PROGRAMME 2023
| 07:30 – 16:30 | Registration Desk Open |
Workshop 1
| 08:30 – 14:00 | Topic: DHET Policy: Institutional Strategies and Policy Frameworks for Post-Lockdown Plans, Decolonising and VUCA Agendas |
| (includes lunch and refreshment break) | |
| Venue: Suite 1 |
Workshop 2
| 13:00 – 17:00 | Topic: The Role of Collaborative Online International Learning Towards Internationalisation and Its Societal Impact at DUT |
| (includes lunch and refreshment break) | |
| Venue: Suite 1 |
Workshop 3
| 13:00 – 17:35 | Topic: The Role of Community Engagement in the Development of a Societally Impactful internationalization in Higher Education Agenda |
| (includes lunch and refreshment break) | |
| Venue: North Ilanga |
Need more information on the workshops?
* Provisional programme
| 07:30 – 16:30 | Registration Desk Open |
Keynote Address
| 08:30 – 08:45 | Welcome Lavern Samuels, IEASA President 2023-2024 |
| 08:45 – 09:45 | Keynote Address |
| Dr Fanta Aw, CEO, NAFSA | |
| Venue: Great Ilanga |
Plenary Session
| 10:00 – 11:30 | Vice Chancellor’s Roundtable |
| Topic: 25 years of Internationalisation in South Africa: Vice Chancellor’s perspective of challenges and opportunities | |
Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice Chancellor, Stellenbosch University | |
Prof Francis Petersen, Vice Chancellor and Rector, University of the Free State | |
Prof Thandwa Mthembu, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Durban University of Technology | |
Prof Sarah Todd, Vice President (Global), Griffith University | |
| Chairperson: Prof Hester Klopper, Stellenbosch University | |
Venue: Great Ilanga |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Refreshment Break |
12:00 - 13:00 Parallel Session 1
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: What future for internationalization of higher education around the world? | Topic: Reimagining North-South collaboration through the lense of ACE Model | Topic: Evaluation and International Agreements – A South African Perspective | Topic: The Global Education 2030 Agenda: Implications for institutions of higher learning | Topic: TBC |
| Giorgio Marinoni, International Association of Universities | James Otieno Jowi, The African Network for Internationalization of Education | Nadia Starr, South African Qualifications Authority | Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo | |
| Lavern Samuels, International Education Association of South Africa | Chika Sehoole, University of Pretoria | Kim Snyder, South African Qualifications Authority | ||
LaNitra Berger, Association of International Educators | ||||
| Mirian Alicia Carballo, Red de Cooperación Internacional de las Universidades Nacionales | ||||
| Chairperson: Tasmeera Sing, Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Chairperson: Refilwe Moleyane, Central University of Technology | Chairperson: Fazela Haniff, Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute | Chairperson: Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State | Chairperson: |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: What future for internationalization of higher education around the world? | Topic: Reimagining North-South collaboration through the lense of ACE Model |
| Giorgio Marinoni, International Association of Universities | James Otieno Jowi, The African Network for Internationalization of Education |
| Lavern Samuels, International Education Association of South Africa | Chika Sehoole, University of Pretoria |
| LaNitra Berger, Association of International Educators | |
| Mirian Alicia Carballo, Red de Cooperación Internacional de las Universidades Nacionales | |
| Chairperson: Tasmeera Sing, Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Chairperson: Refilwe Moleyane, Central University of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Evaluation and International Agreements – A South African Perspective | Topic: The Global Education 2030 Agenda: Implications for institutions of higher learning |
| Nadia Starr, South African Qualifications Authority | Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo |
| Kim Snyder, South African Qualifications Authority | |
| Chairperson: Fazela Haniff, Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute | Chairperson: Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: TBC |
| Chairperson: |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
The world is continuously changing, but the last few years have seen events happening around the world which had, and are still having, a major impact on higher education and internationalization of higher education especially.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a major disruptive event for internationalization of higher education. Although many of the effects of the pandemic were temporary, for instance the halt to mobility, and activities have recovered since then, the pandemic left long-lasting consequences. For instance, the pandemic clearly exposed the problems connected with an internationalization based on an economic rationale, which is neither equal nor sustainable. The pandemic also catalysed transformations that were already in act but which were incredibly accelerated, above all the digitalisation of internationalization. Activities such as virtual exchange and collaborative online learning grew in importance during pandemic times and now constitute important tools for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to implement their internationalization strategies.
At the same time, the sudden implementation of virtual internationalization opportunities also showed its limits (e.g. inequality due to the digital divide, lack of pedagogy for online teaching and learning, etc.) and poses questions of how to combine in person and online activities in the future.
COVID-19 and the digital transformation were not the only significant events that happened during last years and that marked internationalization of higher education. Changing geopolitics with rising tensions between countries and a shift from a globalised world towards a multipolar world in which nationalism and economic protectionism are becoming more and more important have a profound impact on international collaboration between HEIs at global level.
Inequality in internationalisation, both between countries and inside countries, is an issue that cannot be ignored any more and different movements are demanding the inclusion in internationalisation of forms of knowledge and people (e.g. ethnic minorities, disadvantaged groups, etc.) that were neglected until now.
Last but not the least, the imperative for sustainable development is more urgent than ever and the role which internationalization of higher education is playing and should play for sustainable development is strongly debated.
It is therefore not an exaggeration to say that the world we are living in today is quite different from the one we lived in five years ago, when the fifth edition of the International Association of Universities (IAU) Global Survey on internationalisation was conducted. To capture the transformations that happened during last years, the IAU conducted in 2023 the sixth edition of the Global Survey on internationalization.
In this session, IAU will present some of the most relevant results, which will serve as a starting point to discuss together with a panel of experts from renown associations of international education representing different parts of the world (International Education Association of South Africa: IEASA from Africa, Red de Cooperación Internacional de las Universidades Nacionales (RedCIUN) del Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional (CIN) from Latin America and NAFSA: Association of International Educators from North America) how internationalization of higher education is evolving and what future can be expected and envisaged for it.
