this is an introduction to globalization and internationalization

1. GLOBALIZATION AND
INTERNATIONALIZATION

2. discuss the nature of
globalization
in four broad dimensions: the
economic,
the political, the ideological

3. Introduction
Globalization as a social phenomenon has a long history, but its
impact on world affairs and other facets of human development
and endeavor has strengthened in the last two or three decades.
Primarily, globalization has replaced postmodernism as a theory
and framework for understanding world development. The
concept is an emotive and complex one, with many shades of
meaning arising from its multiplicity of dimensions and
differentiated impacts in different parts of world. It has both
positive and negative consequences and as such has protagonists,
cynics and critics in abundance. Although there is no single
universal defi nition of the concept, it is broadly understood to
mean the creation of world relations based on the operation of
free markets (see, for example, Giddens, 2000; Albrow, 1997; Held
et al., 1999; Robertson, 1992; Mittelman, 2000; Steger, 2003).

4. Globalization
Globalization entails the opening up
and coming together of business,
trade and economic activities between
nations, necessitating the need for
greater homogenization of
fundamental political, ideological,
cultural and social aspects of life
across different countries of the world.

5. Internationalization
Such processes have been taking place for a
long time, but have been accelerated and
intensified in the past few decades because
of developments in technology, computers
and the Internet. The impact these changes
are having on universities is profound and,
within universities, the key strategic
responses to globalization have come to be
known as internationalization.

6. However, while internationalization in HE constitutes a
group of strategic responses to globalization, it is
important to acknowledge the reciprocity that exists
between these two concepts. For example, the
intensification of student mobility that may result from
an institutional strategy to increase overseas student
recruitment contributes to the further intensification of
globalization. Similarly, intensifying curriculum
internationalization processes will result in making the
university educational product more attractive and
therefore help to increase student mobility in
recruitment markets.

7. Discussions of globalization have tended
to utilize the analytic discourse of its
dimensions. The most recent and useful
contribution to this discussion is by Steger
(2003), who identified political, economic,
ideological and cultural dimensions. The
problem with this approach is that it tends
to reify rather than integrate globalization
conceptualizations.

8. However, it provides a useful analytical
framework for understanding what obviously is
a complex concept. These globalization
dimensions will be explored in some detail in
Chapter 2. Fundamentally, because universities
have a political, economic, social and cultural
mission, a good understanding of changes
taking place globally within these areas will
help shape both institutional response and
strategy for current and future development.

9. The Meanings of Globalization and
Internationalization in HE: Findings from a
World Survey
The concepts of globalization and
internationalization have attained household status
in many fi elds of human endeavor, including higher
education (HE). To a large extent, globalization has
replaced postmodernism (Giddens, 1990), a period
in which development was broadly perceived within
the confines of national rather international spaces
as a framework for analyzing social issues and
societies.

10. The Meanings of Globalization and
Internationalization in HE: Findings from a World
Survey
There seems to be an increasing political socio- economic,
cultural and ideological homogeneity across many countries
of the world. This is being driven by the increasing
digitalization of the world; the accelerating cross-border
financial flows and integration of economic activity; the
accelerating human traffic across national borders; the
blurring of national boundaries in favor of free cross- border
movement and increasing use of common currencies and
languages across different nations. The two concepts are
complex and multifaceted and tend to exhibit a North-
South, East- West divide in the way they are understood and
responded to in different parts of the world.

11. The Meanings of Globalization and
Internationalization in HE: Findings from a World
Survey
It can be argued that universities have always had an
underlying international mission and focus, and as such
are essentially international organizations. However,
globalization has accelerated internationalization activity
within universities. This chapter views globalization and
internationalization as mutually reinforcing ideas,
especially in the fi eld of HE. Globalization largely provides
the external impetus for accelerated institutional
internationalization. On the other hand, the
intensification of university internationalization activity
reinforces accelerated globalization.

12. The Meanings of Globalization and
Internationalization in HE: Findings from a World
Survey
Therefore, it seems logical to assume that
how globalization is understood will
influence the nature of internationalization
activity in different universities. This chapter
aims broadly to explore how these two
concepts are understood in different
universities across the world and to review
the variety of internationalization activity that
grows out of these understandings.

13. The Meanings of Globalization and
Internationalization in HE: Findings from a World
Survey
To achieve this broad aim, the chapter will: (a) utilize a
definitional and theoretical approach to explore the meanings
of the concepts of globalization and internationalization; (b)
use empirical evidence from the World Survey of the Impact
of Globalization in Universities Project (Maringe et al., 2009) to
examine how the two concepts are understood in different
universities, including the nature and types of
internationalization activities that these understandings are
driving at institutional levels; (c) identify and discuss key
internationalization strategies that may privilege the
development of a theory of globalization and
internationalization in HE. We begin with a theoretical review
of the two concepts.