Internationalising higher education: Debates and changes in Europe

Abstract

Internationalisation is a term frequently used since the 1990s in Europe to depict one of the major long-term trends in Europe. Various long-term trends are referred to in public debates on higher education, both within individual European countries and at the European level, for example the increase in student enrolment, diversification of higher education and growing pressure for societal relevance of research. Occasionally, a single trend dominates the public debates for a few years, but often three or four issues are at the centre of public debates. Key terms are coined to raise attention, to prioritise the debate and to influence fashions. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010.