Exploring the relationship between university internationalization and university autonomy
Author
Gulieva, Valeria
Term
4. term
Publication year
2013
Submitted on
2013-07-31
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger sammenhængen mellem universiteters internationalisering og universitetsautonomi. Det argumenteres, at både processen og holdbarheden af internationalisering afhænger af graden af autonomi i både hjemlandet og værtslandet. En litteraturgennemgang bruges til at præcisere de to begreber og deres hoveddimensioner. I specialet beskrives internationalisering gennem sit mønster (valg af indgangsformer, hvad der internationaliseres, og valgte målmarkeder) og sin kapacitet. Autonomi defineres i fire dimensioner: organisatorisk, finansiel, personale og akademisk. I den teoretiske ramme forstås autonomi som internationaliseringskapacitet. For at uddybe denne ramme gennemføres et systematisk review baseret på fem udvalgte publikationstitler med henblik på at identificere empiriske studier om universitetsinternationalisering og universitetsautonomi. Gennemgangen resulterede i 35 forskningsartikler, heraf 16 om internationalisering og 19 om autonomi. Analysen trækker på internationaliseringsteorier, måder at etablere sig i udlandet og begrebet institutionel distance, forstået som forskelle i regler og akademiske praksisser mellem lande. Specialet beskriver først, hvordan internationaliseringsprocessen for universiteter forløber. Derefter sammenstilles resultaterne for at forklare, hvordan forskellige autonominiveauer former internationaliseringsmønstret. Afslutningsvis analyseres mulige konsekvenser, når autonominiveauet i hjem- og værtslandet ikke matcher, set gennem institutionel distance. Hovedbidraget er en teoretisk forståelse af universiteters internationalisering og autonomiens rolle i denne proces. Specialet argumenterer for, at internationaliseringsmønstret bestemmes af internationaliseringskapaciteten (autonominiveauet i hjemlandet) og påvirkes af den institutionelle autonomi i værtslandet. Undersøgelsen er afgrænset til internationalisering fra udviklede lande til udviklingslande.
This thesis examines the link between university internationalization and university autonomy. It argues that both the process and the long-term viability of internationalization depend on the level of autonomy in the source (home) and host countries. A literature review clarifies the two concepts and their main dimensions. In the thesis, internationalization is described through its pattern (entry choices, what is being internationalized, and target markets) and its capacity. Autonomy is defined in four dimensions: organizational, financial, staffing, and academic. In the theoretical framework, autonomy is treated as internationalization capacity. To develop this framework, the thesis conducts a systematic review based on five selected publication titles to identify empirical studies on university internationalization and university autonomy. The review yielded 35 research articles, 16 focused on internationalization and 19 on autonomy. The analysis draws on internationalization theories, modes of foreign entry, and the idea of institutional distance, understood as differences in rules and academic practices between countries. The thesis first describes how the internationalization process works in universities. It then synthesizes the evidence to explain how different levels of autonomy shape the internationalization pattern. Finally, it analyzes potential outcomes when autonomy levels differ between the source and the target country, viewing such mismatches through institutional distance. The main contribution is a theoretical account of university internationalization and the role autonomy plays in this process. The thesis argues that the internationalization pattern is defined by internationalization capacity (the level of autonomy in the source country) and influenced by institutional autonomy in the target country. The scope is limited to internationalization from developed countries to developing states.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Documents