The collaborations between institutions and scholars from the global North and global South have been characterised by a troubled history. Literature shows that when there is a diversity of partners – who have their own goals, intentions, and contexts – it is challenging to form mutual partnerships where all parties gain (Jackson, Mavi, Suseno & Standing 2018). Hagenmeier (2015:9) argues that “inequalities are inherent in many higher education partnerships, and especially those between universities of unequal strength”, and they are characterised by power dynamics. Similarly, power relations affect partnerships and there is a need to guard against focusing more on depoliticised and technical aspects at the expense of meaningful and equitable partnerships. Technical aspects refer to technical expertise, the support provided in the movement of resources, assistance with stakeholder engagement and the monitoring and evaluation of activities (The Global Fund 2021).
This paper provides an analysis of and makes an argument on how equitable, inclusive and meaningful partnerships between the global South and global North can be forged. Using the ACE (Aware, Connect, and Empower) lenses, it makes a case for new ways of doing things & exploration of alternative strategies to collaborate equitably across cultures. In developing this argument, the following issues will be explored:
A: Become more AWARE of the lens through which you collaborate across cultures, & identify ASSUMPTIONS.
C: Review how you CONNECT with your partners in a Global North/Global South CONTEXT.
E: Acquire actionable strategies & EMPOWER your colleagues to join in building a new model of ENGAGEMENT that is more holistic, equitable, & inclusive to achieve a better balance.
SAQA verifies the authenticity of South African qualifications for employers or individuals. Further and as part of its mandated function through the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act # 67 of 2008, SAQA also provides an evaluation and advisory service to recognise foreign qualifications of its citizens and foreign persons who seek to pursue further studies, work opportunities and to live in South Africa. SAQA undertakes its evaluation function according to the principles and criteria outlined in its Policy and Criteria for the Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications within the South African NQF.
SAQA also verifies South African qualifications as part of its mandated function.
At the IEASA conference, SAQA will undertake two sub sessions, both of which are related to the recognition of qualifications (National as well as foreign):
1. SAQA will host an information-sharing session with a wide range of stakeholders on explaining the context of verification and evaluation of foreign qualifications as well as National Qualifications. A substantive part of the session will be allocated for Q&A. A broad overview of the programme is below:
a) Introduction to SAQA
b) The function of National Verification and Foreign Qualification Evaluation
c) New changes to the function – the role of automation
d) Q & A
2. The South African Qualifications authority (SAQA) is compelled by section 13(1)(j) of the NQF ACT,2008 (Act 67 of 2008) to “collaborate with its international counterparts on all matters of mutual interest concerning qualifications frameworks”. SAQA also works at improving mobility and access nationally, regionally, and globally in line with the objectives of the NQF Act and in terms of the applicable conventions. This impetus for the Recognition of International Qualifications Agreements is rooted in the global and national rights of students, researchers, lecturers, and work seekers to have their local qualifications verified and validated for admission to further study or employment in another country; have foreign qualifications evaluated in a fair, non-discriminatory and transparent manner by national competent authorities. SAQA will facilitate a session that highlights mechanisms for the recognition of international qualifications. This would include, Regional & Global Conventions, Bilateral Agreements, Mutual Recognition of Qualification Agreements as well as Institutional Agreements. Importantly, the session will throw light upon the recently signed Addis Convention as well as the Global Convention which is in the process of being signed by the country.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. In 2015, leaders representing 193 countries adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a framework to guide global development for the subsequent fifteen years. Many say the SDGs constitute the world’s most ambitious set of development goals yet. South Africa was one of the early supporters of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This commitment is intertwined with its
contribution to setting Africa’s long-term development goals.
The South African Country Report 2019 on SDGs focused on implementation at local government, resource allocation and programmes undertaken to achieve the goals. The role and contribution of institutions of higher learning does not feature. Yet, institutions of higher learning, some through government programmes, have done a lot of work both academically and on social engagement, in an endeavor to contribute to achievement of the SDGs
In 2022 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report on Knowledge-driven actions: Transforming higher education for global sustainability” submitted by the UNESCO Global Independent Expert Group on the Universities. This highlights the important role that institutions of higher learning are expected to play in the achievement of the SDGs and how education and learning can be utilized in this regard. The report focuses on three themes (1) the need to move towards inter- and transdisciplinary modes of producing and circulating knowledge; (2) the imperative of becoming open institutions, fostering epistemic dialogue and integrating diverse ways of knowing; and (3) the demand for a stronger presence in society
through proactive engagement and partnering with other societal actors.
This paper will unpack this report as an attempt to establish the implications for institutions of higher learning. The purpose of the critical analysis of this report will be to establish its relevance to the South African institutions and how the proposed transformation of higher education impacts on the internationalization agenda. Strategies for linking education, internationalisation and attainment of SDGs will be advanced.
The world is continuously changing, but the last few years have seen events happening around the world which had, and are still having, a major impact on higher education and internationalization of higher education especially.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a major disruptive event for internationalization of higher education. Although many of the effects of the pandemic were temporary, for instance the halt to mobility, and activities have recovered since then, the pandemic left long-lasting consequences. For instance, the pandemic clearly exposed the problems connected with an internationalization based on an economic rationale, which is neither equal nor sustainable. The pandemic also catalysed transformations that were already in act but which were incredibly accelerated, above all the digitalisation of internationalization. Activities such as virtual exchange and collaborative online learning grew in importance during pandemic times and now constitute important tools for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to implement their internationalization strategies.
At the same time, the sudden implementation of virtual internationalization opportunities also showed its limits (e.g. inequality due to the digital divide, lack of pedagogy for online teaching and learning, etc.) and poses questions of how to combine in person and online activities in the future.
