34;Examining University Stakeholders' Perception of the Implementation of Internationalization in Higher Education Institutions in the UAE," hereby solemnly declare that this thesis is my own original research work done and prepared by me under the supervision of Dr. Keywords: Internationalization in Higher education, higher education in UAE, higher education stakeholders, perception of institutional stakeholders.
Introduction
- Overview
- Statement of the Problem
- Purpose of the Study
- Research Questions
- Significance of the Study
Externally, global competition in the world market acts as the main threat to HEIs in the United Arab Emirates (AlSharari, 2018). This study potentially enhances the internationalization strategies that HEIs are pursuing, whether in the UAE or in the region.
Literature Review
Introduction
Definitions of Internationalization
16 important to change the definitions of internationalization to reflect the current context of higher education in today's globalized world. 18 internationalization—from the organizational change that effective implementation brings, to the commitment that emerges from outcomes of internationalization (measurable aspects).
Internationalization of Higher Education: Process,
- Process
- Approaches
- Models
These two models explain the process through which institutions internationalize, including the implementation process, which is the focus of the research question. The second factor corresponds to the implementation of goals and strategies in three separate areas: student mobility, staff mobility and curriculum development.
Theoretical Frameworks
- Human capital theory
- Neoliberalism
- Internationalization Cube
- Internationalization Cycle
The following section elaborates on the relevant theoretical frameworks that guide and shape the main research analysis. As mentioned above, Knight's (1994) internationalization cycle presents internationalization as the result of six steps embedded in a supportive culture that reinforces the operation of the cycle.
Internationalization and Globalization
Currently, internationalization is viewed as a private good that can be freely traded, emphasizing the role of commercial forces and their dominance in the higher education arena (Altbach and Knight, 2007). Globally, the higher education environment is viewed from a neoliberal perspective, which increases market competition and enables the aggressive pursuit of the economic dimension of internationalization.
Rationales of Internationalization
- Altered Rationales: From Academic to Economic
Altbach (2014) notes that nearly 80 percent of students from developing countries study abroad, with the vast majority receiving education in the north. Garson (2016) advocates a balanced approach to these rationales to ensure the success and sustainability of the higher education sector.
Impact of Culture on the Internationalization
Lumby and Froskett (2016) define a number of challenges in light of the cultural exchanges that take place within internationalization. The study of culture provides insights into how people behave and what motivates them to make decisions, and is extremely useful in analyzing the motivations of different stakeholders regarding the internationalization of higher education institutions.
Policies on Internationalization of Higher Education
50 In response to the complexity of the term 'internationalisation', Crăciun (2018) argues that confusion can lead to policies that are unable to deliver their intended outcomes. Neoliberalism affects the policies, which are set up based on the different motivations of the different stakeholders, changing the rationales to accept a greater focus on competition and economic flow.
Internationalization of Higher Education: Challenges
Moreover, international students only benefit from the benefits of internationalization who come from another country. The challenges in implementing any internationalization activity include the lack of strategy, support and funding.
Higher Education Landscape in the UAE
- Brief History of Higher Education in the UAE
Even today, the UAE is the second largest importer of higher education in the world (second only to China) with 32 international branch campuses representing 13 percent of all international branch campuses worldwide (Ashour and Fatima, 2016). Furthermore, the growing cost of higher education in the UAE is severe, well above the rate of inflation.
Previous Studies: Perceptions of
- Definition of Internationalization
- Internationalization in
- Internationalization in Cambodian
- Internationalization in Japanese HEIs
- Internationalization in Japanese and
73 effectiveness of implementation and the frequency of internationalization activities is an important aspect of the study. Accordingly, they were assessed to provide a deeper understanding of the process of internationalization in RUPP.
Chapter Conclusion
Similarly, the culture of an organization is important for achieving internationalization; setting up effective policies may depend on the type of culture within the HEI. Finally, the benefits of internationalization are widely known; however, challenges such as accreditation, massification, education quality and implementation are issues that need to be critically assessed to address the shortcomings of internationalization.
