Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

This paper introduces the theme of internationalisation in the context of the Bologna Process. It addresses the development of the concept and context of internationalisation, its main trends and issues both in its two components abroad and at home. The paper also introduces and summarizes the eight following papers in the section on internationalisation. The paper ends with the key findings and recommendations of the discussions and papers on internationalisation of higher education from the Bologna Researchers Conference.

The internationalization of higher education in the last decades reigns highly on the agendas of higher education systems worldwide. Universities in Europe, as well as in other regions, are expected to become key players in a global knowledge network. In addition to state-to-state academic relationships, there are a growing number of higher education institution-to-institution collaborative ventures, operating beyond national jurisdictions. Both higher education systems and individual higher education institutions are forced nowadays to navigate between contrasting trends. This paper examines five pairs of contrasting trends along which higher education systems, as well as individual higher education institutions, have to navigate in defining their missions and in shaping their operational strategies: serving national priorities vs. operating within an international setting; government steering vs. institutional autonomy; increased diversity vs. harmonization policies; competition vs. collaboration; and intellectual property vs. intellectual philanthropy. On the continuum of these five contrasting trends, each higher education institution has to define today its functioning in its national context and in the international higher education network.

This article explores the concept of balanced mobility as set in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) context. The exploration is done through a succession of steps. We first try to trace and understand the goal of having more balanced mobility between the Bologna Process countries, and to see how the concept of “balance” could be interpreted, given that policy references to balanced mobility leave room for interpretation. Next, we try to provide an answer to the question: Why has balanced mobility become an objective at this particular point in time? Third, we present recent statistics on student mobility in the EHEA context in order to show how balanced or imbalanced mobility flows are. Fourth, we try to outline some possible solutions for correcting different types of imbalances encountered in the EHEA context. And last, we try to conclude from the findings of previous sections what would be reasonable to expect in the EHEA context with regards to this policy aim.

This paper shows the preliminary outcomes of the CoSMiCE – Challenges of Student Mobility in a Cosmopolitan Europe - project by the Austrian Students' Union (ÖH) in cooperation with the Slovakian Students' Union (SRVS). Mobility of students is one of the outstanding aims of the EHEA. At the European, national and institutional level, measures have been developed to support student mobility and enable students to choose among thousands of higher education institutions. Students and higher education institutions find themselves involved in internationalization- facing the opportunities of international cooperation as well as challenging issues like competition, brain drain and the inclusion of certain underrepresented groups of students. At the same time, mobility flows within the EHEA are diverse: while some countries face brain drain, others feel overwhelmed by the amount of incoming students. By a European-wide study among students organisations and 10 in-depth country studies in Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands and Poland the CoSMiCE project provides an insight in European students degree mobility from a student perspective. Six main factors that have an impact on student mobility itself and the perception of student mobility in the national context have been isolated. Those impact factors (Recognition, Tuition Fees and Restrictions, Financial Support, Social Support, Public and Media Perception, Brain Gain and Brain Drain) explain the diverse perceptions of European countries regarding student mobility, as well as the diversity of concepts dealing with incoming students. While some countries argue incoming students as economically challenging and tend to build obstacles for them, others aim to develop a culture of equality. Moreover, the results of the research will be discussed in matters of asymmetric degree mobility flows within the EHEA. This paper provides an overview of the findings of the CoSMiCE project and suggests further policy developments on European, national and institutional level for further enhancement of student mobility in Europe.

The term “Internationalization at Home” and its definition were first introduced in 2001 (Crowther et al 2001). Since then, strongly related and overlapping concepts and definitions have emerged, notably Internationalization of the Curriculum and Campus Internationalization, which have led to confusion over terminology and risk distracting attention from the main job of implementing internationalized curricula. This chapter focuses on the concept and definition of Internationalization at Home. It first critically explores three accepted definitions: 1. Internationalization; 2. Comprehensive Internationalization; and 3. Internationalization of the Curriculum. This is followed by a discussion of three notions which are more contested: the distinction between internationalization at home and abroad; the OECD definition of an internationalized curriculum; and Campus Internationalization. Their similarities to and differences from Internationalization at Home (IaH) are discussed. Next, recent developments in conceptualizing Internationalization at Home and in its implementation are presented. It will be argued that, while Internationalization of the Curriculum is the overarching term, the concept of IaH within that is still valuable in certain contexts and for certain purposes. On the basis of these arguments, it is maintained that the current definition of IaH does not provide sufficient support for those with an interest in internationalizing domestic curricula. The authors therefore propose a new working definition and identify challenges that await those who want to implement Internationalization at Home.

