University internationalisation strategies - a managerial perspective

The aim of this study is to evaluate university internationalisation strategies to determine what form they should take if they are to successfully achieve their intended outcomes.

The study makes several contributions, filling gaps in the literature on the internationalisation of Higher Education (HE) and university management. The study synthesises ideas and concepts derived from three separate literatures: HE management; internationalisation of HE and strategic management to create a list of pre-requisite organisational qualities needed for the successful internationalisation of HE institutions. Empirical evidence is then gathered from four case studies based on 25 interviews of academics, managers and student representatives, supplemented by relevant secondary data. The research evidence suggests that the list of suggested pre-requisite organisational qualities may well be a useful indicator of the strength of university internationalisation strategies.

Based on the evidence of the sample universities, the study finds that the main reason for a lack of progress towards the internationalisation of HE in the UK is not the lack of senior level interest or enthusiasm for the concept of internationalisation but weaknesses in institutional management. It appears that many universities lack the managerial skills and knowledge needed to implement and operationalise their internationalisation strategies. Those organisations that are more successful are those with more visible and committed leadership of the internationalisation agenda, coupled with the skills and ability to implement strategy.

The study also identifies that HE internationalisation is shaped, communicated and understood in very different ways by stakeholders in different universities and at times even by stakeholders within the same organisation. As a result it is difficult to judge the success of internationalisation strategies because there is little shared understanding of what the concept entails.