International perspectives
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Internationalisation in the higher education sector is a multi-faceted, much debated and diversely interpreted concept. Knight (1994) defines internationalisation of higher education as 'the process of integrating an international/intercultural dimension into the teaching, research and service functions of the institution'. Internationalisation of the curriculum is thus a critical part of the broader process of internationalisation. It means the acquisition by all students of a global outlook rather than (just) the presence of international students in class.
International perspectives as a graduate quality
At the University of South Australia internationalisation of the curriculum has been largely driven by the seven Graduate Qualities, one of which relates to the development of international perspectives in all students. Graduate Quality 7 states that a 'graduate of the University of South Australia will demonstrate international perspectives as a professional and as a citizen'. The generic indicators for Graduate Quality 7 are as follows:
A graduate will:
- display an ability to think globally and consider issues from a variety of perspectives
- demonstrate an awareness of their own culture and its perspectives and other cultures and their perspectives
- appreciate the relation between their field of study locally and professional traditions elsewhere
- recognise intercultural issues relevant to their professional practice
- appreciate the importance of multicultural diversity to professional practice and citizenship
- appreciate the complex and interacting factors that contribute to notions of culture and cultural relationships
- value diversity of language and culture
- appreciate and demonstrate the capacity to apply international standards and practices within the discipline or professional area
- demonstrate awareness of the implications of local decisions and actions for international communities and of international decisions and actions for local communities.
These indicators provide guidance on the key features of an internationalised curriculum at UniSA. They focus on interculturality through the development of students' understanding and valuing of their own and other cultures (indicators 7.2, 7.4, 7.6 and 7.7) the development of knowledge and understanding (7.3, 7.5) and the application of what they have learned to their professional practice (7.1, 7.8 and 7.9).
Teaching and Learning strategies
Internationalisation outcomes for students are thus focused both on the acquisition of skills and knowledge related to professional areas, as well as on the development of values and cross-cultural awareness. Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on the application of skills and knowledge, on taking action rather than on passive development.
However, the generic quality and its indicators require interpretation and elaboration at the program and course level. Clearly the sort of international perspectives appropriate for professional practice as an engineer will be different from those required for professional practice as a nurse, an accountant or a journalist. Curricula may be internationalised in content and/or form and/or structure.
Teaching and Learning strategies appropriate to the achievement of the graduate quality on international perspectives (PDF 72kb - opens in a new window. Download Adobe Acrobat). The Code of good practice: teaching and learning at the University of South Australia provides a framework for describing teaching and learning strategies to achieve the graduate quality on international perspectives. Suggested teaching and learning strategies for internationalisation, in relation to the selection of content and teaching and learning arrangements and the Code of Good Practice, are provided in this document.
References
Knight, Jane, (1994), Internationalisation: Elements and Checkpoints (Ottawa: Canadian Bureau of International Education.)