Internationalizing Higher Education: From Students’ Journey to Strategy

Internationalization is fundamental for all higher education institutions, nevertheless with its evolving and altering nature it was considered, until this moment, an uncharted territory. The impact of internationalization on higher education institutions is evident. To attain this impact, it is essential that higher education institutions chart the path and pave the way for effective internationalization strategies, policies, and actions. To foster an internationalized campus, stakeholders are to be upskilled, and internationalization elements to be modified and adjusted according to the institution’s community and culture. These adjustments will allow institutions to compose the appropriate internationalization strategy, meet institution’s goals and objectives, find best approaches to reflect on their own rationales, and adopt the most apt practices for implementation.

There is no one-size-fits-all framework for internationalization. It depends on numerous factors that change from one institution to another. These factors range from demographical, geographical, and cultural dimensions all through degrees and programs offered, student journeys, and cost-revenue models.

This article provides an outlook on internationalizing higher education institutions’ concept definitions, rationales, approaches, activities, and applications. It also proposes a framework for the institutions’ internationalization through students’ journey. Finally, it discusses the potential enrollment management practices that contribute to the institutions’ internationalization.