Internationalization Higher

Education: Challenges and

Oppurtunities

Sherlyne A. Almonte-Acosta, Ph.D.

SEAMEO INNOTECH
Strategic Planning
Cebu Normal University
 Globalization

Internationalization

Industrialization McDonalization

Development
Urbanization
Industrial Revolution
Objectives
 On Internationalization
 Evolution of the concept
 As Process/Cycle
 Dimensions
 Key Drivers
 Philippine Context
 CHED’s Internationalization
 Key Drivers of Internationalization
 Challenges of Internationalization
Approaches, Dimensions,
Strategies
Evolution of the concept…
…is a process by which the educational
provision of education system becomes more
sophisticated, enriched and broadly
applicable to students from all backgrounds
and countries…
…emphasizing especially the possibility of
development programs which are
internationally and cross-culturally
compatible….
…with the view toward providing all students
with experiences and training necessary to
develop skills for life in a world characterized
by increasing international
exchange…Ebuchi, 1989
 Process of integrating an international and
intercultural dimensions into the teaching, research
and service functions of the institution (Knight, 1994)
 Any systematic effort aimed at making higher
education responsive to the requirements and
challenges related to globalization of societies,
economy, and labor markets(Van der Wende, 1997)
 A change process from national to international
higher education institution leading to the inclusion
of international dimensions holistically to enhance
quality of teaching & learning and to achieve
desired competencies (Soderquist, 2002)
 Feedback

1. Awareness
・Of need, purpose & benefits of
Internationalization for
students, staff, faculty,
administration, society

7. Recognition
・Develop & reinforce 2. Commitment
incentives & rewards for ・By Board of Trustees, senior
faculty, staff & student management, faculty, staff
participation & students

Feedback

3. Planning
6. Evaluation ・ Identify needs and resources;
・Assess & enhance quality & purpose & objectives; priorities;
impact of initiatives & strategies
progress of strategy

5. Operationalization 4. Structure
・Academic activities & ・Governance
services ・Administrative
・Organizational factors structures
・Guiding Principles

Supportive culture-leadership to integrate Internationalization

Approaches to
Internationalization
 activity approach (types and
categories of programs)
 Competency approach (new
attitudes, skills, and knowledge
acquired)
 Ethos approach (development of an
institutional culture supportive of
international and intercultural
perspectives
 Process approach (integration of
international dimensions into the major
functions of the institutions)
Dimensions

-Enrichment of educational programs and

increase of diversified programs
-Establishments of compatibility of school
credits
-Attainment of international consensus in
administrating higher education institutions
-Promotion of intercultural understanding
and development of norms necessary for
cooperative activities on and off campus
-Increase of opportunities for individual
scholars to international collaborative
research projects
Ebuchi, 1989
Specifically…
 Academic mobility for teachers and
students
 International linkages, partnerships, and
projects
 International academic programs and
research initiatives
 Branch campuses or franchises
 Inclusion of international, intercultural,
and/or global dimension into the
curriculum and teaching process
Programs strategies

 Research related activities

 Educational (instructional)
activities
 Technical assistance
activities
 Extra-curricular activities
Organizational strategies
 Commitment and support of governing
boards and senior administrators
 Support and involvement of faculty and
staff
 Existence of an international office or
position
 Adequate funding and support both
internally and externally
Organizational…
A supportive policy framework
 Appropriate incentives and rewards
for faculty and staff
 Existence
of formal communication
channels, and
 annualplanning, budgeting and
review process.
Key Drivers of
Internationalization
Key drivers…
 Development of advanced communication
and technological services
 Increased international labor mobility, more
emphasis on market economy and trade
liberalization
 Knowledge society
 Increased level of private investment
 Life long learning
 ASEAN Integration
 Integration of the ASEAN member countries one
economic, political and socio-cultural community via
increased interaction and cooperation,
 internationalization of calls for mobility, harmonization,
diversity within a common educational space, learning
through technology
 Intercultural and ASEAN dimensions
 Harmonization creates general guidelines
 Degree cycle and qualifications framework
 Quality assurance, lifelong learning, credit transfer
system
Harmonization
 Finding commonalities in practices
 Consensus in a system without
jeopardizing cultural diversity and
national identity
 Borrow ideas from others but expand
and introduce innovative idea
 Key
Actors: SEAMEO RIHED, ASEA + 3
and ASEAN Universities Network (AUN)
Harmonization
(plan of actions)

 Regional Accreditation
 Unified Education Framework
 Improve Quality of Education
 Scholarship for students/Faculty
exchange
 Regional Skills Competitions
 Increase use of English language
Harmonization
Programs – SEAMEO RIHED
 Empowering HEIs: Study visits programs
 Developing harmonization mechanism: (iAward),
Academic Credit Transfer Framework, Quality
Assurance Framework
 Cultivating Globalized human resources: ASEAN
International Mobility for Students (AIMS)
Programme
 Advancing knowledge Frontiers in HEIs system
management: Policy Action Research, building
Academic Transfer Credit for Asia
 Promoting university social responsibility and
sustainable development
The Philippine Context
Context of individual
country:
 Improved analysis of benefits
and costs
 Quality assurance
 Development of strategic
alliances
 Broaderdissemination of
research findings
Policy Framework and Strategies
on the Internationalization
of Philippine Higher Education
CMO 55, s.2016

Definition of Internationalization of
Higher Education
Process of integrating international, intercultural, and global
dimensions into the goals, functions (teaching, learning, research,
and service), and delivery of higher education

Involves a process of interchange of higher education between

nations, with partnerships between nations, between national
systems of higher education, and between institutions of higher
education.
 Why do we pursue Internationalization?

