Articulating perspectives on international and social mobility in higher education

Abstract

ABSTRACTTransformations affecting higher education are manifold; amongst others one can mention the massification of higher education, trends towards privatization, and changing policy guidelines with a view to unification at the international level. The mobility phenomena accompanying all these transformations represent a challenge for researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, and students in the higher education field. In this article, we first define different types of mobility. Mobility, in its most obvious form, can be understood as geographical movement, national and international, of students and academics. However, the concept of mobility in higher education can also be understood as change in the course of a lifetime for an individual, or change, for an individual, in regard to social, economic, and cultural background. We focus on these two types of international and social mobility and shortly present the articles in this special issue. Finally, we pinpoint methodological considerations and theoretical implications of combining and/or articulating perspectives on international and social mobility in higher education.