Investigating Internationalization at Home: A Case Study of Academic Staff Perspectives in a Local College in Oman

Introduction

‎Discussions about the internationalization of higher education have become an increasingly prominent topic because they touch on important issues such as equality, diversity, and inclusion. Considering these issues in higher education (HE) may result in the possibility of successful and effective teaching along with learning if such issues are viewed and utilized as opportunities. One of the new concepts and pillars of internationalizing higher education which many scholars have discussed is Internationalization at Home (IaH).

Various scholars and researchers have studied the concept of Internationalization at Home (IaH) and have stated that the definition of IaH depends on the context of the institution. One of the common definitions is from Beelen and Jones (2015, p. 69) who states that IaH is “the purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments”. Other researchers such as Yang (2021) defined IaH at a micro-level. Yang (2021) states that by producing a cultural textbook at a Taiwanese university, they were able to target and enhance the intercultural knowledge and the English language skills of their students which facilitated the integration of local and international students into their classrooms. Although these, and other definitions, are addressed further in the literature review, they do not reflect the situation in HEIs in Oman. Therefore, this study aims to explore perspectives on IaH among academic staff in a college in Oman.

Several researchers, such as Weimer et al. (2019), argue that IaH is important to investigate. The author believes that IaH is important because there is a need to improve the language, international understanding, and intercultural skills in preparation for a global working life for all students, particularly those who are unable to engage in overseas mobility as part of their education. This is important because as Oman becomes more diverse, the demographics are changing, and people from different nationalities are included in the decision making. Therefore, a thorough approach from the national level to the individual student level is required to infuse internationalisation at home in policies and practices. The focus of this study will be on the institutional and department level through interviewing Omani and international staff perspectives on internationalisation at home.

As a researcher, the expectation for this chapter is to contribute to the knowledge and literature review of the internationalization of higher education in general and IaH specifically. This chapter will share ideas and perspectives of academic staff working at a college in the Global South about IaH, such as in building curriculum to include IaH aspects in learning outcomes and teaching methodologies, and in employing measuring tools to assess the international/intercultural skills earned in core curricula (Weimer et al., 2019). This study will enable researchers, locally and globally, with insights on how IaH is understood and interpreted in the Omani context. It would also add to the knowledge of the decision-makers and senior managers of internationalization terms, issues, and challenges, by connecting them with research-based evidence.