The Ambiguous Nature of Internationalization in Higher Education
Date
2021-02-01
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Abstract
Internationalization, or the incorporation of an international, intercultural, or global perspective into the mandate of higher education, is becoming more common; however, even as the phenomenon has come of age, there are significant differences in how institutions approach this multifaceted and complicated process, and why. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of organizational culture on the internationalization efforts of select Canadian higher education institutions to better understand the variability in internationalization within the space, such as perceived differences in the level of adoption, acceptance, recognition, and understanding between Ontario institutions. This research’s conclusions and recommendations surfaced from the research questions and the analysis of the outcomes from both interviews and documents. The six main themes emerging from the research highlight the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context of the institution, the ambiguous nature of internationalization, internationalization as a spectrum, the influence of organizational structure, lived experience of faculty, and barriers of internationalization for the phenomenon to become widely accepted as a part of an institution’s culture - or the shared norms, values and assumptions in how the institution functions.
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Keywords
Internationalization, Higher Education, International Education, Organizational Culture
Citation
Busch, C. R. (2021). The Ambiguous Nature of Internationalization in Higher Education (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.