Higher Education and the Discourse on Global Competition: Vernacular Approaches Within Higher Education Policy Documents

Abstract

Over the past few decades, globalization and global competition have become prominent buzzwords in the higher education sector. These two constructs are highly interconnected: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are becoming increasingly linked across borders in a multitude of ways (whether intentionally or not), which in turn engenders competition within the global higher education landscape. The drive toward globalization and global competition is clearly evident; its effects are not uniform, however, and local entities mediate global trends. In this chapter, we build upon our prior work by investigating evidence of the discourse on global competition (DGC)—a pervasive rhetoric about excellence, rankings, and world-class status—within national higher education policy documents. Our aim was to ascertain to what extent the DGC was evident in these policies alongside other localized priorities. Before delving into this analysis, we frame the study by outlining trends and developments related to globalization in higher education. We also delineate our approach to the study, which entails employing the construct of vernacular globalization and qualitative policy document analysis strategies.