Prof. Hans J. LADEGAARD, Department of English

To be, or not be internationalised: Local and international students’ experience of the internationalising university. International Conference on Intercultural Learning in Higher Education in China: Global, Local and Glocal Perspectives. Nottingham Ningbo University in partnership with KU Leuven, Durham University, University of Bologna, Harbin Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Hanzou University, and Jilin University. Nottingham Ningbo University, China, 20-21 March 2021.

Abstract
With rising nationalism across the world, and increased tension between East and West, internationalisation of education is arguably more important than ever. Internationalisation is a popular buzzword, which permeates mission statements in universities around the world, and is used as a yardstick for measuring success. But what is internationalisation? It often means increasing the number of non-local students, but not many universities have implemented organisational changes that promote a more internationalised study- and work environment. This talk reports on an ongoing study of international and local students’ experience of the internationalising university. 101 students from all over the world participated in small-group discussions about the challenges and positive experiences they had encountered during their time in Hong Kong. First, I analyse some examples of what internationalisation is not, then some examples of what it might be. The essence in the examples of ‘successful’ internationalisation is that students have engaged in genuine intercultural dialogue and this has changed them. They have realised that you can accept cultural differences without understanding them, and this is arguably what internationalisation should be about.