At this year’s EAIE Conference, ACA Member, Nuffic - the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, hosted a valuable session focusing on Internationalisation at Home (IaH). This Nuffic Connects session provided attendees with critical insights and practical strategies for implementing IaH in higher education and resulted in several key takeaways, which are instrumental for institutions looking to enhance their internationalisation efforts.
The following essential points for successful IaH implementation were highlighted:
- Continuous dialogue for defining internationalisation: Recognising the diverse interpretations of internationalisation among policymakers, educators, and students, and fostering interdisciplinary discussions.
- Linking inclusion and internationalisation: Understanding the connection between these concepts and focusing on both local diversity and the integration of international students.
- Communities of practice: Establishing networks for sharing ideas and experiences, which aids in professionalising IaH practices within and beyond individual institutions.
- Stakeholder engagement: Expanding the involvement to include varied parties, utilising tools like the IaH stakeholder matrix and exploring incentives that make IaH valuable to different stakeholders.
- Universal access to international competencies: Stressing the importance of integrating international skills within the regular curriculum for all students and faculty members.
- Refinement of COIL projects: Recognising the need for enhanced guidance and collaboration in online international learning, and applying research insights for effective project implementation.
In December, Nuffic plans to organise a webinar further exploring these concepts in relation to Campbell's 'hero's journey' theory within the Dutch educational context. Those interested in delving further into these topics can reach out to Anouk Vermeulen, Nuffic's project manager for IaH in higher education (a.vermeulen@nuffic.nl).
Read more here.
