A recent report by the UNESCO based International
Association of Universities (
IAU) underlines the pros and cons of internationalization in
higher education. While promoting global citizenship, creating
prestige and new revenue streams, this trend may also hurt
countries through brain drain and cultural homogenization.
Global citizenship, improved teaching quality and
research, additional income
"The goals of internationalization are continuously evolving,
ranging from educating global citizens, building capacity for
research, to generating income from international student tuition
fees and the quest to enhance institutional prestige." Overall
internationalization has become "an institutional imperative" and
offers great opportunities if handled accordingly.
The report finishes with a number of guidelines universities
should follow in order to maximize the benefits that
internationalization offers. Values such as "academic freedom,
institutional autonomy, and social responsibility" would of the
utmost importance in this context. In addition to that, academic
goals such as "student learning and the advancement of research"
needed to be defined clearly.