The international higher education space is characterized by the need felt by higher education institutions to invest in international cooperation. To compete globally, the universities strive to formulate pro-active, long-term, and sustainable internationalization strategies. Considering the direction that strategic planning at the institutional level may offer, the university management and staff in turn may look for resources and personnel to execute the internationalization vision. The role of the international office, in this regard, is instrumental in facilitating the implementation of international activities at the university. The extent to which international offices are involved in the decision-making of internationalization may be shaped by the organizational culture and management at the university. This paper largely explores if international offices play a role of a mediator or driver for international collaborations at the university. An in-depth study was conducted in two universities in India and Europe, to understand the nuances of the functioning of international offices in two diverse contexts. The method of participant observation was employed and researchers further analyzed the field notes. The findings of the study revealed that though both the international offices were involved in similar tasks, they differed concerning the organizational structures and about decision-making on internationalization.
Internationalization of higher education (IHE) has grown in its scope and priority. The history and approach of Indian universities to IHE has been distinct. The recent policy documents such as National Education Policy 2020 and draft document of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2020 emphasize on international cooperation of Indian universities. Though there is policy architecture, the response to IHE may differ across universities. This paper argues that, though a few universities have begun to recognize the importance and execution of international engagement, internationalization is not yet uniformly integrated in the Indian HE. The diversity in responses could be due to diversity in terms of number of types of higher education institutions, diversity among study programs, non-uniformities between number of incoming and outgoing students, distinct realities and attitudes towards internationalization among different university structures. We discuss how universities, as actors, are susceptible to change, and thus it is crucial to consider the structural differences among universities while assessing the effectiveness of policies and extent of institutional international engagement. The study may provide insights to higher education leaders and policymakers, who need to weigh different realities to strengthen the global competitiveness of Indian universities.
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