The development of internationalisation policy in UK higher education

Abstract

This study is concerned with examining the process of the intemationdsation of education and teaching within UK higher education in general, and in particular, with the impact on the working practices, values and norms of professionals in higher education. The research was placed within a conceptual framework which draws on models of higher education which contrast the classic model of the autonomous higher education institution and academic profession with more dependent institutions and professionals who respond to exogenous values and policies. The fieldwork included 65 interviews with academics and senior administrators at four universities in the UK. The findings examined the existence of institutional polices and plans related to internationalisation, the organisational structure and whether this had resulted in a shift in working practices and power relations within universities. The content of the curriculum and delivery styles were also examined to see whether internationalisation had caused any changes to these. The results show that current internationalisation policies are a development in higher education which is the result of exogenous new public policy concerns which may be in tension with those working in higher education as it is a movement away from traditional academic values and norms. These concerns include the need for universities to increase nongovernmental income through increasing fees from overseas students and attracting external research funding from such bodies as the European Commission. The thesis examines existing models of the internationalisation of higher education. It concludes with an examination of possible future trends of the internationalisation of higher education.