Internationalization of higher education: beyond international mobility

Abstract

Internationalisation cannot be thought without accurately understanding the persistent changes the global world is facing, and its utmost purpose must be to improve education and research quality as well as significantly contribute to society.

Even with a meaningful number of international, national, regional and local initiatives actively promoting internationalisation through mobility programs, the students involved in international mobility in the OECD area in 2015 represent 5,6% of the number of students enrolled all over the world, which reveals that most students stay in their home country. The mobility pattern is still concentrated in a reduced amount of countries, strongly influenced by geographical factors, being the most developed English-speaking economies those that hold the hosting hegemony.

Creating excellent mobility opportunities is fundamental; however, besides making opportunities available for the few that may study abroad, institutions must seek to endow all students with the required skills to reach success in the global world.

Hence, this communication aims to discuss the concept of internationalization at-home, and its application, focusing on internationalisation activities within the campus. It presents and discusses the creation of a culture that promotes international and intercultural understanding without the need for enrolling in mobility programs or other activity outside borders.