РОЛЬ ІНОЗЕМНОЇ МОВИ В ПРОЦЕСІ ІНТЕРНАЦІОНАЛІЗАЦІЇ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ

Abstract

The expediency of internationalisation of domestic higher education institutions and the role of a foreign language in this process have been substantiated in the article. Four main justifications of internationalisation have been outlined: academic, socio-cultural, political and economic. Relevant trends in internationalisation of higher education in European countries have been determined, the aspects of the university activities in the development and implementation of the internationalisation strategy have been studied. The factors that determine its successful implementation and factors that hinder this process have been identified. The author’s definition of the notion “internationalisation” has been presented. The impacts of internationalisation on the competitiveness of Ukrainian HEIs and the professional risks related to the low language proficiency have been described. The role of the university’s language policy in implementing the strategy of internationalisation has determined. Regulatory documentation in the field of development and reformation of higher education has been researched. The main changes of the process of internationalization in Ukraine, which took place from 2015 till 2019, have been analysed and detailed. The preconditions of reforming the methods of the English language teaching have been considered. The methodology of internationalisation of higher education at foreign language classes has been proposed. It has been concluded that the process of internationalisation, the main objective of which is to improve the quality of education and research activities, has become the strategic mainstream of HEIs’ activities. As a result, great attention is being paid to support the provision of pedagogical conditions of forming all students’ intercultural competencies. The outcomes of the empirical research indicate that the key directions of the universities’ activities in the context of internationalisation are the development of students’ academic mobility, the establishment of joint educational programmes with foreign HEIs, the development of international research activities.It has been found out that the main factors which stimulate these processes are the development and monitoring of the internationalisation strategy implementation. The challenges of this strategy implementation, like before, are of a financial nature and are related to the low level of foreign language proficiency and insufficient motivation of students and teachers to participate in academic mobility programmes and international research projects.