Internationalizing curricula
Internationalizing curricula. Needs and wishes of alumni and
employers with regard to international competencies.
Internationalization has become of great importance for universities acrossthe globe. The labour market is becoming international, with internationalopportunities and international competition. Emerging markets such as India, China and Russia are gaining economic power. Global challenges demand world-wide solutions. Production and marketing networks span the globe and various forms of migration have resulted in a large cultural diversity within nations. As a result, societies and labour markets are changing as well. In order to deal with these societal changes adequately and to succeed in today’s labour market, graduates need to be equipped with international
competencies. In a survey among 500 chief executives, ICM Research (on behalf of Think Global and The British Council, 2011) showed that employers strongly value staff members who are able to work in an international and multicultural environment. Similar results were found in Diamond et al. (2011), in which ‘multicultural teamwork’ was considered most important.
The Hague University of Applied Sciences seeks to prepare its students adequately for the world of tomorrow. The University’s development plans (e.g. HogeschoolOntwikkelingsPlan, HOP 7, 2009-2013 and HOP 8, 2014-2017) indicate that its vision is to train students to be globally-minded professionals with an international and multicultural perspective, who are world-citizens, interested in global issues and able to deal with diversity in a constructive manner. They are to be professionals, who possess the competencies to function well in an international and intercultural environment.
Internationalization is therefore high on the agenda of The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) which is illustrated by the fact that, as of 2014, new students in all academies have to fill 12.5% (30 ECTS) of their four-year Bachelor program with international activities. These activities can range from an internship or semester abroad (student mobility) to participating in full programs of study or minors in which English is the medium of instruction, or an internationally themed minor (Internationalization at Home, IaH).
And this is only the beginning. Internationalization is a means, not an end. All THUAS courses are looking into ways in which they can internationalize their curriculum. And in doing so, they need to be innovative (Leask, 2009) and keep in mind the specific needs and wishes of alumni and their employers with regard to international competences.
The THUAS research group International Cooperation supports these
internationalization policy objectives by investigating various aspects, such as:
• The acquisition and development of international competencies among students.
• The extent to which lecturers possess international competencies and what their needs and wishes are for further development.
• The international competencies THUAS graduates have acquired as part of their degree and how THUAS has stimulated this development.
• The international competencies that employers and alumni consider important.
Although international competencies and employability have received growing attention in internationalization research, existing studies have mainly focused on:
• The effects of study abroad on the development of international
competence (cf. Hoven & Walenkamp, 2013).
• The effects of an experience abroad (study, internship, voluntary work) on employability.
• A more general analysis of the skills employers look for in prospective employees.
