Internationalization of Universities: Emerging Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Internationalization of higher education is not a new phenomenon. The concept has grown more by the time and now it has become an important strategic priority for many institutions and governments. Governments and institutions have invested and continue to invest considerable resource in internationalization. Internationalization of higher education is seen as one of the ways a country responds to the impact of globalization. The aim of this study is to examine how the process of internationalization has evolved overtime, and how it is occurring in today’s global knowledge economy. This article presents the review of the process of internationalization of higher education in a historical context. It also discusses that international mobility of students, scholars, programs, and institutions of higher education is driven by academic, cultural, political, and economic rationales. Furthermore, the study concludes that most of the higher education institutions refrain from aiming to become global institutions because of the academic and economic barriers.