Definition
Various researchers provide different definitions of the term internationalization. It is defined by Knight (2004, p. 11) as “the process of integrating an international dimension into the research, teaching and services function of higher education”. She considers internationalization as a response to globalization. This concept is also defined by Moncada-Comas and Block (2019, p. 2) as “an explicit policy adopted by a university with the aim of increasing the number of alliances and agreements with universities based in different nation-states around the world”.
From these definitions, we can note that internationalization is a policy that aims to add global dimensions to the tertiary education as Van der Wende (1997, p. 20) clearly explains this point, suggesting that internationalisation is “any systematic effort aimed at making higher education responsive to the requirements and challenges related to the globalisation of societies, economy and labour markets”. Similarly, Paige and Mestenhauser (1999, p. 504) argue that internationalisation of higher education is “a complex, multidimensional learning process that includes the integrative, intercultural, interdisciplinary, comparative, transfer of knowledge-technology, contextual and global dimensions of knowledge construction”. More specifically, Phillipson (2009, p. 37) goes beyond the broad definitions of internationalization and claims that it means “English-medium higher education”. He provides a specific definition by relating this higher education policy to the use of English as a language of instruction. It seems that English as Medium of Instruction (EMI) is one of the internationalization policies.
To understand the policy of internationalization, Knight and De Wit (2007) present the internationalization cycle. The first step towards internationalization is raising awareness among teachers, students, policy makers, etc. of the needs and the advantages of this policy. Commitment is the second step which refers to the sense of responsibility among the stakeholders to start planning, identifying the needs and the objectives and putting strategies which are included in the third step. Then, there are the steps of operationalizing academic activities and services and reviewing the impact of the initiatives and the progress of strategies. The last step is the reinforcement which includes recognition and rewards.
It is noteworthy that the cycle of internationalization highlights the idea that all steps are interrelated in the sense that reinforcement and reward lead to renewed awareness and commitment. Rewards lead to planning and reviewing to change and develop policies and then to implement them. The purposes are to improve the quality and develop strategies and policies.