Strategies and challenges of internationalisation in HE: An exploratory study of UK universities

摘要

Purpose - Although internationalisation has become a key strategic element of universities acrossrnthe world, there is little empirical evidence suggesting the nature and extent of integration ofrninternationalisation into the strategic mission of individual institutions. Little is also known aboutrnchallenges faced by institutions in their quest to integrate internationalisation into their broadrnstrategic choices. This paper aims to address these issues.rnDesign/methodology/approach - An exploratory study is conducted in six universities in the UKrnselected from the Russell pre-1992 group, the post-1994 group and former colleges of higher educationrn(HE). The study has three distinct but interrelated aims: how internationalisation is conceptualised inrnthe study institutions; the available evidence for its structural integration into the university servicesrnand understanding the perceived challenges institutions face in the quest to integrate the idea as arnbroad strategic element of those institutions.rnFindings - There exist a range of distinct barriers working against the full integration of the conceptrninto the institutional cultures. These include: conceptual and structural deficiencies in the organisationrnof institutional internationalisation; over emphasis on human exchange initiatives over culturalrnintegration efforts and increasing undercurrents of feelings among staff and students of local neglectrnat the expense of global attention.rnOriginality/value - The paper creates a sound basis for a more broad-based study across the HErnsector. Specifically, the paper suggests that the increasing cultural diversity in UK HE brought aboutrnin part by internationalisation and also by general human migration occasions new thinking andrnpractices in organisational and management terms to address the needs of the "mosaic or culturalrnmelting pot" phenomena characterising the increasingly multicultural HE learning environments.