The study challenges the assumption prevalent in Higher Education that exposure to diversity through an international experience on campus leads to intercultural competence. Building on a tentative Extended Contact Hypothesis Theory model this case study uses a pre-post observational design to measure the level of intercultural competence, using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). The results demonstrate that first year master students in this study do not progress in the level of intercultural competence whilst on campus; regardless whether they progress from an undergraduate program or are new to the university; despite the fact that they study in an internationalized university environment and are satisfied with the cross-cultural cooperation and are in frequent contact. The social interactions per se did not lead to an increase of intercultural competence. Although respondents in the Denial stage with only a superficial awareness of cultural difference benefit from the presence of somewhat more advanced levels of intercultural competence on campus, the impetus to progress to more inclusive global mindsets seems to be lacking. Respondents substantially overestimated their own level of intercultural competence. The study highlights the need for more in-depth research into the actual development process and the connection with the curriculum; less reliance on self-reports but combining qualitative assessment methods with quantitative measurement of intercultural competence; and the consideration of the impact of the social environment and the organizational capability to deliver on intercultural competence development.

The Italian Higher Education system has often appeared unwilling or unable to develop effective policies for change, and this struggle to introduce effective reforms is often linked to the system’s legacy of failure to cope with earlier higher education challenges over the last 60 years. Within a highly centralized system, universities developed a sense of accountability to the Ministry in a legal and administrative sense, and remained isolated from the needs of external stakeholders or the challenges of a changing environment. The few who sought to innovate or experiment were heavily constrained by a rigid bureaucracy and lack of diversity. However, with the Bologna Process, Italy acted uncharacteristically as a first mover and introduced landmark reforms with clear objectives to extend university autonomy, introduce the new degree structure and develop credit and quality assurance systems. It had expectations of greater efficiency through increased enrolments, reduced wastage rates, enhanced graduate employability and improved access to the European Labour Market. A series of further reforms have followed in an attempt to correct distortions that emerged in the system, but without significant results, and against a backdrop of receding finances. Despite the many attempts to modernize higher education by successive governments, structural dysfunctions hamper any real change within the system. Today, it is the increasingly competitive international environment that is forcing individual universities to develop an adequate response. This paper will explore how Italian universities are becoming increasingly aware of the need to take institutional action, and how they are identifying models for internationalization beyond their borders in order to adapt to, and survive in the new conditions.

This paper examines the roles and perspectives of International Office staff in universities in Kazakhstan, as they engage in internationalization of higher education within the framework of the Bologna Process. Drawing on data from document analysis, a national survey and in-depth interviews, the paper discusses the practices, strengths and challenges of International Offices, linking empirical data to theories on internationalization, institutional change, networks and capacity building. Main findings are that the International Offices play a role in the leadership of strategic cooperation at international, national and intra-institutional levels, and that they would have the potential to play a more major role given access to the capacity building and professional development opportunities they identify. The paper highlights tensions that need to be resolved in the division of responsibilities between Bologna Offices and International Offices at institutional level, and in the channels of communication between HEIs and the national Bologna Center.

This study addresses the major objectives and challenges in the internationalization processes of second-tier higher education institutions. We use the examples of universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, academic colleges in Israel, and community colleges in Canada to offer a global perspective regarding the internationalization efforts in these types of institutions. Through comprehensive comparative analysis of secondary sources, we identify the trends taking place within these types of higher education institutions in these countries. We find that second-tier institutions tend not to have solidified for themselves tailored internationalization approaches and strategies that are uniquely fitting to their own missions, aims and student populations. This oversight creates a situation whereby such institutions, despite their culturally diverse student populations and the promise they hold to create a unique niche within internationalization discourse, fail to utilize the potential inherent in targeted internationalization strategies.

The original ambition of the section on Financing and Governance of the 2nd Bologna Researchers’ Conference had been to review key aspects in this area along the Bologna action lines.