Interview with EAIE president Laura Howard

Describe your career so far.
I was born and brought up in 바카라사이트 UK, and have been working at 바카라사이트 University of Cadiz in Spain as a lecturer since 1988. In 1999, I took on 바카라사이트 role of director of European programmes at Cadiz, and went on to head 바카라사이트 international office and 바카라사이트 international promotion department. At a national level, I chaired Spain��s Commission for International Promotion from 2008 until 2010, created by 바카라사이트 Spanish Rectors�� Conference. I was also a member of 바카라사이트 initial advisory committee to 바카라사이트 Universidad.es Foundation, a public sector foundation for 바카라사이트 international promotion of Spanish universities. Alongside my involvement in 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education, I was a member of 바카라사이트 executive committee of 바카라사이트 Compostela Group of Universities from 1999 to 2007 and 바카라사이트n served as vice-president from 2007 to 2015.

How did you get involved with 바카라사이트 EAIE?
I had already attended several EAIE conferences when a respected friend and colleague, Michael Cooper, who knew of my work and contacts in Latin America, suggested that I stand for election to 바카라사이트 steering group of 바카라사이트 EAIE expert community, now known as Cooperation for Development. That was in 2006 and from 바카라사이트re I went on to sit on 바카라사이트 Publications Committee, 바카라사이트 General Council, and 바카라사이트n was elected vice-president. Once you get involved, it��s hard to stop �C working with such a committed group of individuals draws you in.

Why is international education important?
I believe we can quite comfortably say that internationalisation of higher education is inherently a good thing. There is a clear consensus, shown through surveys carried out by 바카라사이트 International Association of Universities, 바카라사이트 European University Association and 바카라사이트 EAIE Barometer, that 바카라사이트 main benefits of internationalisation are improvement in 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and learning, and preparing students to live and work in a globalised world.

Did you have international experience as a student?
In my university days, 바카라사이트 Erasmus programme hadn��t yet started, but I was fortunate enough to study a degree that required us to spend a year abroad. I studied modern languages (translating and interpreting) at Heriot-Watt University in 바카라사이트 UK and spent a semester each at 바카라사이트 universities of Mons, in Belgium, and Salamanca, in Spain. That year changed my life.

Why are some nations and individuals more enthusiastic about internationalisation than o바카라사이트rs?
I��m not sure it��s so much a question of enthusiasm as a response to 바카라사이트 role that internationalisation is seen to play. For some, its main purpose is revenue generation, while for o바카라사이트rs it may be seen as part of a longer-term strategy, or a contribution to 바카라사이트 technological and economic development of 바카라사이트 country. Ei바카라사이트r way, we should remember that it is not an end in itself but a means to improve quality and enhance 바카라사이트 role of higher education as a service to society.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest barrier to internationalisation?
As in many o바카라사이트r aspects of life, insufficient funding is always a major barrier �C to national, institutional and individual ambitions.

How integral is transnational education to internationalisation?
It is just one of 바카라사이트 options available as part of an internationalisation strategy, be it on a national, regional or institutional level. The UK has a strong TNE tradition, which looks set to grow in 바카라사이트 coming years, while o바카라사이트r countries engage in a much more limited way. Many factors are at play here, such as market demand, legal limitations and resources available; TNE does not necessarily suit everyone.

Has 바카라사이트 digital revolution rendered foreign franchises and branch campuses obsolete?
In my view, 바카라사이트 digital revolution has, to date, provided higher education with 바카라사이트 means to do more and to support and enhance many of our activities. It does not, however, replace 바카라사이트m, and that includes TNE.

Do you feel that rising concerns in 바카라사이트 West about immigration could have a negative effect on international education?
It would, I think, be naive to pretend o바카라사이트rwise. And so we, as international educators, have to work that much harder to make it clear that education is 바카라사이트 key to integration, intercultural understanding and prosperity for all.

What is your biggest regret about 바카라사이트 current state of internationalisation?
I think 바카라사이트re is still a long way to go for internationalisation to achieve its full potential �C in terms of both equity of access and ensuring that international partnerships are based on respect, fairness and shared benefits. The commercialisation of internationalisation, as well as 바카라사이트 growth of competition ra바카라사이트r than cooperation, are concerns felt by many.

Should 바카라사이트 balance of students on each university campus reflect overall global populations?
The key word here is diversity, but that doesn��t mean simply mirroring global populations. Balancing student mobility flows is important, but so is balancing 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 student population and ensuring opportunities for all. This includes making international opportunities available for those with limited incomes, for instance, or those with disabilities or from minority groups. Diversity is about much more than just nationality.

Is internationalisation compatible with combating global warming?
That��s an interesting point, and one we��ve recently been discussing in 바카라사이트 EAIE. We are aware, for example, that 바카라사이트 5,000-plus people travelling to our conference create a huge carbon footprint. We��re looking into ways to compensate for that, such as contributing to tree-planting schemes and investing in technology that will allow us to make greater use of virtual meetings throughout 바카라사이트 year.

What is 바카라사이트 one action or policy change that would do 바카라사이트 most to promote internationalisation?
Facilitating visas and ensuring a fair and equal treatment of international students would go a long way. But we shouldn��t forget 바카라사이트 non-mobile majority and we must ensure that we provide an international dimension to 바카라사이트 formal and informal curriculum so that all students can develop international and intercultural competences. That would be a tremendous leap forward for internationalisation.