Student Mobility and Internationalization: Trends and Tribulations

Abstract

There is no question that internationalization, and particularly international student mobility, has transformed the higher education landscape in the last decade. It has brought diverse benefits to students, institutions, communities and countries. But there are unanticipated outcomes and risks as well. The purpose of this article is look at the complexities and current trends of student mobility and to invite reflection on some of the new developments and unintended consequences. These include granting and recognition of academic credentials; diploma and accreditation mills; collaborative programs such as joint or double degree programs and twinning and franchise arrangements; the great brain race and its implications for brain gain, brain drain, and brain train; the competitiveness agenda; status building and world rankings; regional identity and global citizenship. These macro issues often become an implicit part of the culture or environment of international education without being questioned. Focusing on some worrisome trends and outcomes of new developments in student mobility and internationalization does not deny the multitude of positive results; it is only an attempt to encourage a 360–degree look at the current state of student mobility and to encourage more research and reflection on some important trends and unexpected results.

Empowerment and ownership in effective internationalisation of the higher education curriculum

“…By having a clear message, clear communication channels and flexible leadership structure to enable contextualisation, coupled with clear reward structures, sustainable implementation is possible. This is in line with Knight (1994)'s view that a more "decentralised implementation involves the largest number of people, and so builds energy, commitment, and creativity at the individual and faculty level" (p. 9).…”

Política Externa Brasileira, Cooperação Sul-Sul E Educação Superior: O Caso Do Programa Estudante-Convênio De Graduação

“…Duas considerações podem ser feitas em relação a essa norma. A primeira, objetiva, diz respeito ao fato de que, dessa maneira, o PEC-G contribui com a contenção da fuga dos cérebros, absorção da mão de obra qualificada dos países menos desenvolvidos, decorrente principalmente da mobilidade acadêmica internacional (KNIGHT, 2012). A segunda, subjetiva, se dá sob a ótica do participante do programa, em termos de falta de liberdade de escolha.…”

Internationalising Nordic higher education: comparing the imagined with actual worlds of international scholar-practitioners

“…As shown thus far, research in the past 20 years documents that the rapidly intensifying international education market (e.g. Altbach, 2016;Knight, 2012;Marginson & Sawir, 2011;Ninnes & Hellstén, 2005) and swift technological advances have imposed unprecedented pedagogical demands on the scholarship on internationalisation (Hellstén & Reid, 2008;Trahar, 2011). Concurrently, there is anxiety about lowering academic standards endangered by a perceived fragmentation in and of the field.…”