Internationalization of higher education at the institutional level: the example of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv

Abstract

The work is devoted to the study of the issue of internationalization as a crucial component of the university activities. It is emphasized that researchers comprehend the internationalization of higher education at the supranational, continental, national, institutional, and individual levels. The institutional level of internationalization of higher education, its essence and strategy are analyzed in detail. It is emphasized that current university should find its own strategy of internationalization and understand that the prospect of its inclusion to the global education system also depends on this. It is shown that institutional level of internationalization of higher education includes the policy of a particular educational institution and structural subdivisions dealing with the strategy of its international activity. It has been found that institutional-level rationales driving internationalization are international profile and reputation, student and staff development, strategic alliances, research, knowledge production, and income generation. The approaches to internationalization of higher education at the institutional level such as activities, outcomes, rationales, programs, and process are highlighted and the examples of program and organizational strategies are provided. The institutional level of internationalization of higher education is analyzed in detail on the example of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. Its program, organizational strategies and tools for their implementation are shown. Some results of the study, conducted by the author in September 2021, namely a survey of students at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv on the changes in higher education and its internationalization are also presented. Keywords: higher education, internationalization, levels of internationalization, institutional level of internationalization, strategies.