名古屋大学 高等教育研究センター

センター創設記念講演会 「Internationalization and Multinationalization of Higher Education」 Philip G. Altbach Professor Director, The Boston College Center for International Higher Education


■ 講演要旨


1. As the world economy grows, so too does an academic system which is truly international in its scope. The difference is that the university was started as an international institution in medieval Europe, and it has evolved over time. a. Our focus here is to understand what is clearly a new thrust toward internationalism in higher education. My conviction is that the leading universities of the 2lst century will be those which are international in focus. b. Now, internationalism has many faces, and it is my intention to outline these.

2. Internationalization has an important element of inequality inherent in it. The ideas of centers and peripheries are inevitably a central part of any analysis of this topic. a. Many idealize the trend, but it must be seen in the context of who dominates the knowledge system b. In some ways, internationalization solidifies relationships of inequality in higher education, knowledge production, and knowledge d istrib ution

3. Historically, universities have always been international. a. It is important to remember that there is one universal academic model that dominates the world. All contemporary universities stem from the medieval European academic pattern. b. The medieval universities operated in an international language. Latin, and had an international teaching staff and an international student body. The students even organized themselves into nations. c. With the Protestant Reformation and the rise of nationalism. universities became less international and instruction was given in national languages. 1) Still, academe was fairly international d, Now, at the end of the 20th century, universities are increasingly aware of their international roots and roles, and increasingly take a world-view

4. The elements of internationalism. The following are key themes impelling universities in an increasingly international direction.

5. English as the Latin of the 2lst century. While English is certainly not the language of instruction worldwide, its influence as unparalleled since the domination of Latin. a. English as the main language of scholarly communication books and journals, international conferences, scholarly discourse. b. The Internet has expanded the use of English, and studies show that the majority of Internet use is in English c. Academic programs throughout the world are conducted in English, and there is a trend to have English medium courses and even entire degree programs in countries which do not use English, from the Netherlands to Japan. d. English is the most widely studied foreign language in the world's universities, and the mandatory foreign language in many e. The majority of the world's foreign students go from non-English speaking countries to study in English language environments.

6. Foreign students are a key element of internationalism a. More than a million students study outside their home countries. b. They are carriers of the international academic culture c. They help to internationalize the campuses at which they are studying d. They have at least some impact on the curriculum where they are studying and they retum home with ideas about curricular, organizational, and other matters

7. The migration of academic talent. a. As in the medieval period, scholars roam from one country to another and often make their careers in countries other than their own b. The flow is to a considerable extent from the Third World to the industrialized nations i) There is also a flow to the Arabian Gulf. Singapore, Hong Kong and some other countries ii) In some field, such as computer science and some engineering specialization's in the US, a majority of doctoral students, and a growing proportion of faculty members are from other countries c. There is also the temporary migration of academic talent-visiting scholars, etc.

8. The internationalization of the curriculum a. There is a realization in many countries that the curriculum taught in higher education in many fields-from many traditional disciplines to professional fields such as management, etc.-must be internationalized to provide the skills needed for the contemporary world of work.

9. Treaties and international agreements have an impact on higher education a. Many of the current wave of international treaties and organization have an impact on higher education b. The most important by far is the European Union, which mandates the harmonization of degree requirements, etc. I) The EU also sponsors such programs as Erasmus and provides money for them c. NAFTA, while it does not focus on education, has had an impact d. Agencies such as ASEAN often have an educational role. e. Copyright arrangements and treaties also play a role

10. Last but certainly not least is the impact of the new technologies such as the Internet on internationalizing higher education a. These help to contribute to the growth of distance education in an international perspective

11. The multinationalization is also a central element in the current discussion-by this I mean the operation of a university or other academic institution from one country in another and/or the collaboration of academic institutions in several countries. a. The motivation varies from opening up "markets" to providing educational opportunities at home b. This is a relatively new phenomenon although there are examples that are not new, such as the American University of Beirut or perhaps the affiliations of some colonial academic institutions with institutions in the metropole. c. Aspects of multinationalization of higher education I) Branch campuses ii) institutions located in one country and chartered in another (such as the American Univ. in Bulgaria and others) iii. Twinning programs, including among institutions, departments, degree structures, and the like iv. "Franchising" of academic degrees and certificates

12. In all of these trends, there are of course a number of underlying factors that deserve analysis a. In most of these relationships, there is an element of inequality among the partners, and of course the power is in the hands of the institutions in the industrialized nations b. Where profit, either in direct terms of in terms of institutions ensuring enrollments or other advantages, is involved, it is important to ensure that the quality of academic programs is maintained. c. The impact of internationalism on curriculum, use of educational materials, technology, and perhaps most important, research and other paradigms, is important to understand d. We are seeing the emergence of an international class of academics and administrators, and the creation of international bureaucracies on campus e. In some countries, such as Australia and the UK, international initiatives are seen mainly as "profit centers for entrepreneurial universities, and this is especially important when there are financial cuts.

13. Finally, there is the increasing use internationally of educational products and services. a. WWW and Internet b. textbooks c, Iaboratory equipment d. journals

14. There is no question that the world of academe isincreasingly international - This phenomenon deserves careful analysis and critical attention.