Rationales for the internationalization of higher education: the case of Russia
Shaydorova, Gunsyma (2014)
Shaydorova, Gunsyma
2014
MDP in Research and Innovation in Higher Education
Johtamiskorkeakoulu - School of Management
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2014-07-31
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201408292095
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201408292095
Tiivistelmä
The aim of the research is to provide an analysis of rationales for the internationalization of Russian higher education from the perspective of the main stakeholders and a shift of rationales since the 1990s. The conceptual framework guiding this investigation is based on concepts of the internationalization of higher education developed by de Wit (2002) and Knight (2004). The study relies on qualitative methodology. Data consists of policy documents, secondary interviews and semi-structured interviews with two experts. A content analysis of policy documents guided by de Wit s (2002) and Knight s (2004) typologies of rationales was conducted.
This study has found that the government sector has all four rationales for the internationalization of higher education whereas universities mainly academic and economic ones. As the examination of the government sector policy documents showed, political and economic rationales are regarded as having high priority while both academic and social/cultural rationales are considered as having moderate priority. On the institutional level, the most preferred rationales are academic ones: international profile and status, international academic standards and research and knowledge production. In comparison with the Soviet period, income generation through export of educational services is becoming a motive for international cooperation although it is not among main rationales.
Analysis of current rationales for internationalization from the perspective of the government sector and universities and comparison with rationales before the 1990s allows to identify certain change in motives. Firstly, it should be noted the shift from the political rationale to the economic, as well as a shift within the political rationale from peace and mutual understanding and technical assistance to foreign policy. The overarching rationale of the internationalization policy on the national level is an economic one.
As for academic rationales, they often remain implicit reflecting the general consensus that internationalization improves academic quality. Analysis of documents and literature review allow to conclude that the before the 1990s international academic standards were main motive for the internationalization for institutions of higher education whereas currently international profile and status is dominant. Finally, cultural motives for the internationalization of higher education are not so strong as they were before the 1990s.
This study has found that the government sector has all four rationales for the internationalization of higher education whereas universities mainly academic and economic ones. As the examination of the government sector policy documents showed, political and economic rationales are regarded as having high priority while both academic and social/cultural rationales are considered as having moderate priority. On the institutional level, the most preferred rationales are academic ones: international profile and status, international academic standards and research and knowledge production. In comparison with the Soviet period, income generation through export of educational services is becoming a motive for international cooperation although it is not among main rationales.
Analysis of current rationales for internationalization from the perspective of the government sector and universities and comparison with rationales before the 1990s allows to identify certain change in motives. Firstly, it should be noted the shift from the political rationale to the economic, as well as a shift within the political rationale from peace and mutual understanding and technical assistance to foreign policy. The overarching rationale of the internationalization policy on the national level is an economic one.
As for academic rationales, they often remain implicit reflecting the general consensus that internationalization improves academic quality. Analysis of documents and literature review allow to conclude that the before the 1990s international academic standards were main motive for the internationalization for institutions of higher education whereas currently international profile and status is dominant. Finally, cultural motives for the internationalization of higher education are not so strong as they were before the 1990s.