Internationalization Roundtable Jan. 25

Northern’s emphasis on internationalization served as the catalyst for an upcoming roundtable discussion titled “Defining Internationalization in Higher Education: Concepts and Case Studies.” It will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, in the University Center Charcoal Room.

“Internationalization is a hard term to pin down,” said Carol Strauss (Modern Languages and Literatures), who organized the event on behalf of the Teaching and Learning Advisory Council. "Confusion understandably abounds because its meaning varies among institutions and also in different countries. Does internationalizing the university mean altering curricula within the disciplines? Or, does it mean more interdisciplinary courses? Or perhaps a second language proficiency? I recognized my own confusion about the term, despite my grounding in comparative cultural studies and practical experience taking groups on study trips to Vienna. I reckoned that others, too, might be grappling with the same questions.”

In advance of the roundtable, Strauss is sending interested participants seven book chapters from the past decade that explore the issue in academia. Titles include “Meanings of and Approaches to International Education and the Internationalization of Higher Education,” “Higher Education, International Education and the Academic Disciplines” and “Internationalizing Undergraduate Education Through Study Abroad: Issues and Outlook.”

Strauss said, “What I hope to see emerge from this session, as we reflect on how the term has been conceptualized and put into practice elsewhere, is how we see it shaped and applied most effectively here at Northern.”

The roundtable discussion is part of a monthly series of “teaching engagements” – workshops, discussions, guest speakers and other events – sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Advisory Council. For a full schedule, visit TLAC Teaching Engagements.