Twenty-first International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative explanatory theory for internationalisation of higher education (IoHE) and to discuss its potential practical value for the stakeholders of the global international education industry. The first part of the study is devoted to the introduction of the explanatory theory, and a new polycentric definition of IoHE. The proposed theory builds upon the concepts of rationality and relationality, representing the pivotal features of IoHE practices investigated through the instrumental case studies of New Zealand and Indonesia. Rationality and relationality encompass the interplay between the neoliberal agenda, and national strategic priorities affecting IoHE practices locally, and reflect the interwoven trends of collaboration and competition observed in the global international education industry. The practical implications of the proposed theory for the industry’s stakeholders are discussed in the second part of the paper. Firstly, the proposed explanatory theory offers a new polycentric definition of IoHE, which bridges a gap between the Eurocentric conceptualisations of IoHE and the real-world perceptions of IoHE practices as experienced by various stakeholders of the international education industry. Secondly, the concepts of rationality and relationality provide a foundation for an analytical framework, which could be applied to academic inquiry concerned with IoHE and the global international education industry. Finally, the proposed theory articulates accessible vernacular and practical tools for analysing the complexity of IoHE practices in diverse regional and institutional contexts and provides further impetus for discussion on this important topic.