The Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions Meanings, Policy and Practice

The internationalisation of higher education institutions (HEIs) has been a major focus of attention in the UK. This is reflected at a top government level by the Prime Minister's Initiatives PMI1 and PMI2. This attention to internationalisation is largely influenced by market discourse and global economic forces. In addition, the complex interaction indicated in the literature between internationalisation and globalisation is thought to result in a conflict between the economic and the educational rationales for universities. On a broader scale, this leads to confusion about what internationalisation means. This book elucidates the complex meanings of internationalisation and challenges previous methods of exploring those meanings through a qualitative study at a UK University as it is in the process of developing its international strategy. The research takes the concept of internationalisation away from the practices of the institution and into the accounts of the individuals who manage it. This book also sheds light on less explored issues around internationalisation, and should be especially useful to managers and researchers interested in the internationalisation of HEIs.