.
TL;DR: The rankings season must be under way for the new academic year in much of the world, and the major international rankings have appeared in recent months, such as the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), the Shanghai Rankings, the QS World University Rankings, and The Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: With the arrival of the new academic year in much of the world, the rankings season must be under way. The major international rankings have appeared in recent months—the Academic Ranking of World Universities ([ARWU] the “Shanghai Rankings”), the QS World University Rankings, and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE).