Developing Global Perspectives Through International Management Degrees

Abstract

Internationalisation has risen high on the agenda of many higher education institutions, and the need to develop graduates with global perspectives is well recognised. Much attention has been given to institutional strategies for internationalisation, international students, and dealing with culturally diverse learning styles. To date, however, there have been limited efforts to consider what internationalisation means in practice at the programme level. This article reports on a case study that investigates the internationalisation of undergraduate hospitality management degree programmes in the United Kingdom. Through the development and application of an internationalisation framework, the study reveals the perceived importance of shared cross-cultural experiences to the internationalisation of programmes and the different approaches adopted within programmes. It also highlights current constraints in internationalising degree programmes and the subsequent challenges faced by educators in developing graduates’ global perspectives.