COVID-19 and the digital transformation were not the only significant events that happened during last years and that marked internationalization of higher education. Changing geopolitics with rising tensions between countries and a shift from a globalised world towards a multipolar world in which nationalism and economic protectionism are becoming more and more important have a profound impact on international collaboration between HEIs at global level.
Inequality in internationalisation, both between countries and inside countries, is an issue that cannot be ignored any more and different movements are demanding the inclusion in internationalisation of forms of knowledge and people (e.g. ethnic minorities, disadvantaged groups, etc.) that were neglected until now.
Last but not the least, the imperative for sustainable development is more urgent than ever and the role which internationalization of higher education is playing and should play for sustainable development is strongly debated.
It is therefore not an exaggeration to say that the world we are living in today is quite different from the one we lived in five years ago, when the fifth edition of the International Association of Universities (IAU) Global Survey on internationalisation was conducted. To capture the transformations that happened during last years, the IAU conducted in 2023 the sixth edition of the Global Survey on internationalization.
In this session, IAU will present some of the most relevant results, which will serve as a starting point to discuss together with a panel of experts from renown associations of international education representing different parts of the world (International Education Association of South Africa: IEASA from Africa, Red de Cooperación Internacional de las Universidades Nacionales (RedCIUN) del Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional (CIN) from Latin America and NAFSA: Association of International Educators from North America) how internationalization of higher education is evolving and what future can be expected and envisaged for it.
The collaborations between institutions and scholars from the global North and global South have been characterised by a troubled history. Literature shows that when there is a diversity of partners – who have their own goals, intentions, and contexts – it is challenging to form mutual partnerships where all parties gain (Jackson, Mavi, Suseno & Standing 2018). Hagenmeier (2015:9) argues that “inequalities are inherent in many higher education partnerships, and especially those between universities of unequal strength”, and they are characterised by power dynamics. Similarly, power relations affect partnerships and there is a need to guard against focusing more on depoliticised and technical aspects at the expense of meaningful and equitable partnerships. Technical aspects refer to technical expertise, the support provided in the movement of resources, assistance with stakeholder engagement and the monitoring and evaluation of activities (The Global Fund 2021).
This paper provides an analysis of and makes an argument on how equitable, inclusive and meaningful partnerships between the global South and global North can be forged. Using the ACE (Aware, Connect, and Empower) lenses, it makes a case for new ways of doing things & exploration of alternative strategies to collaborate equitably across cultures. In developing this argument, the following issues will be explored:
A: Become more AWARE of the lens through which you collaborate across cultures, & identify ASSUMPTIONS.
C: Review how you CONNECT with your partners in a Global North/Global South CONTEXT.
E: Acquire actionable strategies & EMPOWER your colleagues to join in building a new model of ENGAGEMENT that is more holistic, equitable, & inclusive to achieve a better balance.
SAQA verifies the authenticity of South African qualifications for employers or individuals. Further and as part of its mandated function through the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act # 67 of 2008, SAQA also provides an evaluation and advisory service to recognise foreign qualifications of its citizens and foreign persons who seek to pursue further studies, work opportunities and to live in South Africa. SAQA undertakes its evaluation function according to the principles and criteria outlined in its Policy and Criteria for the Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications within the South African NQF.
SAQA also verifies South African qualifications as part of its mandated function.
At the IEASA conference, SAQA will undertake two sub sessions, both of which are related to the recognition of qualifications (National as well as foreign):
1. SAQA will host an information-sharing session with a wide range of stakeholders on explaining the context of verification and evaluation of foreign qualifications as well as National Qualifications. A substantive part of the session will be allocated for Q&A. A broad overview of the programme is below:
a) Introduction to SAQA
b) The function of National Verification and Foreign Qualification Evaluation
c) New changes to the function – the role of automation
d) Q & A
2. The South African Qualifications authority (SAQA) is compelled by section 13(1)(j) of the NQF ACT,2008 (Act 67 of 2008) to “collaborate with its international counterparts on all matters of mutual interest concerning qualifications frameworks”. SAQA also works at improving mobility and access nationally, regionally, and globally in line with the objectives of the NQF Act and in terms of the applicable conventions. This impetus for the Recognition of International Qualifications Agreements is rooted in the global and national rights of students, researchers, lecturers, and work seekers to have their local qualifications verified and validated for admission to further study or employment in another country; have foreign qualifications evaluated in a fair, non-discriminatory and transparent manner by national competent authorities. SAQA will facilitate a session that highlights mechanisms for the recognition of international qualifications. This would include, Regional & Global Conventions, Bilateral Agreements, Mutual Recognition of Qualification Agreements as well as Institutional Agreements. Importantly, the session will throw light upon the recently signed Addis Convention as well as the Global Convention which is in the process of being signed by the country.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. In 2015, leaders representing 193 countries adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a framework to guide global development for the subsequent fifteen years. Many say the SDGs constitute the world’s most ambitious set of development goals yet. South Africa was one of the early supporters of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This commitment is intertwined with its
contribution to setting Africa’s long-term development goals.
The South African Country Report 2019 on SDGs focused on implementation at local government, resource allocation and programmes undertaken to achieve the goals. The role and contribution of institutions of higher learning does not feature. Yet, institutions of higher learning, some through government programmes, have done a lot of work both academically and on social engagement, in an endeavor to contribute to achievement of the SDGs
In 2022 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report on Knowledge-driven actions: Transforming higher education for global sustainability” submitted by the UNESCO Global Independent Expert Group on the Universities. This highlights the important role that institutions of higher learning are expected to play in the achievement of the SDGs and how education and learning can be utilized in this regard. The report focuses on three themes (1) the need to move towards inter- and transdisciplinary modes of producing and circulating knowledge; (2) the imperative of becoming open institutions, fostering epistemic dialogue and integrating diverse ways of knowing; and (3) the demand for a stronger presence in society
through proactive engagement and partnering with other societal actors.
