Research on internationalisation in higher education – exploratory analysis

Abstract

Research on internationalisation in higher education has dramatically expanded over the last several decades. This study aims to provide an overview of the research developments undertaken between 1980 and 2014, on internationalisation in higher education. Explorative, systematic literature screening and analysis were undertaken, encompassing over 7,000 scholarly articles published in peer-reviewed journals during that period. A novel methodology was developed for collecting, screening, coding, and analysing the gathered data. Through the coding system employed, specific trends were identified and quantified in research on internationalisation within regions, countries, disciplines, years, and subjects of study. Several patterns were revealed, reflecting changing trends in research focusing on internationalisation in education, regarding differences over time and different areas of the world. The findings provide a glimpse into the changing directions research on internationalisation in higher education has taken, and might ignite the discussion of future directions and transformations.