Fourteenth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

This study examines the evolution and the current state of internationalisation practices in the Indonesian higher education sector from a pragmatic transdisciplinary perspective. The Global Studies transdisciplinary framework and mixed-method approach lends a bold and refreshing outlook on the specifics of internationalisation practices in Indonesia in relation to the global international education industry, the global knowledge economy and the role of Indonesia in Asia-Pacific regionalisation initiatives in higher education. Although now the global international education industry is on hold due to the pandemics, new market opportunities will be crucial for the post-COVID-19 business recovery. Currently, the Indonesian higher education sector gradually opens up for foreign universities, which hold a promise for great opportunities for the export education providers and other industry stakeholders. While the Indonesian growing middle-class and market overviews draw a picture of higher education massification in action, the presence of the global international education industry in the country remains limited. This makes Indonesia the largest untapped market for international higher education in Asia-Pacific. The paper includes a comprehensive overview of historical, political, economic and social underpinnings of internationalisation practices in the Indonesian tertiary sector, the legislative context for the industry and practical insights form the Indonesian tertiary sector practitioners. Special attention is paid to impact of the knowledge economy and the World Bank’s operations on the current state of the international education industry in Indonesia. This analysis is particularly useful for those who seek to build collaborations with the Indonesian institutions of higher education in the future.