Understanding Internationalization at Home: Perspectives from the Global North and South

Abstract

Internationalization at Home (IaH) has become a strategic priority in higher education research, policy and practice, although there is still a lack of conceptual clarity around its meaning and practical applications and implications. This paper aims to shed empirical insight into how this concept is understood by higher education staff. It follows a multiple-case study design to explore bottom-up understandings of IaH by 18 staff in two universities in Brazil and the UK. Findings yielded by a thematic analysis of two focus group sessions forefront three dimensions when enacting an IaH agenda: (1) the institutional or organizational side of internationalization, (2) teaching and learning aspects, and (3) personal experiences of the social actors involved in internationalization processes. Within these dimensions, four baseline features should be considered for a bottom-up understanding of IaH: institutional strategizing, international curricula, student integration, and inclusivity of IaH. Implications for future research highlight the importance of furthering empirically grounded definitions of IaH via a bottom-up and top-down development of the concept that clarifies the epistemology of equity it represents. Implications for practice point to the urge of attending to staff perceptions whilst exploring macro-, meso- and micro-contextual conditions and needs.