Compendium of Approaches to Internationalisation of the Home Curriculum

Abstract

For decades, universities and higher education institutions in Ireland and abroad have pursued a strategy of internationalisation. Whereas in the past, internationalisation in higher education may have been driven by economic motivations with an emphasis on mobility and co-operation, it has been defined more recently by de Wit et al. (2015) as ‘the intentional process of integrating an international, intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions and delivery of post-secondary education, in order to enhance the quality of education and research for all students and staff, and to make a meaningful contribution to society’. Increasingly, the focus is on Internationalisation at Home, which seeks to offer all students global perspectives during their programme of study, regardless of whether they can avail of mobility opportunities to spend time abroad. It allows us to learn from and with others, exploring new ideas and opportunities while also responding to the sustainability imperative. Within the formal curriculum, it may comprise specialist programmes, foreign language modules and internationalised learning outcomes and course content, but as explained by Beelen and Jones (2015, p.63), internationalisation of the home curriculum ‘is also delivered through the informal curriculum, the non assessed elements of the student experience, which are nevertheless provided by or associated with the institution’. This compendium, featuring contributions from colleagues across TUS, aims to capture examples of internationalisation of the home curriculum, some of which are not explicitly documented elsewhere. It includes cases of internationalised modules; teaching and assessment practices that promote inclusive learning by making purposeful use of cultural diversity in the classroom; mutually beneficial collaborative learning and teaching projects, both in-person and virtual, involving RUN-EU and other international partners; co-curricular intercultural competence and awareness-raising initiatives; and activities that create opportunities for engagement with and by our international students. The sample of approaches collected here represents a snapshot of just some of the efforts made by TUS to internationalise our home curriculum. They demonstrate how, by embracing the ever-increasing cultural diversity within our university and developing curiosity about and awareness of international and intercultural perspectives, we encourage global citizenship, foster empathy, elevate the learning experiences of our students and enhance campus life for everyone in our university community.