Critical Perspectives on Internationalising the Curriculum in Disciplines

Book excerpt: Universities around the world have embraced internationalisation at the policy level, but struggle to put that policy into practice, particularly at the coalface of teaching and learning. To date, faculty voices have been largely silent in the literature on internationalising the curriculum. This book begins to address this gap. What does ‘internationalisation of the curriculum’ (IoC) mean in practice? How is it conceived, implemented and assessed within specific disciplines, locales and types of institutions? Why does it matter? These questions are addressed in this book by academics teaching in the fields of business, education and health, in a range of institutions across North America, the Middle East, Europe, East Asia and Australia. Reflecting critically on personal experience, through a scholarly engagement with current research, each chapter offers new ways of thinking about internationalising curricula in an increasingly interconnected world. The editors’ commentaries draw out the tensions between personal, disciplinary and institutional motivations, imperatives, and interests – in other words, tensions between the ideal and the do-able – which come into play in the practice of internationalising the curriculum, and offer insightful suggestions for future research and practice. Critical Perspectives on Internationalising the Curriculum in Disciplines: Reflective Narrative Accounts from Business, Education and Health is essential reading for academics and administrators invested in exploring new ways to better prepare students for life and work in the 21st century.