Understanding Higher Education Internationalization

Abstract

Internationalization of higher education, once of interest primarily of college and university leaders, is increasingly garnering attention among govern-ment leaders and other policy makers. As globalization leads nations to become increasingly interconnected in economic, cultural, and political modalities, higher education has emerged as critical connecting point. Colleges and universities facili-tate the mobility of students and scholars, serve as vehicles of public diplomacy, and support economic competitiveness. This chapter explores the ways in which col-leges and universities as international actors and describes the ways in which gov-ernments engage with the internationalization of higher education.