IaH as New Normal of IZN

Hi, all! Hope Songkran holiday at least helped you stay cool in the shade most of the time na ka.

These days, my attention is on Internationalization at Home (IaH) as mobility has already been ongoing with more students to benefit from quite a few exchange programs available.

One article in University World News entitled, ''Internationalisation at home – Crossing other borders'' by Hanneke Teekens back in June 2013, struck my mind how Thailand has to move ahead faster along with the promotion of IZN and its main activity of student mobility ka.

It was pointed out that the term IaH was coined about 15 years ago to refer to "inclusion, diversity and reciprocity in international education, crossing borders by reaching out to 'otherness'". While we're still struggling building our university community's understanding on diversity, IZN itself has gone much further for us to take it up and perhaps, brand it as our 'New Normal".

More innovative ways to promote IaH have to be taken up seriously and thought through. The author made it clear by saying that strategies would be needed at all levels as IaH couldn' t happen by itself. I often see our university circle raise its hope that by letting domestic and international students mix together with a few activities (international day, study visits basically for international students, etc.) organized, they would develop their international competence like intercultural sensitivity. Well! I certainly disagree ka!

This article gave a few good questions, e.g. How do we deliver the curriculum in such a way that all students profit – learners from different backgrounds at home and from around the world? How can they learn from one another? What can universities do to promote social activities outside the classroom in the local community?
Motivation of students for them to be engaged and participative for their own learning is crucial. Have we done enough about it or even started thinking about it?

What types of projects/activities along with quality management would work in our context dee ka?