Increasing the numbers of CPUT students and staff who integrate the international experience into their studies and curricula through maximising mobility opportunities and applying for large-scale project grants

the context and content of partnerships, internationalisation and intra-nationalisation in higher education

The South African HE space is faced with a dearth of problems specific to its environment, but shared globally. Most pertinently, it relates to lack of funding, the aging profile of the academic, and the lack of research and research supervision skills. Internationalisation can greatly contribute to these.

Global research, for example, the World Competitiveness Reports, the Sustainable Development Goals, etc., all focus on human-centricity and addressing the needs of society in terms of poverty, hunger and health. These issues place a burden on the economic development of a country, with the solution directed towards its education system. It therefore seems inevitable that global HE faces and answers these issues together, thus making internationalisation an imperative.

The benefits of internationalisation in HE cannot be over emphasised in a technology-driven society. Internationalisation can help students achieve their goals to obtain a quality education and pursue research. It gives students an opportunity for “real world, real time” experiential learning in areas that cannot simply be taught. Institutions, on the other hand, may gain a worldwide reputation, as well as a foothold in the international HE community, and rise to meet the challenges associated with globalisation. Some of the advantages of internationalisation of HE, include: Improving student preparedness in the world of work by introducing elements of internationalisation to the curriculum and the environment, enhancing the international profile and competitiveness of the institution, strengthening and expanding the institution’s research and knowledge portfolio by introducing worldwide trends, tuition models and policy frameworks.

The internationalised university is characterised by the following:

The development of a multi-cultural ecosystem in support of internationalisation

The development of national collaborations and partnerships in support of internationalisation (i.e. intra-nationalisation)

The provision of a supportive environment and educational experience that prepares our students at all levels, for global political and social environments

The development of international alliances and partnerships to support and build our capacity and capability in education, research, enterprise, knowledge and commercial exchanges

international matters

Whether we refer to it as globalisation or as (intra-) nationalisation, internationalisation matters. Against this background, internatio-nalisation is promoted as a top priority in many universities around the world. “International students are said to be more lucrative than home students, and university profit margins increase in proportion to their ratio. “ Research into the economic impact of international students shows that outcomes from internationalisation activities created significant job numbers globally. Yet, viewing international students only from an economic point of view means the quality of HE presents a limited view. Global connectedness and the subsequent multi-cultural mindset goes beyond economic sustainability:

For the greater good. Internationalisation is an ethical imperative. There is evidence that, if communities do not embrace racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, and national diversity, the world as we know it will cease to function. Diversity and nationalism are seen as competing forces. Therefore, we must do more than simply promoting internationalisation in the generic sense, and actively resist forces that oppose it and deploy an internationalisation strategy for competitive advantage, as indicated by Vision 2030.

It helps us to grow. Internationalisation is a necessary means of “self-transformation”. Contact with international players enables us to see the world from vantage points that reach beyond our own backgrounds, allowing for an embracing of new cultures and countries.

Best of both worlds. Internationalisation is a strategy through which we contribute to the world, while also being shaped by it. Successful internationalisation means training our community to approach our own cultures and traditions in different ways and through comparative perspectives. This is a process through which we are transformed and compelled to think differently about our traditions and beliefs.

It helps us to see beyond ourselves. Internationalisation is a com-parative project, and it is an agenda with intellectual implications. It gives us the opportunity to view ourselves and our cultures differently. We therefore need to internationalise ourselves first in order to fully and comprehensively internationalise CPUT.

International students are said to be more lucrative than home students, and university profit margins increase in proportion to their ratio.