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5M Microcosm of University Internationalization: Unveiling Hidden Layers

At OO University, President Z initiated a town hall meeting, seeking input on the pressing issue of internationalization. Student Council President A was the first to point out the struggle faced by foreign students in integrating with the campus learning community and its culture. When Dean B lamented the decline in class quality due to the influx of underqualified foreign students, Director C of Planning rebutted, arguing the necessity for financial gain and improved external evaluations. Director D of the International Affairs Division underscored the need for the university's active participation and support in internationalization initiatives, citing a recent meeting with the Department of Education's official in charge of international education. Director E of the Office of International Affairs underscored the urgency for preemptive measures given the unprecedented intensification of global competition for student recruitment.

Pondering these remarks, President Z asked, seemingly enlightened, "Why do we need internationalization at our university?"

The term 'internationalization' has deeply permeated our academic society since 1995, when the World Trade Organization began viewing higher education as a tradable service. Renowned scholar Jane Knight of the University of Toronto defines internationalization in higher education as a 'multifaceted process' that integrates an 'international dimension' into the purpose, goals, functions, and delivery of higher education. Whether universities accept this definition or not, determining how they view 'internationalization' carries more importance than one might intuitively think.

I propose the 5M framework as a useful tool to diagnose the current state and design the future of university internationalization.

The first M stands for Micro, which represents the individual perspective affected by and influencing the university's internationalization. This includes the "lived experiences" of university members who have navigated the wave of quantitatively-driven internationalization over the past half-century. Consider the inner turmoil and helplessness of a humanities professor suddenly required to deliver lectures in English, or the confusion and frustration of a foreign exchange student, fluent in Korean, forced to take classes in English. These personal experiences of exclusion cast a shadow on the grand scheme and overwhelming trend of internationalization. Student Council President A's statement illuminates the micro-level issues that remain hidden behind the external achievement of attracting 150,000 foreign students.

The second M stands for Meso, which signifies the internationalization strategy and direction at each university level. It is crucial to evaluate whether a clear internationalization vision and effective implementation system are in place, whether the programs align with the overall development plan of the university, and whether enough consensus has been formed with members. Reconciling the 'reality' – represented by financial income and internationalization indicators for evaluations – with the 'ideal' – such as holistic growth through students' internationalization experiences, qualitative growth through professors' international academic exchanges and research, and institutional social contribution – is an arduous process. The debate between Dean B and Director C showcases various perspectives surrounding university internationalization, emphasizing the importance of public discourse, consensus-building, and agreement on the internationalization agenda.

The third "M" stands for Macro, emphasizing the need to synchronize with the ebb and flow of government higher education policies. It's essential to seize opportunities and consider environmental factors like student recruitment and exchange programs such as the Global Korea Scholarship project, Campus Asia and Asian International Mobility for Students program, Leading University Project for International for fostering universities leading international cooperation, and Global Research Network aimed at boosting international research exchanges. It's also crucial to communicate suggestions from a practical standpoint upwards to policy-making authorities, which could prove to be a necessary interaction for enhancing the international competitiveness of higher education in our country. For these reasons, we need to pay close attention once again to Director D's perspective.

The fourth "M" signifies Mega, reminding us of the need to consider the trends and outlook of higher education from a global perspective. The competition for student recruitment worldwide is intensifying day by day. The advent of new models such as online universities, MOOCs, micro-degrees, and the establishment of global joint ventures are causing noticeable shifts in the traditional east-to-west student migration pattern. As Director E highlighted, it goes without saying that it's critical to preemptively monitor changes in student movement and migration trends to pioneer and preempt the market, as well as to discover and leverage experts in the field. It's not just about student recruitment. The notion that university innovation is part of a transnational transformation should be the foundation for discussing the direction of each university's globalization.

The final "M" symbolizes Meta, an overarching perspective that transcends the flat discourse that has been prevalent in viewing university internationalization thus far. This involves deconstructing the keyword "internationalization," which has been revered by academia over the past 25 years, in a developmental manner. We need to deliberately step out of the allure delivered by the term "global" and precisely define and understand the significance and value of internationalization at each university. This is a fundamental condition for practitioners to realize what they are working for and to ensure their actions fully yield the intended outcomes. Let's recall Jane Knight's definition of university internationalization. Are the purpose, goals, functions, and delivery of the university organized from an international perspective? Has there been sufficient contemplation about why internationalization is necessary for our university, and what would an 'appropriate internationalization' look like in the context of each university? Where is the ultimate point we are trying to reach through this?

The final question from President Z may well represent a challenging assignment that numerous universities in South Korea have consciously been deferring for a considerable period.

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*Disclaimer

This content is a translation of an article originally composed in Korean language, which was published in September 2022 on the University News Network, a premier media outlet in South Korea dedicated to higher education. For the original article, please visit https://news.unn.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=533812.

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