 Enhance the quality of HEI

 Uphold the country’s reputation as a center of
higher education in identifies niches/programs of
excellence;
 Strengthen the country’s role in an interconnected
global community;
 Develop Philippine HEIs as productive members of
the international academic community;
 Produce graduate with 21st century competencies
who are able to live and work in a diverse
multicultural setting; and
 Foster closer cooperation and understanding
between the Philippines and the rest of the world
Policy Framework and Strategies
on the Internationalization
of Philippine Higher Education
CMO 55, s.2016

Pillars of Internationalization
Home-based or campus-based
Cross Border
Home-based or campus-
based internationalization
Collaborative activities
and events, networking,
partnership and other
forms of linkages with
foreign higher education
institutions often enabled
by IT
Home-based or campus-
based internationalization
Activities:
 On curriculum and programs
 On the teaching learning process
 On extra curricular activities
 On liaising with local
cultural/ethnic groups
 On research and scholarly
activity
Cross-border education

 Involvesmobility of
students, faculty and
researchers; programs,
and institutions:
Student/faculty/researcher
mobility
Program mobility
Institutional mobility
 INTERNATIONALIZATION
AS STRATEGY FOR QUALITY

Developmental Role
provision of advisory and technical assistance in the
development and design on internationalization programs,
training and capacity building
provide information to guide choices and safeguard the
legitimate interest of all stakeholders

Regulatory Role
promulgation of policies and standards for various types
of internationalization arrangement, ensure compliance to
existing laws and effective delivery of intended outcome
Quality Assurance
is a requirement for
Internationalization

Internationalization
is a mechanism for
Quality Assurance
 DEFINITION OF QUALITY

 Distinctiveness, exceptionality or exclusivity

 Conformance to specification or standards
 Fitness for purpose
 Effectiveness in achieving institutional goals
 Meeting customers’ needs
 Transformation
Functions of Quality
Assurance
 Improvement of Education
 Accountability
 Public information and market
transparency
 Steering of the higher education
system in resources and planning
Methodologies in
International system of QA
 SelfEvaluation
 Peer review by outside
experts
 Statistical information and
performance indicators
 A quality assurance audit
 QUALITY ASSURANCE

An ongoing process of evaluating and enhancing

the quality of a higher education system,
institution, or program to assure stakeholders
that acceptable standards of education,
scholarships, and resources for delivery are
being maintained.

Quality assurance is about ensuring that there

are mechanisms, procedures and processes in
place to ensure that the desired quality is
delivered.
CHED QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROGRAMS/PROJECTS (CMO 46, s. 2012)

Fitness for Purpose Horizontal Typology

Universities
Colleges
Professional Institutions

Outcomes-based Quality
Assurance
CHED QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROGRAMS/PROJECTS

Excellence or Distinction Vertical Typology

Autonomous
Deregulated

Centers of Excellence

Centers of Development
CHED QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROGRAMS/PROJECTS

Transformative Institutional Sustainability

Assessment (ISA)

Governance and Management

Quality of Teaching and Learning
Quality of Professional Exposure,
Research, and Creative Work
Support for Students
Relations with the Community
Challenges to Higher
Education
 Rapid demand
 Commodification
 Virtual universities
 Branch campuses
 ICT in knowledge acquisition and
dissemination
 Mobility of staff and students
Education’s challenge will
be..
 To shape the cognitive skills,
interpersonal sensibilities, and
cultural sophistication of youth
whose lives will be both engage in
local contexts and responsive to
larger transnational processes
(Suarez-Orozco and Qin-Hilliard,
p.3).
Challenge…
 What constitute an educated person?
 Are the curricula abreast with the
demand of Internationalization?
 What are the values, skills, and
understanding for life in international
arena?
 How can students understand cultural,
economic, political, and social
convergence and divergence in an
internationalizing environment?
Consequences to
education…
 Understanding of the divergence and
convergence of perspectives within
classrooms that are increasingly
multicultural
 How the national and the international
are reflected in (and shaped by) the
local and the actualities and
experiences of the people’s lives.
 How do Philippine higher education institutions
respond to internationalization as they
participate in the arena of ASEAN Integration?
 To what extent are faculty equipped with
higher order skills on internationalization?
 What are the changing roles, functions and
demands for teaching, research, social
responsibility and sustainable development?
 How is the development of faculty members
being considered in relation to
internationalization of teaching, research
productivity, social responsibility and
sustainable development?
 Concluding remarks
 Fulland positive appreciation for one’s
own culture should be a foundation
 Internationalism should prevent national
and regional orientations from devolving
into chauvinism and xenophobia
 Internationalization should not be
equated with superficiality
 Support must be based on honest
appraisal of cost and benefits
 Clarity between forms of knowing and
procedural knowledge
References
 Bray, M., Adamson, B. and Mason, M.
(Eds.) (2007). Comparative Education
Research: Approaches and methods.
Hong Kong: Springer
 CHED, CMO 46. s.2012; CMO 55 s. 2016
 Ebuchi, K. (1989). Internationalization
of Education. USA: Sage
 Knight, Jane (2003). Internationalization of
Higher Education