Challenges for research in higher education: the case of internationalization between the explanandum and the explanans

Abstract

A key issue in higher education research is that its nature is shaped by the contexts within which it is produced, in response to agendas that reflect more policy coordination demands than disciplinary concerns. The research problematiques are construed mostly out of the theoretical framework of the disciplines, which, in turn, are diluted within an applied research mode. Internationalisation, quality, and access, for instance, tend to be explored from an implementation and managerial perspective. We convene the criticisms of methodological “isms” to highlight how they shape our conceptualisations and understanding of the transformations in higher education. Under this stance, conceptual narratives on internationalisation of higher education prompted by the Brexit momentum are identified in the study Higher education and Brexit: current European perspectives to bring forward the extent to which internationalisation as a conceptual narrative acts as an explanation of the strategies to address the topic, and what is needed to be itself explained. The paper identifies discursive elements stemming from conceptual narratives convened to approach internationalisation in higher education research, and how they reflect the reification of the state and higher education. By focusing on the Brexit momentum that brought to the front stage the centrality of the nation-states and their competition/cooperation relationship, this paper contributes to call attention to the epistemological and methodological implications of isms.

A internacionalização da Educação Superior: como o tema é tratado pelo campo da Educação?

“…A grande maioria dos achados correspondia 5 Embora o recorte temporal do levantamento bibliográfico se encerre no ano de 2019, por sugestão dos revisores do texto, a quem as autoras agradecem, foi realizado o levantamento relativo aos artigos publicados em 2020, fazendo uso da mesma metodologia. Foram encontrados 11 artigos, sendo seis deles Qualis A1(Khomyakov et al, 2020;Leal et al, 2020;Lima & Stallivieri, 2020;Mattos et al, 2020;Neves & Barbosa, 2020;Veiga & Magalhães, 2020), dois artigos Qualis B1, dois artigos Qualis B2 e um artigo Qualis B4. O conjunto de artigos encontrado não alterou os resultados gerais da pesquisa, então optou-se pela manutenção do recorte temporal original.6 Os operadores booleanos atuam como palavras que informam ao sistema de busca como combinar os termos de sua pesquisa.…”

Higher Education internationalization: how do Education field studies address the topic?

“…Although a timeframe up to 2019 was used for our bibliographic survey, at the suggestion of the reviewers of this study -to whom we extend our thanks -, a search was conducted with articles published in 2020 via the methodology above. In total, 16 articles were found, six of which with Qualis A1(Khomyakov et al, 2020;Leal et al, 2020;Lima & Stallivieri, 2020;Mattos et al, 2020;Neves & Barbosa, 2020;Veiga & Magalhães, 2020); two, with Qualis B1; two, with Qualis B2; and one, with Qualis B4 rating. Since these failed to change our general results, the original timeframe was maintained.7 Boolean operators act as words that tell search systems how to combine search terms.…”