Reading Between the Lines: Framing Internationalization in U.S. University Statements

• In Event: Reframing Global Education: Internationalization and Transnational Perspectives

Abstract

U.S. universities have long relied on international mobility to stay competitive, first through physical travel and then virtual options during the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift promoted more balanced “internationalization” models, which universities often outline in normative statements. To understand how this history shapes internationalization’s present and future, this study examines how online statements from 18 universities in the same academic alliance present internationalization’s beneficiaries, goals, and strategies through Neocolonialist and Critical Discourse Analysis frameworks. Findings show that statements aspirationally frame internationalization as a multipurpose process that benefits universities as institutions over their constituents. This limits universities’ accountability for their global influence and impact on individuals and communities, highlighting the need for more transparent language and practices.

Author

• Elena Broscritto, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign