Beware cutting back on support for HE in the developing world

By Hans de Wit. Internationalisation of higher education in the past was based more on national policies and strategies than is currently the case. With the exception of the United States, which has never had a national policy, in other industrialised countries the international dimension in higher education was strongly guided by national objectives and priorities two decades ago.
Over the past 20 years, though, the emphasis had shifted to a more diverse institutional focus on internationalisation, stimulated in Europe by the Bologna process. There appeared to be less need for a common national approach to internationalisation in the global knowledge economy – but there are signs of a revival.
A recent phenomenon is the development of national policies in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom, and even some signs of a national focus in the United States (skilled immigration, global citizenship). Some other countries, such as India, Malaysia, Romania, South Africa and The Netherlands, are also working on a new national policy for internationalisation. Read more...