I hope life has been good to enter another long weekend soon na ka.
I read INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION, number 115, Summer 2023 and wish to share several things ka:
1. I somehow like a simple intro (Internationalization in Higher Education: Critical Reflections on Its Conceptual Evolution by Hans de Wit) that calls for us to challenge our thoughts and past market-oriented perceptions to define relevant new directions for internationalization (IZN) in higher education because of the post pandemic and current complicated geopolitical global challenges.
After about 3 decades of Thailand's efforts on IZN, we've formed some beliefs (true or false, relevant or irrelevant) and practices (ranking, legal compliance, 'flavor of the day', etc. ) that may slow favorable progress ka.
De Wit points out what we've stressed for years that there could never be any one model or approach that fits all. Yet, the diversity and changing contexts have added to the need for increased serious consideration.
It's quite obvious we need to rethink our own IZN definitions (relevant 'Why' for the sake of quality of our people and systems, equity, inclusiveness and so on?), components (study abroad, international students, IaH, SDGs, etc.) and redirections, especially in terms of balancing the countries and regions amid US-China power plays. All would ensure that our IZN efforts will have impacts we wish to get.
2. IZN for us seems to tie closely with the English language and so I'd like to share its next article entitled, 'Globalization of English
Language and Culture:
Let’s Change English
Language Instruction' by Gareth Humphreys ka.
Many of us must have heard the term, 'Global Englishes' before na ka. Still, we, Thais, are used to admiring those who can communicate in 'near native' ways so this article to me not only discussed 'existing bias', but also the emphases on multicultural understanding starting from one's own culture (both tangible and intangible --my own addition ka)
The author leads us to see how issues arise from overrepresenting Anglophone standards and cultures in our English language learning when we see more multicultural societies with highly diverse and multilingual environments ka.
To be more relevant, students should be exposed to the global nature of English and encouraged to recognize their own backgrounds and think of themselves as intercultural citizens while de-linking English from the national cultures of Anglophone countries and helping students to perceive themselves as legitimate users of English, irrespective of cultural background.
Going around to learn what our universities have been doing, I've seen much development. However, the challenges remain on how we consider becoming internationalized. We could better our mutual understanding by asking ourselves more seriously again about the following:
- Why internationalization? Would 'intercultural citizens' work? and How?
- What could international and local students and faculty learn, share, and develop themselves from their diversity in thinking, values, behaviors?
- How could the efforts lead to stronger relationships and collaborations to live meaningfully in a highly digital world?
- How could such tacit knowledge become explicit and useful?
Again, more thinking, more work, more actions ka.
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