This paper will unpack this report as an attempt to establish the implications for institutions of higher learning. The purpose of the critical analysis of this report will be to establish its relevance to the South African institutions and how the proposed transformation of higher education impacts on the internationalization agenda. Strategies for linking education, internationalisation and attainment of SDGs will be advanced.
PRESENTATION A LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
PRESENTATION A LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
14:00 - 15:00 Parallel Session 2
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Beyond traditional education: Student in the Lead – Contemporary lessons learned about innovative International Business Education | Topic: Social Justice and Inclusion as a lens to address digital divide in Higher Education | Topic: From the local to the global: internationalisation for socio-economic transformation in the Global South through innovation and indigenous knowledge systems | Topic: Internationalization of Higher Education research through—and for—the United Nations | Topic: How sustainability changes internationalisation – the example of three international education organisations in South/Southern Africa |
| Patrick Schoenmakers, Zuyd University | Chevon Slambee, University of the Free State | Oliver Mtapuri, University of KwaZulu-Natal | Ramu Damodaran, University for Peace | Huba Boshoff, Nuffic Southern Africa |
| Ed Overes, Zuyd University | Quinter Onyango, University of the Free state | Sithembiso Myeni, University of KwaZulu-Natal | Anja Hallacker, DAAD Southern Africa | |
| George Barret,British Council South Africa | ||||
| Chairperson: Jody Felton, IES Abroad | Chairperson: Refilwe Molyane, Central University of Technology | Chairperson: Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo | Chairperson: Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | Chairperson: Dingaan Booi, Cape Peninsula Univesity of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: Beyond traditional education: Student in the Lead – Contemporary lessons learned about innovative International Business Education | Topic: Social Justice and Inclusion as a lens to address digital divide in Higher Education |
| Patrick Schoenmakers, Zuyd University | Chevon Slambee, University of the Free State |
| Ed Overes, Zuyd University | Quinter Onyango, University of the Free state |
| Chairperson: Jody Felton, IES Abroad | Chairperson: Refilwe Molyane, Central University of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: From the local to the global: internationalisation for socio-economic transformation in the Global South through innovation and indigenous knowledge systems | Topic: Internationalization of Higher Education research through—and for—the United Nations |
| Oliver Mtapuri, University of KwaZulu-Natal | Ramu Damodaran, University for Peace |
| Sithembiso Myeni, University of KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Chairperson: Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo | Chairperson: Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: How sustainability changes internationalisation – the example of three international education organisations in South/Southern Africa |
| Huba Boshoff, Nuffic Southern Africa |
| Anja Hallacker, DAAD Southern Africa |
| George Barret,British Council South Africa |
| Chairperson: Dingaan Booi, Cape Peninsula Univesity of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
Beyond traditional education: Student in the Lead – Contemporary lessons learned about innovative International Business Education
Is the traditional educational system capable of delivering competent and qualified leaders with a global and sustainable mindset in our ever-changing world, or do we need to change our perspective on education? In this session, we will share our experiences with different approaches in changing traditional educational approaches into ways that give more space to the role of internationalization for development of leadership. The approaches presented have three things in common: 1) the student in the lead of their own development and employability path, 2) the working field and community are more actively involved and 3) the programs epitomize leadership and sustainability with a global mindset. Can you imagine a program without curriculum, without tests, and no set timetable and still meeting accreditation requirements and staying up high in rankings?
Long description
Higher education is more than ever operating in and challenged by an immense complex and fast changing environment. Keeping up with trends, developments, and meeting students’ needs and requirements of companies and other stakeholders seems almost impossible. This calls for a completely different perspective on education. Can you imagine a program without curriculum, without tests, and no set timetable? Can you imagine a program epitomizing leadership and where individual learning outcomes are central in the program design? Students being in charge and control of their own development and employability path and still meeting accreditation requirements and staying up high in rankings?
In this session, we will share our experiences with different approaches in dealing with these questions. Zuyd International Business School (IBS) introduced the SitL (Student in the Lead’) Approach and has been acknowledged by EPAS (the programs´ level EQUIS accreditation) for the innovative way to develop (personal) leadership through internationalization.
The Zuyd IBS approach is student-company centered and offers knowledge, skills, and inspiration events in an international context when needed by the student. Next to that, students can opt for opportunities outside the program, which normally do not fit the schedule of the program. Coaching is key in dealing with students, hence requiring faculty to link and connect to students on an individual basis.
In an open session, we would like to tell you more and discuss also other similar ‘student in the lead’ approaches the moderators are familiar with.
For generations, universities count among several conservative institutions in the society, impenetrable by changes sweeping across a large swathe of the society. They are considered the main societal hub for knowledge and learning, with secured boundaries of time-tested structures and processes of knowledge production and dissemination between lectures and students.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a catalyst for accelerating digitization globally. Not only has this affected Higher Education learning and teaching, it also affected how societies stay globally connected. On the one side of the continuum, it shows the agile nature of humanity to respond to disruptions to maintain global connectedness, however, on the other side, it has also highlighted the inequalities related to access the internet and computers. Before the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, the blended approach which has existed in many institutions of higher learning, making use of Learning Management Systems (such as Blackboard, Moodle, Schoology, and others) were not widely adopted. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, universities were forced to close and convert to full-time online learning. Issues of equality emerged, pushing universities and governments to devise solutions to address this challenge. Some of the solutions rolled out by institutions of higher learning and governments included partnerships with mobile firms to supply free data to students on a zero rate E-Learning data basis and delivering laptops to students to aid in continuing with the curriculum as temporary remedies.
This workshop explores the gaps and interventions by universities to address the digital divide issues such as digital literacy and competency while fostering inclusion and social justice by using relevant SDGs. Data collected through primary and secondary sources were embedded in the social justice theoretical perspective. Social justice perspective cuts across a large swathe of broad areas that cover different social issues such as the environment, race and gender and could be deployed in a study of this nature.
In the area of higher education, the social justice perspective could be used to examine the structure of higher education itself and what the systems and institutions of higher education need to change to accommodate students’ diverse backgrounds and needs. This allows for a decentering of studies from the eurocentric focus of dominant studies in this area. It is also very useful to examine the peculiarities of the effect of and interventions occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis in higher education in South Africa. For instance, while COVID-19 disrupted higher education activities globally, its impact on enrolment as varied by region and income level. This resulted in the exacerbation of pre-existing disparities at all educational levels by reducing the opportunities for many of the most vulnerable children, youth, and adults – those living in poor or rural areas, girls, refugees, persons with disabilities and forcibly displaced persons – to continue their learning according to a study by the United Nations.
The methodology of this workshop will set up using the Collaborative Online International Learning principles.
Internationalisation takes various forms, namely inter alia, staff-student exchanges, virtual classes, and joint degree programmes and projects. It can assume and embrace variegated disciplinarities in formats such as transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary, cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary work – in research, teaching and learning, and community engagement. All these disciplinarities are meant to harness the strengths of each discipline and ameliorate the weaknesses of the other when resolving nagging societal problems and ensuring socio-economic and environmental sustainability in the various spheres of human endeavour. This work will interrogate the role of internationalisation in the emergence of innovations and indigenous knowledges that have had profound societal impact at the local and international level, using case studies from the Global South. In other words, this work, based on extant literature and our own experiences, will valorise and showcase internationalisation as a means to bring about socio-economic and environmental transformation and change through the creation and co-creation of knowledge from different experiences, perspectives and cultures; how internationalisation enhances professional development through collaborations; and how it assists in generating new knowledge and inventions that are inclusive, cyclopaedic, extensive, in-depth, comprehensive and encyclopaedic; and how it develops, expands, and values connections between scholars from different academic and social backgrounds. This work will develop a framework for internationalisation for sustainability.
Keywords: Internationalisation, multidisciplinary, collaborations, innovations, indigenous knowledge systems.
“Looking Back; Looking Forward”; the idea of securing the “then” in the explorations of the “now” is inherent in the Charter of the United Nations and its reference to the present tense of “saving” the future tense “succeeding generations” from the scourge of war. It was an idea affirmed in the Charter’s reference to “studies and reports with respect to international economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related matters (and) recommendations with respect to any such matters,” and comprehended in the very first resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on “the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy.”
Looking Back: While both the Charter provision and the resolution imply a role for global scholarship and truly “international” education, we lack a channel for such an infusion of ideas (unlike that for non-governmental organizations) into the
United Nations. The United Nations University, the University for Peace and the United Nations Academic Impact have created coherent, but disparate, avenues for such inputs; but an overall structure remains elusive.
The Charter reference to “international” matters assumed particular significance in 2015 with the elaboration of the Sustainable Development Goals and the transformation of the national to the international, where issues earlier regarded as within the province of domestic affairs were accepted as a collective global responsibility. Higher education was quick to see its own capacities and, indeed, responsibilities in working to their realization.
Looking Forward: What now remains is to move human action from the laboratory of the university to the stage of national and global change. This will need to diminish the diffidence with which the United Nations has regarded academic institutions and, in so doing:
Assure scholarship its right to investigate, inquire and inform, not to instigate or insist. . We have an excellent model in the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is careful to provide an objective basis for policy to be made, rather than defining the policy itself
Establish direct linkages between communities of scholarship and action empowered areas of the UN. Secretary-General Guterres’s proposal to repurpose the Trusteeship Council to “create an intergovernmental body for intergenerational issues” offers one possible model where the now obsolete body could have informed discussions with scholars as a premise for informed political and diplomatic action.
Create viable linkages between the practical work and innovation by universities within their own communities and the UN offices in their countries which can transmit details of successful projects to the UN agencies most relevant to their adaptation and propagation, and possible international replication ; to mould the old adage, thinking locally and acting globally.
Unleash the enormous imaginative and creative instincts of the student community, encouraging institutions to give students the luxury of time to select and to sustain a specific cause—the intergenerationally of time and thought
Enhance the attraction of research by the dimension of its global good. Just as the power of cause animates members of civil society organizations, so too should the power of cause energise research.
The DAAD, Nuffic and the British council represents some of the largest and most know agencies for the internationalisation of higher education and research worldwide. How are the issues of sustainability and climate change changing these organisations? What opportunities do they have to proactively shape these topics and how does it influence the ways of working?
What factors drive these organisations? For example, changes in national policy. And if national policy is a driver to what extent can these organisations adapt their programme and engagement with stakeholders to reflect said policies? ON the other hand, what influence does the organisations have on the political contexts also in the countries they operate in?
How sustainable are the projects/initiatives that the organisations are involved in and what measures are taken by partners for more sustainability and less climate change? How do these measures affect internationalisation? And how do they influence the work of the organisations?
Beyond traditional education: Student in the Lead – Contemporary lessons learned about innovative International Business Education
Is the traditional educational system capable of delivering competent and qualified leaders with a global and sustainable mindset in our ever-changing world, or do we need to change our perspective on education? In this session, we will share our experiences with different approaches in changing traditional educational approaches into ways that give more space to the role of internationalization for development of leadership. The approaches presented have three things in common: 1) the student in the lead of their own development and employability path, 2) the working field and community are more actively involved and 3) the programs epitomize leadership and sustainability with a global mindset. Can you imagine a program without curriculum, without tests, and no set timetable and still meeting accreditation requirements and staying up high in rankings?
Long description
Higher education is more than ever operating in and challenged by an immense complex and fast changing environment. Keeping up with trends, developments, and meeting students’ needs and requirements of companies and other stakeholders seems almost impossible. This calls for a completely different perspective on education. Can you imagine a program without curriculum, without tests, and no set timetable? Can you imagine a program epitomizing leadership and where individual learning outcomes are central in the program design? Students being in charge and control of their own development and employability path and still meeting accreditation requirements and staying up high in rankings?
