Investigating Individual Growth and Change: Results From an Internationalization Project in a Pakistani University

• In Event: International Concepts in Education

Abstract

The need to understand how internationalization at universities affects professors is an important aspect of conducting work in the international education sector. Because the professor is the individual who is largely responsible for the translation and implementation of global dimensions and perspectives to the local university, it is important to understand how those participating in international experiences might be affected and potentially transformed. This study explored how three professors at a private university in Pakistan experienced internationalization during a three-year project. A phenomenological approach provided richly nuanced data to understand the professors’ responses upon return to Pakistan, presenting a window into individual experiences and their “translation” of global thinking to a local context. Results include important considerations for sustainability.

Authors

• Rebecca K. Fox, George Mason University

• Woomee Lee Kim, George Mason University

• Tareque Mehdi, George Mason University