International Higher Education, Winter 2004

New Rationales Driving Internationalization

Given the changes and challenges facing the international dimension of higher education in a more globalized world, the importance of having clearly articulated rationales for internationalization cannot be overstated. Rationales are reflected in the objectives, policies, and programs that are developed and eventually implemented. Rationales dictate the kind of benefits or expected outcomes one would expect from internationalization efforts. Without a clear set of rationales, the process of internationalization is often an ad hoc and fragmented reaction to the overwhelming number of new international opportunities available. The last decade has seen some important and discernible shifts in the rationales driving internationalization.

National Level Rationales
Traditionally, the rationales driving internationalization have been divided into four groups: social/cultural, political, academic, and economic. These generic categories remain a useful way to analyze rationales. However, there are new and emerging rationales that cannot be neatly placed in one of these four groups.

Human Resources Development
The knowledge economy, demographic shifts, mobility of the labor force, and increased trade in services are factors driving nations to place more importance on developing and recruiting human capital or brain power through international education initiatives. There are signs of heightened pressure and interest to recruit the brightest students and scholars from other countries to increase scientific, technological and economic competitiveness.

Strategic Alliances
The international mobility of students and academics as well as collaborative research and education initiatives are being seen as productive ways to develop closer geopolitical ties and economic relationships. There has been a definite shift from alliances for cultural purposes to those based on economic interests.

Commercial Trade
In the last decade, more emphasis has been placed on economic and income generating opportunities. New franchise arrangements, foreign or satellite campuses, on-line delivery, and increased recruitment of fee-paying students are examples of a more commercial approach to internationalization. The fact that education is now one of the 12 service sectors in the General Agreement on Trade in Services is positive proof that importing and exporting education programs and services is a potentially lucrative trade area.

Nation Building
While some countries are interested in the export of education, others are interested in importing education programs and institutions for nation-building purposes. An educated, trained, and knowledgeable citizenry and workforce able to do research and generate new knowledge are key components of a country’s nation- building agenda.

Social and Cultural Development
The social/cultural rationales, especially those that relate to intercultural understanding and national cultural identity are still significant; but perhaps their importance does not carry the same weight in comparison to the economic and political rationales listed above. It is yet to be seen whether, in light of the pressing issues stemming from culturally based clashes within and between countries, there will be more interest and importance attached to the social and cultural rationales.

Institutional-Level Rationales
Of course, a relationship exists between national and institution-based rationales, but not always as close as one would expect. This depends on many factors, one of which is how much the internationalization process is a bottom-up or top-down process within any given country. Again, the four categories of rationales apply to institutions, but it appears that other emerging rationales are of greater consequence.

International profile and reputation
Traditionally, prominence has been given to the goal of achieving international academic standards (no matter how they may be defined). This motivation appears, however, to have been subsumed by the overall drive to achieve a strong worldwide reputation or “brand” name as an international high-quality institution. This drive relates to the quest for name recognition internationally in an attempt to attract the brightest of scholars and students, a substantial number of international students, and high-profile research and training projects.

Student and Staff Development
There seems to be renewed emphasis on internationalization as a means of enhancing the international and intercultural understanding and skills of students and staff. The escalating number of national, regional, international, and cultural conflicts are pushing academics to help students understand global issues and international and intercultural relationships. The mobility of the labor market and cultural diversity in communities and work places require that both students and academics have an increased understanding and skills to work and live in a culturally diverse or different environment.

Income Generation
On the other side of the ledger from human development is the motivation of economic development. There is no question that more institutions are increasingly looking for internationalization activities as a way of generating alternative sources of income. For-profit internationalization is a growing phenomenon. Another key factor is the growth in the number of new private commercial providers who are primarily in business to generate income on a for-profit basis.

Strategic Alliances
The number of bilateral or multilateral educational agreements has increased exponentially in the past decade. Linkages can be for different purposes: academic mobility, bench marking, joint curriculum or program development, seminars and conferences, and joint research initiatives. It is often the case that institutions cannot support a large number of agreements, many of which are thus inactive and mainly paper-based arrangements. All in all, the rationale for developing key strategic international education alliances at both the national and institutional level is not so much an end unto itself but a means of achieving academic, scientific, economic, technological, or cultural objectives.

Research and Knowledge Production
Given the increasing interdependence among nations, it is clear there are global issues and challenges that cannot be addressed at the national level alone. International and interdisciplinary collaboration is key to solving many global problems such as those related to environmental, health, or crime issues. Institutions and national governments are, therefore, continuing to make the international dimension of research and knowledge production a primary rationale for internationalization of higher education.

All in all, the rationales driving internationalization vary from institution to institution, from stakeholder to stakeholder, and from country to country. Differing and competing rationales contribute to both the complexity of the international dimension of education and the substantial contributions that internationalization makes to higher education and the role it plays in society.

A clearer articulation of the values guiding internationalization is becoming increasingly important. Why? Values give shape and meaning to the rationales and expected outcomes that underpin institutions’ and nations’ drive to internationalize. There is room for greater reflection and clarity in the articulation of the values, especially cooperation and competition and the positioning of education as a “public” or “private good,” in the provision of higher education.