Internationalisation: understanding student needs in Higher Education

1. Internationalisation: understanding student needs in Higher Education Ewan Woodley Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences

2. Outline • Internationalisation of the curriculum: feasible frameworks or false hope? • Flexible Combined Honours: developments in degree design • Recognising diverse requirements: geographies of choice architecture • New landscapes in UK Higher Education

3. Defining internationalisation in Higher Education ‘A comprehensive strategy that integrates some combination of international experiences, cross-border provision of education, and multicultural perspectives into institutions’ broader research, teaching and engagement missions’ National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, 2004, in Biles and Lindley (2009) ‘The ideal international curriculum provides equably for the learning ambitions of all students, irrespective of their national, ethnic, cultural, social class/caste or gender identities’. Haigh (2002). Journal of Geography in Higher Education

4. Rethinking the internationalisation agenda De Vita and Case (2003) • Marketisation discourse and curriculum commodification • Reductionist and cognitive ‘western’ learning • Knowledge dissemination rather than multiple learning modes • The source of knowledge and its construction

5. Internationalisation of the curriculum v Haigh (2002) • Hybrid institutions – universal aspiration versus local actualities • The term encompasses a diversity of prior experiences, skills and expectations • The assumption of prior knowledge about teaching and learning practices ‘Universities may have to temper their desire for international student dollars with a realistic appraisal of the degree of diversity that their own programmes can handle’.

6. Flexible Combined Honours Increasing appeal of a bespoke degree • Combining subjects (two or more disciplines) • Vary proportion of subjects between years of study • Degree title recognition of diversity • Adapt interests and career ambitions • Create a themed pathway

7. Flexible Combined Honours Two strategic opportunities To promote this type of degree to a wide range of prospective international students with specific requirements that may not be satisfied through single honours programmes To provide UK students with the opportunity for increased freedom in subject choice and to satisfy the increasing demand for study and work placements abroad

8. Geographies of choice architecture v The presentation of choice • How decisions may be influenced by the choices that are presented • Johnson et al. 2008 – tools of choice architecture • How many alternatives? • the role of technology and decision aids • Default choices • Choice over time – uncertainty • Structure and the search process

9. Tuning degree choices to target audiences Understanding and addressing diversity in market demands • The North American market – strong tradition of liberal arts • The Chinese market – emphasis on links with business • The Indian market – a significant interest in engineering/computing based subjects

10. Tuning degree choices to target audiences Understanding the needs of UK students • A desire to study a foreign language • An increasing range of institutions offering study abroad placements • Work placements abroad • Specific FCH modules

11. New landscapes in UK Higher Education Innovative internationalisation frameworks • The future of single honours programmes • The infrastructure to accompany a changing landscape • Understanding student needs – change is within the system • What do employers require/desire? • Co-producing knowledges – redesigning degree options