In this session, we will share our experiences with different approaches in dealing with these questions. Zuyd International Business School (IBS) introduced the SitL (Student in the Lead’) Approach and has been acknowledged by EPAS (the programs´ level EQUIS accreditation) for the innovative way to develop (personal) leadership through internationalization.
The Zuyd IBS approach is student-company centered and offers knowledge, skills, and inspiration events in an international context when needed by the student. Next to that, students can opt for opportunities outside the program, which normally do not fit the schedule of the program. Coaching is key in dealing with students, hence requiring faculty to link and connect to students on an individual basis.
In an open session, we would like to tell you more and discuss also other similar ‘student in the lead’ approaches the moderators are familiar with.
For generations, universities count among several conservative institutions in the society, impenetrable by changes sweeping across a large swathe of the society. They are considered the main societal hub for knowledge and learning, with secured boundaries of time-tested structures and processes of knowledge production and dissemination between lectures and students.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a catalyst for accelerating digitization globally. Not only has this affected Higher Education learning and teaching, it also affected how societies stay globally connected. On the one side of the continuum, it shows the agile nature of humanity to respond to disruptions to maintain global connectedness, however, on the other side, it has also highlighted the inequalities related to access the internet and computers. Before the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, the blended approach which has existed in many institutions of higher learning, making use of Learning Management Systems (such as Blackboard, Moodle, Schoology, and others) were not widely adopted. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, universities were forced to close and convert to full-time online learning. Issues of equality emerged, pushing universities and governments to devise solutions to address this challenge. Some of the solutions rolled out by institutions of higher learning and governments included partnerships with mobile firms to supply free data to students on a zero rate E-Learning data basis and delivering laptops to students to aid in continuing with the curriculum as temporary remedies.
This workshop explores the gaps and interventions by universities to address the digital divide issues such as digital literacy and competency while fostering inclusion and social justice by using relevant SDGs. Data collected through primary and secondary sources were embedded in the social justice theoretical perspective. Social justice perspective cuts across a large swathe of broad areas that cover different social issues such as the environment, race and gender and could be deployed in a study of this nature.
In the area of higher education, the social justice perspective could be used to examine the structure of higher education itself and what the systems and institutions of higher education need to change to accommodate students’ diverse backgrounds and needs. This allows for a decentering of studies from the eurocentric focus of dominant studies in this area. It is also very useful to examine the peculiarities of the effect of and interventions occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis in higher education in South Africa. For instance, while COVID-19 disrupted higher education activities globally, its impact on enrolment as varied by region and income level. This resulted in the exacerbation of pre-existing disparities at all educational levels by reducing the opportunities for many of the most vulnerable children, youth, and adults – those living in poor or rural areas, girls, refugees, persons with disabilities and forcibly displaced persons – to continue their learning according to a study by the United Nations.
The methodology of this workshop will set up using the Collaborative Online International Learning principles.
Internationalisation takes various forms, namely inter alia, staff-student exchanges, virtual classes, and joint degree programmes and projects. It can assume and embrace variegated disciplinarities in formats such as transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary, cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary work – in research, teaching and learning, and community engagement. All these disciplinarities are meant to harness the strengths of each discipline and ameliorate the weaknesses of the other when resolving nagging societal problems and ensuring socio-economic and environmental sustainability in the various spheres of human endeavour. This work will interrogate the role of internationalisation in the emergence of innovations and indigenous knowledges that have had profound societal impact at the local and international level, using case studies from the Global South. In other words, this work, based on extant literature and our own experiences, will valorise and showcase internationalisation as a means to bring about socio-economic and environmental transformation and change through the creation and co-creation of knowledge from different experiences, perspectives and cultures; how internationalisation enhances professional development through collaborations; and how it assists in generating new knowledge and inventions that are inclusive, cyclopaedic, extensive, in-depth, comprehensive and encyclopaedic; and how it develops, expands, and values connections between scholars from different academic and social backgrounds. This work will develop a framework for internationalisation for sustainability.
Keywords: Internationalisation, multidisciplinary, collaborations, innovations, indigenous knowledge systems.
“Looking Back; Looking Forward”; the idea of securing the “then” in the explorations of the “now” is inherent in the Charter of the United Nations and its reference to the present tense of “saving” the future tense “succeeding generations” from the scourge of war. It was an idea affirmed in the Charter’s reference to “studies and reports with respect to international economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related matters (and) recommendations with respect to any such matters,” and comprehended in the very first resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on “the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy.”
Looking Back: While both the Charter provision and the resolution imply a role for global scholarship and truly “international” education, we lack a channel for such an infusion of ideas (unlike that for non-governmental organizations) into the
United Nations. The United Nations University, the University for Peace and the United Nations Academic Impact have created coherent, but disparate, avenues for such inputs; but an overall structure remains elusive.
The Charter reference to “international” matters assumed particular significance in 2015 with the elaboration of the Sustainable Development Goals and the transformation of the national to the international, where issues earlier regarded as within the province of domestic affairs were accepted as a collective global responsibility. Higher education was quick to see its own capacities and, indeed, responsibilities in working to their realization.
Looking Forward: What now remains is to move human action from the laboratory of the university to the stage of national and global change. This will need to diminish the diffidence with which the United Nations has regarded academic institutions and, in so doing:
Assure scholarship its right to investigate, inquire and inform, not to instigate or insist. . We have an excellent model in the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is careful to provide an objective basis for policy to be made, rather than defining the policy itself
Establish direct linkages between communities of scholarship and action empowered areas of the UN. Secretary-General Guterres’s proposal to repurpose the Trusteeship Council to “create an intergovernmental body for intergenerational issues” offers one possible model where the now obsolete body could have informed discussions with scholars as a premise for informed political and diplomatic action.
Create viable linkages between the practical work and innovation by universities within their own communities and the UN offices in their countries which can transmit details of successful projects to the UN agencies most relevant to their adaptation and propagation, and possible international replication ; to mould the old adage, thinking locally and acting globally.
