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Surfing the third wave of internationalisation Investing in the next wave of global education engagement requires a broader conception of internationalisation, says IEAA Executive Director Phil Honeywood.
As any surfer will tell you, there are different approaches to catching a wave: you can lunge at the big waves and experience the highs and the wipeouts, or look strategically for the small breaking waves that may build momentum, instil confidence and ultimately provide a more sustainable ride.
Lunging headfirst into the first two waves The first wave of Australian education internationalisation can be attributed to the post-World War II Colombo Plan. The second wave, from the mid-1980s, was characterised by the recruitment of full-fee paying overseas students and nascent transnational education delivery. As a relative newcomer, there is no doubt that Australia lunged headlong into the big waves of international education and has ridden the Chinese and Indian waves with a determined focus on obtaining bums on seats. However, as we embark on the third wave of education internationalisation, a clear message is emerging: the need for greater co-ordination of the national effort invested in global education engagement.
According to a recent EduWorld report commissioned by The Australian, our international education leaders believe that Australia has underplayed the Bologna opportunities for meaningful engagement with Europe. We have not made more of the new-world synergies that exist with Latin America. More importantly, there is a sense that in our own backyard, the Asia-Pacific region, Australia has not done enough with neighbouring countries to build their education systems, build up their universities and their research. Instead, we have gained a reputation for overcommercialising education, for focusing on dollars over collaboration. It’s a recurring theme for many who work in our industry. At its most damning, Australia’s approach to international education has been referred to as “cloaked acts of colonialism”, with a tendency to choose "easy" countries.
Riding the third wave Nevertheless, there are education institutions in Australia that have chosen, often in small but strategic ways, to invest in genuine overseas community engagement programs. Monash University established a campus outside Johannesburg in 2001 as a long-term commitment to the future sustainable development of South and SubSaharan Africa through the provision of education.