Methodology
Introduction
Research Paradigm
Since the research aimed to investigate perceptions, a mixed-method explanatory research design is well suited, because in such a design the use of quantitative and qualitative methods follows a sequential process to gain a comprehensive understanding: in the first stage, quantitative statistical results are obtained; then in the second qualitative stage depth, clarity and further comments are added to the quantitative results. 2006) state the importance of representing the research design through a visual model to help the researcher and others understand the design more easily.
Context of the Research
Research Participants
Finally, each of these universities is involved in various internationalization activities, allowing for a comprehensive study of the internationalization process. For the interviews, deans, vice chancellors, and faculty members at eight institutions were emailed to participate in an online interview via the Zoom video communication application.
Pilot Study
Data Collection: Quantitative Phase
Data Collection: Qualitative Phase
Semi-Structured Interviews
The semi-structured interview used a template, using certain questions to guide each interview, but not limiting the interview to these questions and allowing participants (including some highly knowledgeable faculty) to contribute to the discussion and elaborate as needed. need. Also, semi-structured interviews were conducted with faculty from different colleges; these were able to provide valuable insights as they constitute a key component of the elements of internationalization.
Document Analysis
- Document Analysis: Policy
- Document Analysis: Implementation
- Document Analysis: Support
The document analysis provided in-depth information on the internationalization process within the eight institutions, using the internationalization cube framework. According to the internationalization cube, the level of implementation can be 'systematic' (according to explicitly defined procedures) or 'ad hoc'. internationalization activities are not planned, but are carried out without proper policy or procedure).
Validity and Reliability
To this end, a detailed and in-depth description of the study context (main higher education institutions of the United Arab Emirates), the phenomenon (internationalization process) and the research participants (administrators, lecturers and students) is provided. Merriam and Tisdell, 2015, p. 250), was undertaken in this research study to reduce errors and biases and to increase the quality of the study.
Reliability
Strengthening Validity of Instrument: Faculty Reviews
102 As this study seeks to investigate the internationalization process of a higher education institution in the UAE, some research components in this instrument have been replaced or modified. 103 removed from the student version because they would be unaware of or unable to answer questions about institutional policy and the implementation process.
Data Analysis – Quantitative
104 The quantitative data for this research was first analyzed using a descriptive analysis that describes the basic characteristics of the data. As the focus of the study was on internationalization, comparing the perceptions of citizens and non-citizens proved meaningful.
Data Analysis – Qualitative
The frequency of occurrence of a certain theme is tabulated, giving a holistic view of the items most frequently stated by the stakeholders. To achieve a solid analysis of the qualitative data, the researcher undertook training courses available on the NVivo application and learned thematic analysis and data coding through the tutorials contained therein.
An Ethical Approach Towards Research
- Data Protection and Storage
- Research Limitations
The generalization of findings may be hampered due to the unique positioning of the UAE and its HEIs in the global arena. While the perceptions of the study participants may vary across different contexts, the methods used to approach the study are repeatable.
Chapter Conclusion
Furthermore, due to social desirability bias, participants representing for-profit institutions may have been reluctant to disclose that their institutions' primary pursuit was profit-making, as this may negatively impact institutional brand image. The lack of documentation affected the results of some institutions in the assessment of their implementation of internationalization, which might otherwise have improved their position on the internationalization stake.
Results
Overview
Phase 1: Quantitative Results
Question 1: How Do University Stakeholders
- Meaning of Internationalization
- Significance of Internationalization
- Rationales of Internationalization
- Risks of Internationalization
The three main elements of internationalization were 'international profile and experience of the faculty', 'internationalized student population and experience'. The responses from lecturers/administrators ranged from 53.9% to 92.7%, with 'academic quality' being the main reason for internationalization at 92.7%, followed by.