Unleash the enormous imaginative and creative instincts of the student community, encouraging institutions to give students the luxury of time to select and to sustain a specific cause—the intergenerationally of time and thought
Enhance the attraction of research by the dimension of its global good. Just as the power of cause animates members of civil society organizations, so too should the power of cause energise research.
The DAAD, Nuffic and the British council represents some of the largest and most know agencies for the internationalisation of higher education and research worldwide. How are the issues of sustainability and climate change changing these organisations? What opportunities do they have to proactively shape these topics and how does it influence the ways of working?
What factors drive these organisations? For example, changes in national policy. And if national policy is a driver to what extent can these organisations adapt their programme and engagement with stakeholders to reflect said policies? ON the other hand, what influence does the organisations have on the political contexts also in the countries they operate in?
How sustainable are the projects/initiatives that the organisations are involved in and what measures are taken by partners for more sustainability and less climate change? How do these measures affect internationalisation? And how do they influence the work of the organisations?
Plenary Session
| 15:15 – 16:45 | Topic: Strategic Framework for Comprehensive Internationalisation |
| Wiseman Jack, Durban University of Technology | |
| Orla Quinlan, Rhodes University | |
| Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo | |
| Lavern Samuels, Durban University of Technology | |
| Chairperson: | |
| Venue: Great Ilanga |
Higher education institutions (HEIs) everywhere, including South Africa, face a wide variety of risks that can potentially affect the achievement of the strategic objectives, operations, processes, projects and specific activities that they undertake each year. These risks can occur at the institutional level, national level, regional-continental level and global level. The comprehensive internationalisation of any HEI is no exception and all related activities come with risks.
The authors believe that Internationalisation is an essential strategy for any HEI in South Africa today. Therefore, risk management should a mandatory consideration, when embarking on new initiatives in internationalisation. This paper identifies some of the most prevalent risks and vulnerabilities at the various levels.
While the mitigation of these risks is of utmost importance, the paper acknowledges that not all HEIs, especially in South Africa, approach risk management of internationalisation, with due attention. Yet, if the risks associated with internationalisation are not mitigated and managed properly, they may lead to detrimental financial, academic or reputational consequences for these same institutions.
The paper will also consider how internationalisation can be embedded into the broader strategy of institutions and how the risks associated with internationalisation can be mitigated to protect institutional performance and goals.
The paper argues that mitigating risks in internationalisation requires knowledge of the context and systems beyond each HEI itself, human resource capacity, inter-cultural competency, appropriate systems and sincere political will, within each South African HEI.
The paper proposes a conceptual framework to analyse some of the most prevalent risks affecting internationalisation of higher education in South Africa at university level, national level, regional/continental level and global level. Some of these risks will require active management within each institution and some require collective and pro-active advocacy within the South African context.
Side Events
| 17:00 – 18:00 | NIEA Meeting |
| Invited guest only | |
| Venue: North Ilanga | |
| 17:00 – 17:30 | IEASA Mentorship Programme |
| Invited guest only | |
| Venue: East Ilanga |
| 19:00 – 22:00 | Welcome Function |
| Venue: Mixed Zone, Moses Mabhida Stadium |
* Provisional programme
| 07:30 – 14:00 | Registration Desk Open |
Plenary Session
| 08:30 – 08:35 | Welcome Normah Zondo, IEASA Deputy President |
| 08:35 – 09:45 | Topic: Looking back – Looking Forward |
Fazela Haniff, Past President, IEASA | |
David Farirai, Past President, IEASA | |
Nico Jooste, Past President, IEASA | |
Ivor Emmanuel, IEASA Stalwart | |
Lavern Samuels, President and Past President, IEASA | |
Orla Quinlan, Treasurer and Past President, IEASA | |
Wiseman Jack, Immediate Past President, IEASA | |
Chairperson: Derek Swemmer, Past Treasurer, IEASA | |
| Venue: Great Ilanga |
10:00 - 11:00 Parallel Session 3
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: What can we do to make internationalisation conferences more sustainable, equitable and just? | Topic: Reflecting on global south-south Higher Education partnerships: Insights from University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and University of São Paulo, Brazil | Topic: Unlocking Opportunities: The International Mobility of African Higher Education Qualifications | Topic: Digitised learning and teaching practices to promote internationalisation at a rural South African university. | Topic: Ethical Internationalization |
| Samia Chasi, International Education Association of South Africa | Angela James, University of KwaZulu-Natal | Esther Benjamin, World Education Services | Dr Carlien Jooste, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University | Fazela Haniff, Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute |
| Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | Agnaldo Arroi, University of São Paulo | Oumar Sanga, World Education Services | ||
| Chairperson: John Mashayamombe, Nelson Mandela University | Chairperson: Danny Bokaba, University of Pretoria | Chairperson: Wiseman Jack, IEASA / Durban University of Technology | Chairperson: Refilwe Molyane, Central University of Technology | Chairperson: Anisa Khan, University of Johannesburg |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: What can we do to make internationalisation conferences more sustainable, equitable and just? | Topic: Reflecting on global south-south Higher Education partnerships: Insights from University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and University of São Paulo, Brazil |
| Samia Chasi, International Education Association of South Africa | Angela James, University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | Agnaldo Arroi, University of São Paulo |
| Chairperson: John Mashayamombe, Nelson Mandela University | Chairperson: Danny Bokaba, University of Pretoria |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Unlocking Opportunities: The International Mobility of African Higher Education Qualifications | Topic: Digitised learning and teaching practices to promote internationalisation at a rural South African university. |
| Esther Benjamin, World Education Services | Dr Carlien Jooste, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University |
| Oumar Sanga, World Education Services | |
| Chairperson: Wiseman Jack, IEASA / Durban University of Technology | Chairperson: Refilwe Molyane, Central University of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Ethical Internationalization |
| Fazela Haniff, Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute |
| Chairperson: Anisa Khan, University of Johannesburg |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
We are facing an existential crisis. As noted in a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2022), climate change constitutes a serious threat to the well-being of humans and the health of our planet. What is more, concerted global action is required if we do not want to miss “a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all”.
