In an era of globalization, internationalization of higher education (IHE) has been constructed as an almost inevitable trend and has become a common pursuit of many nations in their higher education (HE) policies. This study focuses on two nations, China and Australia, in terms of this trend. The broadest aim of this research was to find out the interactive relationships between global and national pressures in policy development by comparing the international HE policies in China and Australia, for the period 2008-2015. There are two justifications for this timeframe: one relates to political leadership across the period; the other to significant policy developments in both nations in this period. This comparison will facilitate better understanding of how globalization has affected and been responded to in IHE policies, and enable better understanding of their path dependent mediation through a focus on two specific sets of national policies.

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As the third-largest export industry, international education occupies an important place in the Australian economy and society. Employing Bacchi’s “What is the Problem Represented to be” (WPR) approach, this paper critically analyses four key policies pertaining to international students in Australia since the 1990s. Drawing upon theorising of the globalisation of international education policy, we uncover contestation and problem representation in discourses around the economisation of education and of international students’ experiences. The findings reveal multiple discourses of the problematisation of diversity at play, including a “pivot” towards protection of international students’ rights as consumers and as potential future citizens, and increased attention to the intrinsic value of international students as people, and not simply as economic agents. The findings have implications for other national contexts, in which international students contribute to the economic viability of education, and in which internationalisation of education in universities has the capacity to foster enhanced cross-cultural understanding.

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the Australian Government represented issues of sustainability in Australian international higher education (IHE) policies and how it framed efforts to foster enhanced strategies for sustainable development of IHE. This research calls for a change from one-dimensional economic sustainability to a more multi-dimensional conception of sustainability, including emphasizing the role of the political sphere in issues of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses discourse analysis of policy documents, specifically Bacchi’s (2009) “what is the problem represented to be” approach, to explore the problematization behind selected government policies related to IHE in Australia. Findings This research identified existing challenges and factors that have affected the sustainability of Australian IHE and examined how the Australian Government constructed this issue. In light of this approach, a theoretical model is proposed from internal resource analysis and external industry and foreign market structure analysis to help foster more sustainable development of IHE. Research limitations/implications This study is based on policy document analysis. Consequently, future empirical research is needed to examine the impact of these policies and further substantiate the findings of this study. Practical implications This paper proposes a theoretical model for strategy making that helps gain and maintain sustainable competitive advantage in IHE from a more integrated perspective; such an approach enables more systemic thinking on strategy proposals and offers a reference for future practice. This research will contribute to policy design for the sustainability of the Australian IHE industry and promote change from a one-dimensional economic sustainability to a more multi-dimensional sustainability approach, thereby offering a point of reference for other countries that face similar issues. Social implications This study points out the need to broaden the business focus, expand the value created from shareholder value to the common good and change “inside-out” economic perspectives to “outside-in” integrated perspectives for business, including the IHE industry. Originality/value The sustainability of IHE has become an important concern in Australian policies but is an area for further inquiry in academic discussion and research. By closely examining government policies, particularly from a discursive approach (after Bacchi), this paper makes a contribution to policy design for the sustainability of the Australian IHE industry, helping to promote a more multi-dimensional approach to sustainability.