5 top blogs from 2017
As we begin a new year, we wanted to revisit some of our most read blogs of 2017. The EAIE would like to thank those in our community that continue to read our blog and share their experiences on various higher education topics. A big thank you also goes out to our volunteer bloggers for their generous contributions. We look forward to providing you with more quality content in 2018!
10 trends changing global higher education
Leasa Weimer, the EAIE’s Knowledge Development Adviser, dives into a new report released by the British Council regarding trends in international higher education that impact the future of our field. The report indicates shifting demographics, English as a medium of instruction, national strategies for higher education and multi-sector cooperation as just a few of the issues impacting the internationalisation of higher education. All of these global trends will continue to shape the future of international higher education and Leasa reminds us that keeping track of them will allow us to be one step ahead and plan accordingly.
5 unique mental health stressors faced by international students
Frank Haber of Jacobs University Bremen, Germany and Stephanie Griffiths of King’s College London, UK, write about the unique mental health concerns of international students. Language barriers, crises originating at home, or the pressure to fit into unrealistic expectations are some of these unique challenges. At higher education institutions (HEIs), academics, tutors and front-line staff know the growing need of understanding and discussing the difficulties faced by internationally mobile students. Frank and Stephanie formulate some key learning objectives for front-line staff and professionals advising and guiding international students.
Mapping international student fees in Europe
Anna-Malin Sandstrom, Policy Officer at the EAIE, addresses the much-debated topic of tuition fees for international students in Europe, based on a recent Eurydice report. In the majority of European countries, international students are charged higher fees than local (EU/EEA) students, yet a significant number of countries charge the same fees from the two student groups. The power of higher education institutions in determining fees for international students differs from one higher education system to another. Most act within a framework established by the government with varying degrees of flexibility while others have complete freedom in determining fees for international students. Anna-Malin concludes that offering full degree programmes tuition free to international students is rare in Europe today.
Student mobility: Are you prepared for managing a crisis?
With the growth in international mobility and the current state of our world today, having crisis management policies in place is becoming increasingly important in international higher education. Eline de Rijk-Evenhuis, Coordinator Summer School & Crisis Management at NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands shares top tips for improving your institution’s preparedness and practices in international mobility crisis management. When setting up a crisis management policy for international mobility, Eline recommends you start by checking your national legislation and exploring the internal initiatives of your institution. Open and up-to-date communication with your stakeholders in times of crisis is crucial. Finally, Eline introduces seven principles to design a strong, effective international mobility crisis management plan for your institution.
International directors – managing up, down and across
A key challenge for international directors is the extent to which it is possible to pursue internationalisation strategies within wider, and often competing, institutional priorities. Fiona Hunter, Associate Director at the CHEI at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, and independent consultant Neil Sparnon write about the importance of not only managing down (within your own team), but also horizontally (with units on whom you rely for effective support) and up – with the wheels of your institution’s governance system. It is worth investing some time in getting to know how your institution’s governance system works and understand where you as an international director sit within the matrix, in order to ensure you can communicate with different levels of management at the appropriate times.
Whether you’re taking a moment to revisit some of our most popular blogs of 2017 or just now have the opportunity to check them out, we hope that these great pieces written by your peers will provide you with some inspiration moving forward in the new year. Check back soon for a second blog in this series, in which we give literature recommendations from practitioners in the field of internationalisation.
