Rethinking internationalisation (original) (raw)

Executive Summary The landscape of research on the internationalisation of the curriculum in higher education is complex and meanings and practices in the area are vague. This paper maps out the meaning and significance of internationalisation of the curriculum and diverse ways of putting an international curriculum into practice. What is meant by internationalisation of the higher education curriculum? There is a lack of clarity around the concept of internationalisation of the higher education curriculum and its boundaries and further research is needed with respect to meaning and process. In particular, there is a need to construct a broader perspective on the concept, which stretches beyond just curriculum content. Equally, thinking in the area must move away from a narrow focus on international students and provide international experiences to all university staff and students so that they will perform successfully (professionally, economically and socially) within diverse contexts. Why is internationalisation of the higher education curriculum important? • The 21st century university faces numerous challenges at local, regional and global levels (mass migration, environmental and geographical issues, super-diversity of the student cohorts, as well as the knowledge paradigms, the information overload, and global interconnectedness); • Problems and issues in the current socio-economic and geo-political aspects demand broader, multi-perspective understanding about the world, life and work; • As the most visible and significant site of knowledge creation, the university has a social responsibility to equip the members of the society with necessary competencies, knowledge, understandings, and new skills so that they can constantly negotiate the changing nature of work, the labour force, information technologies and cultural identities of people. How can we put the international curriculum into practice?