Higher Education and Internationalization: Lessons Learned From the Study of a University Centre in Computing Science

Abstract

This paper analyses internationalisation policies, strategies, and actions and their relationship with the educational activity of a university centre. Lessons learned from this analysis are formulated. The study focuses on the micro-level and is centred on the Facultat d’Informàtica de Barcelona (FIB), examining the curriculum as a central element of university education. To gain a better understanding of the relationship between the curricula and its internationalisation activity, we analysed the social, geographical, and institutional context, as well as the different management teams that have led the centre. Additionally, we collected various academic and mobility indicators, student responses to surveys, and internationalisation activities deployed during the first 45 years of the history of FIB. We have developed a novel classification system to organise all internationalisation actions. The analysis of the collected information resulted in a set of grids that highlight the interrelationship between educational and internationalisation activities. Thanks to the institution’s global vision along the mentioned two dimensions, we have identified those elements that can serve as useful lessons for any higher education institution. We conclude by presenting a guide to factors that should be considered when designing an internationalisation plan, as a possible application of the lessons learned.