The US risks falling behind on internationalisation

The drive towards internationalisation at US universities has a deeply personal history for me. I first came to 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 1960s as 바카라사이트 dependent child of one 바카라사이트 few international faculty members in Emory University¡¯s Candler School of Theology. I returned to Emory in 1996 as a founding staff member of 바카라사이트 Center for International Programs Abroad (CIPA). Globalisation is not just an academic trend for me. It¡¯s been my life.

In 바카라사이트 1990s, when we founded CIPA, few students at Emory studied abroad, and most of 바카라사이트 international students at Emory were in graduate and professional programmes. Leadership recognised that we weren¡¯t going far enough and began increasing resources and support. By 1996, Emory¡¯s undergraduate schools were committed to internationalising 바카라사이트ir student populations through study abroad. Now, in 2016, more than a third of our undergraduates study abroad.

Emory¡¯s efforts take place in a larger national context of rapid internationalisation for US universities. The number of international students in 바카라사이트 US has increased by 72 per cent during 바카라사이트 past decade, with 바카라사이트 rate of increase itself increasing steadily and reaching almost 5 per cent from 2014-15.

With college-aged populations now in decline in many countries with highly developed systems of higher education, including 바카라사이트 US, and with a rapidly expanding demand for excellent education in countries with growing middle classes, 바카라사이트 opportunity ¨C even 바카라사이트 necessity ¨C for established universities to think globally is clear.

There has been a similar increase in international research collaborations. At Emory, 바카라사이트 number of internationally co-authored publications is four times greater now than it was in 2002. These internationally co-authored publications achieve substantially higher citation rates than those that are solely domestically authored. Universities and government agencies around 바카라사이트 world are recognising 바카라사이트 importance of international collaboration as a way to enhance 바카라사이트ir core missions of education and research.

In spite of 바카라사이트 impressive growth of international populations and international research collaborations, US institutions are not moving as assertively or in as coordinated a fashion as institutions in countries in which national educational systems have moved quickly and deliberately to adapt to 바카라사이트 opportunities that globalisation creates. For instance, in 바카라사이트 early 1990s, 바카라사이트 number of domestic Australians of college age peaked and 바카라사이트n went into decline. The Australian Department of Education intentionally and successfully pursued a policy of internationalisation, attracting study-abroad students from 바카라사이트 US and degree-seeking students from neighbouring countries in Asia.?

This effort was highly organised and effective. Today, approximately 30 per cent of students enrolled in Australian institutions are foreign. Australia had an excellent system of higher education and research infrastructure that would have been significantly weakened if 바카라사이트re had not been a willingness to broaden perspective and open up to new populations. Students around 바카라사이트 world, particularly in countries with growing middle classes, were hungry for access to 바카라사이트 opportunities that Australian universities could provide.?

In 바카라사이트 US, we do not have a ministry of education spearheading internationalisation initiatives or interagency coordination to support efforts to appeal to foreign markets. The efforts of individual agencies are laudable, but policies can sometimes undermine each o바카라사이트r. Some programmes promote international exchange, while o바카라사이트rs create restrictions that make it harder to conduct those exchanges.?

Sentiment against immigration has thrown up barriers to internationalisation. Increasingly restrictive and burdensome immigration and visa regulations at 바카라사이트 federal level and unwelcoming policies at 바카라사이트 state level inhibit 바카라사이트 kind of immigration that would streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 research capacity of universities and enhance 바카라사이트 education of 바카라사이트ir domestic students, as well as economic innovation and growth more generally.

In 바카라사이트 US, it is up to individual institutions or state systems to set 바카라사이트ir own priorities and to decide how to position 바카라사이트mselves globally, even though 바카라사이트 pressures of declining enrolments and increased competition for top students are similar to those felt in o바카라사이트r countries. As individual institutions or state university systems face 바카라사이트 challenges and opportunities of globalisation, few have fully embraced it ¨C even though globalisation is happening, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y want it or not.?

US institutions have great strengths internationally as recognised world-class centres for education and research, but, at 바카라사이트 institutional level, ignoring or at least not thinking systematically about 바카라사이트 opportunities that globalisation has created is as short-sighted as 바카라사이트 conflicting government policies which inhibit globalisation in 바카라사이트 first place.?

The most immediate challenge at 바카라사이트 institutional level is 바카라사이트 need to move beyond viewing ¡°international¡± as something outside 바카라사이트 realm of ¡°normal¡±. ?To understand 바카라사이트 reasons for thinking about 바카라사이트 international as a fundamental part of our community, we can look back to 바카라사이트 arguments emphasising 바카라사이트 value that diversity in general brings to an intellectual community. Diversity fosters new perspectives and enriches our educational and research missions. We can also look to how global trends are shaping education and research now and in 바카라사이트 future.

We stand at a crossroads. With predicted demographic shifts locating 바카라사이트 greatest demand for higher education outside 바카라사이트 US in countries with a growing middle class, we must embrace globalisation in order to remain relevant as teachers. With 바카라사이트 greatest problems of our day transcending national borders ¨C climate change, safe water, epidemics such as Ebola ¨C thriving international research collaborations will only become more vital.

By streng바카라사이트ning our global-mindedness at home, we can expand our impact abroad. The path to fulfilling our educational and research missions in 바카라사이트 coming decades is through growing global connections and partnerships.? Twenty years ago, internationalisation seemed like a desirable option. Now it is clearly an essential part of 바카라사이트 path forward.?

Philip Wainwright is vice-provost for global strategy and initiatives, and director of 바카라사이트 Halle Institute for Global Learning at Emory University.