International networks in higher education: realising their potential?

Abstract

Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by emerald-srm:448207 [] For AuthorsIf you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -To illustrate the nature, range and variety of international networks linking individuals and institutions and reflecting the globalisation of higher education and desire of educators with common interests to shed their parochialism and communicate and collaborate on aspects of academic practice across national boundaries.Design/methodology/approach -The authors draw on their personal experiences of securing European Union funding for establishing a network of tertiary level educators and some targeted online research, to inform their review and analysis.Findings -Internationals networks in sphere of higher education can be either subject-specific or thematic in their aims and either global or restricted to one part of the world in their membership. Some are the outcome of activities at grass roots level while others are a response to policy initiatives from inter-governmental organisations.Practical implications -Although widespread, international networks in higher education are by no means unproblematic and questions inevitably arise as to their contribution and role in facilitating innovations in academic practice. The authors identify a number of issues concerning their modus operandi and roles that need to be addressed if they are to play a full part in contributing to academic practice in higher education.Originality/value -By highlighting the nature and contributions of international networks faculty are alerted to this mode of academic communication and collaboration and the steps that need to be taken if the full potential of such networks is be realised.

The Internationalization of Tourism Education - The Case of MCI

“…With recent developments in globalization there is a need to further understanding of the processes and consequences of internationalization and its implications for tourism education (Ottewill, Riddy, Fill, 2005;Sharma & Roy, 1996). Internationalization is not a new phenomenon as people have interacted with other nations and cultures for centuries but while there appears to be a consensus to pursue internationalization in education, there are differences in depth, scope and modes.…”

Virtual Communities ‘Group Discussions’: An Australian Teaching and Learning Perspective

“…group discussions) within the boundaries of one country assists in the establishment of a solid base for expansion of these communities that might include international counterparts, importance of which increases with the ongoing globalized nature of tertiary institutions. In this context, Ottewill, Riddy and Karen (2005) illustrate the nature, range and variety of international networks linking individuals and institutions and reflecting the globalization of higher education and desire of educators with common interests to shed their parochialism to better communicate and collaborate on aspects of academic practice across national boundaries. They contend that international networks in the sphere of higher education can be either subject-specific or thematic in their aims and either global or restricted to one part of the work in their membership.…”

“…They contend that international networks in the sphere of higher education can be either subject-specific or thematic in their aims and either global or restricted to one part of the work in their membership. Ottewill, Riddy and Karen (2005) further argue, that although widespread, international networks in higher education are by no means unproblematic and questions arise as to their contribution and role in facilitating innovations in academic practice. They highlight the nature and contributions of international networks faculty are altered to this mode of academic communication and collaboration and the steps that need to be taken if the full potential networks is to be realized.…”

Services research in tourism

“…Changing circumstances and developments related to tourism consistently lead to new challenges for the higher education system (Ottewill et al, 2005;Tribe, 2005;Woodley and Brennan, 2000).…”