Question 2: How Do HEIs Implement Internationalization
- Policy Description
- Presence of Implementation strategies
- Effectiveness of Implementation
- Most Frequent Internationalization Activities
Recruitment of foreign faculty and staff was ranked as the most frequent internationalization activity, at 80.6%, followed by "international conferences and seminars" at 68.3%, "academic quality of international standards" and "international research collaboration" at 67.1% . and 66.0%, respectively. The least frequent activities were 'international/intercultural curriculum,' at 48.1%, 'outbound mobility opportunities for students and staff,' 42.7%, and 'international cooperative degree programs,' at 37.1%.
Question 3: What Are the Contributions and
- Contribution of Internationalization
- Opportunities of Internationalization
129 institutional research and knowledge production capabilities' most often as an opportunity (84.5%), followed by 'knowledge exchange' with 83.7%, 'enhanced international presence, brand profile and better global ranking' with 82.6% and. 130 As shown in Table 26 and Figure 15, students most often defined 'exchange of experience and knowledge' as an opportunity (79.1%), and they follow it.
Question 4: What Are the Challenges Associated
- Challenges
- Challenges of Implementation
As shown in Table 28 and Figure 17, students chose “treating quality assurance and accreditation as strategies only for university branding purposes” at 60.0%, most often as a serious internationalization challenge, followed by “brain”. The implementation challenges selected least frequently were "lack of support from higher levels" with 29.5%, "lack of facilities and material resources" with 26.9% and "lack of financial resources" with 26.1%.
Question 5: Is There Any Significant Difference
- Perceptions
- Implementation
- Opportunities
- Challenges
An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare responses to questions about internationalization implementation by national and non-national faculty and administrators. An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare responses to questions about internationalization opportunities by national and non-national faculty and administrators.
Question 6: Is There Any Significant Difference
- Perceptions
- Risks
- Implementation
- Opportunities
- Challenges
A one-way ANOVA test was conducted to compare administrators, faculty, and students on their perceptions of internationalization. A one-way ANOVA test was conducted to compare administrators, faculty, and students in their responses to questions on the risks of internationalization.
Summary of Quantitative Findings
- Perception
- Implementation
- Opportunities
- Challenges
- Differences Between Nationals and Non-nationals
- Differences in Perceptions, Implementation,
Strategy: Almost 54 percent of faculty and administrators believed their university has an internationalization implementation strategy, while less than 17 percent disagreed. Challenges of implementing internationalization: Less than 50 percent of faculty and administrators believed that implementing internationalization imposes serious challenges.
Phase 2: Qualitative Analysis
- Theme 1: Understanding and Experience
- Theme 2: Implementation of Internationalization
- Theme 3: Opportunities of Internationalization
- Theme 4: Challenges of Internationalization
Participants mentioned “university exposure” and one said “international exposure. The respondents were aware of the changes taking place in their institutions and the internationalization process.
Summary of Qualitative Findings
- Theme 1: Understanding and Experience
- Theme 2: Implementation of Internationalization
- Theme 3: Opportunities of Internationalization
- Theme 4: Challenges of Internationalization
The second section of the interview focused on the implementation of internationalization, including the policies and strategies for internationalization. The interview participants mentioned that their strategies for internationalization mainly focused on research collaboration, establishment of networks, accreditation standards and student/faculty exchanges.
Essence of the Quantitative and Qualitative Phases
Discussion, Implications, and Conclusion
- Overview
- Quantitative Questions
- Qualitative Questions
- Results and Discussions
- Question 1: How Do University Stakeholders
- Question 2: How Do HEIs Implement
- Question 3: What are the Opportunities Brought
- Question 4: What are the Challenges Associated
- Question 5: Is There Any Significant Difference
- Question 6: Is There Any Significant
- Summary and Conclusion
- Internationalization Post-pandemic and Beyond
- Policy Implications
What are the challenges associated with implementing internationalization in higher education institutions in the UAE. To achieve this objective, the study examined perceptions of the internationalization of higher education in the UAE.
