Faculty as the Frontline: Exploring Academic Perceptions of Internationalization in Indian Universities

• In Event: Educator and leadership perspectives in South Asia

Proposal

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore how university faculty in universities in the New Delhi area in India conceptualize internationalization of higher education. The study explores the perceptions of faculty members in two universities in New Delhi, India, and how they understand the benefits and pitfalls of international benchmarking. The research question is ‘How do faculty members conceptualize and operationalize internationalization in higher education?’

LITERATURE REVIEW: Since 1991, India has been accelerating its participation in the global economy, which has had an impact on its higher education system. India’s higher education system has expanded rapidly to meet the rising demands of high-quality post-secondary education by an aspirational middle-class as well as demands of a globally-competent workforce by industry. The National Education Policy (NEP, 2020) and the Institutes of Eminence Project (2019) by the Government of India indicate a formalization of the intent to internationalize higher education, compete for global rankings, and integrate Indian higher education with global higher education trends. Government of India has announced plans to expand GER to 50% by 2035 (current: 28.35%) and has allocated Rs. 12 billion for additional funding to top public universities for development and internalization (NEP, 2020). The existing literature on higher education in India discusses the changes in this sector since 1991 including changes in funding patterns such as internationalization efforts, standardized credit systems (Chattopadhyaya, 2019; Kapur and Mehta, 2004), analysis of marketization in higher education (Chattopadhyaya, 2010; Jha, 2005), and regulatory changes towards expansion and internationalization (Varghese and Malik; 2019), etc. There has also been concern regarding access, equity, and neo-colonization in this twin push for internationalization and privatization (Tilak, 2004).

SIGNIFICANCE: The contestation between a push for internationalization and consequent concerns remains a chaotic space in Indian higher education. Considering the lack of research and theorization of higher education internationalization in India as well as the complex phenomenon of internationalization, understanding stakeholder perceptions (faculty, in this case) of internationalization, higher education and their futures in a global economy will provide policymakers with data and insights to create normative standards for internationalization while safeguarding constitutional commitments towards access, equity and social transformation through higher education. This study is aligned with CIES 2025 in asking “what we are doing and why we do things the way we do” at this juncture of rapid internationalization, to ensure sustainable and equitable benefits for all stakeholders in a university system.

FRAMEWORK AND METHODS: This study uses the Glonacal Agency Heuristic (Marginson and Rhoades, 2002) to explain the complexities of faculty perceptions. Glonacal Agency Heuristic posits that internationalization is subject to local interpretations and should be assessed as such. It also adds a layer of ‘national’ referring to policies by nation-states and the refraction of internationalization. As such, this framework allows us to analyse how internationalization trends are being perceived and implemented in the Indian higher education system.

18 faculty members were recruited from two universities in New Delhi (7 participants from University A and 11 participants from University B). Emails were sent to all faculty members in humanities and social science departments using the directory on the university website. All participants teach undergraduate students. 60 minute interviews were conducted over Zoom. The data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS:

1. Internationalization as a market function

1.1. Internationalization itself as a market tool to attract students in the case of private universities
1.2. Both rankings game and internationalization are to increase brand value leading to more students and more revenue
1.3. Pathway to studying abroad for students who want the international experience

2. Local context of an Indian university

2.1. The concept of decolonization is not present in the discourse of internationalization
2.2. The realities of the Indian student are not always confronted especially with regard to equity and access in the case of international programming
2.3. The push to bring tools from developed countries to fit into the Indian context does not help create rigor
2.4. The discourse of international benchmarking creates a sense that Indian education is not valuable and only for those who cannot afford to go abroad

3. Normative ideas of internationalization
3.1. Internationalization, conceptually is a positive activity to enable greater exposure, more critical thinking and create global citizens
3.2. There is a need for ‘India’ in internationalization as currently, the focus is on following the west without considering India’s own engagement and participation
3.3. The lack of depth in considering how to internationalize Indian higher education is creating lack of rigour and breeding indiscipline

CONCLUSION: The filtering of international benchmarking and ideas of international higher education is refracted by the policymaking of the Indian government. Faculty largely believe that while internationalization is normatively a good concept, its current operationalization in the Indian context is plagued with a colonized tendency of following the west, and a lack of engagement with the Indian context. The push for internationalization is considered to be a market imperative rather than a decision for the betterment of the higher education system as a whole or its stakeholders and the work of knowledge-production.

Author

• Neelakshi Rajeev Tewari, Arizona State University