As practitioners and scholars in higher education internationalisation we work in a field that has contributed significantly to the degradation of our planet. If we want to heed the IPCC’s call for swift and decisive action, we have a responsibility to critically examine internationalisation practices, especially those that damage the environment, and move towards less harmful alternatives.
In this session, the presenters will critically reflect on the interrelationship between internationalisation and environmental sustainability, particularly regarding internationalisation practices that are reliant on mobility. They will specifically focus on short-term international mobility and air travel in the context of in-person internationalisation conferences. The presenters will link sustainability concerns to considerations for equity and justice, drawing on their article titled “Towards More Sustainable, Equitable and Just Internationalisation Practices: The Case of Internationalisation Conferences”.
Participants will be encouraged to critically reflect on their own practices and to individually and collectively consider possibilities for change towards reducing our carbon footprint and practicing internationalisation in ways that foster sustainability, equity and justice. In doing so, we are not only part of the climate change problem but also contribute actively to solving.
References
Chasi, S., & Heleta, S. (2022). Towards More Sustainable, Equitable and Just Internationalisation Practices: The Case of Internationalisation Conferences. Journal of Studies in International Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10283153221139924
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] (2022). Climate change 2022. Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Summary for policy-makers. WGII contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report. https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6wg2/pdf/IPCC_AR6_WGII_SummaryForPolicymakers.pdf
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by and between the Universidade de Sâo Paulo, in the interest of Faculdade de Educacão, Brazil and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Education, South Africa aims to promote academic cooperation for the exchange of teaching staff/ researchers, students and members of the technical-administrative staff.
In establishing and engaging in this relationship the digitisation of a magazine, in the respective universities for international networking, creativity and recognising aspects of inclusion and social justice was actioned.
Revista Futuro do Pretérito and Creative Network Magazine, digital magazines from the universities with students as editors run parallel in their organisational roles and cross-county connections. The purpose of Revista Futuro do Pretérito magazine is a divulgative electronic journal, made in tribute to science and history produced at the School of Education of USP, so that they become more accessible to the largest possible number of people (students, employees, teachers and external community). The purpose of Creative Network Magazine is for all students and staff from ALL universities and members of the general public to write about their current experiences in a creative way – a story, lyrics, poem, drawing etc., including how learning can take place during this time (COVID-19).
In fostering inclusion and social justice, students from the two universities were informed about the magazines and asked to submit creative pieces, which were shared across the magazines. Also, communication via Zoom meetings to introduce and discuss issues pertinent to the editors and the magazines was encouraged and practiced. It is important to highlight the role of female protagonists in leading the magazine’s teams. As well as linguistic and educational exchanges between students from different countries, favoring intercultural dialogue.
Join us for an engaging session as World Education Services (WES) provides insights on the international mobility of South African and other African credentials. We will delve into WES’ overall approach and methodology for evaluating and recognizing African qualifications, drawing upon nearly 50 years of global credential evaluation experience and historical data. Learn how these credentials are perceived and treated in North America, offering valuable insights for educational and professional opportunities abroad. Discover the evolving trends about African countries, types of institutions, fields of study, and qualifications that African graduates are leveraging internationally. The presentation will provide valuable information and guidance about navigating the considerations linked to African credentials in the international arena to unlock opportunities in education, employment, and mobility.
In a globalised world where most daily activities are online, it has become essential for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to implement complementary pedagogical strategies that better suit students’ needs and learning environments. Similarly, given that the future of work is changing, HEIs must ensure that their teaching and learning practices provide students with differentiated capabilities that meet contemporary labour markets’ needs (Hawawini, 2016; De Wit and Deca, 2020; Grimshaw, 2020; Ghani et al., 2021).
Digital learning tools have become an inevitable methodology for lecturers who teach, mentor, coach and supervise students and graduates. Applying relevant digital learning modalities and pedagogical approaches for internationalisation reform can enhance the social contract with disenfranchised students, while benchmarking teaching, research and societal impact activities (Borsetto, 2021; Ghani et al., 2021). However, delivering an internationalised curriculum (i.e., international, global and intercultural knowledge) is often challenged by issues, such as infrastructure and resources with a significant effect on students situated in rural areas (Jakoet-Salie & Ramalobe, 2022). Students situated in rural areas struggle with internet access, poor living conditions and inadequate facilities and thus rely on institutional facilities for an enabling environment to learn (Ramolobe, 2020). Universities, on the other hand, are faced with challenges such rigid policies, digital literacy, a complex IT university ecosystem and poor infrastructure of IT departments to support digital initiatives (Maltese, 2018).
Against this background, this study aims to explore the experiences of academics and professional staff from a rural South African university concerning the adoption and integration of digitised learning modalities and associated pedagogy to internationalise curricula. By drawing on narratives from semi-structured interviews, this study will contribute to the academic discourse in the field of internationalisation. The findings can inform HEI leaders from rural-based universities about how complementary teaching and learning practices can be applied through digitalisation learning tools to support internationalisation. In particular, insights from the analysis are pre-empted to present emerging directions on the (1) teaching and learning practice, (2) curriculum and (3) institutional policies and strategies. Furthermore, the results may support the decisions of HEI leadership to exploit resources (infrastructure, knowledge, capabilities and specialisms) more cost-efficiently, thus matching capital with the opportunity to support the mandate as set out in the Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa (DHET, 2020).
This session examines the ethical practice of institutional responsibility towards international students, and as alumni. It also examines the responsibility of governing bodies that exist because of the business of internationalization. For example, responsibilities about natural disasters, medical pandemics, and war.
The presentation will focus on institutions in the west and Asia addressing recent world events like COVID-19, the War in Ukraine, and race-related events. In particular, what is the impact on higher education institutions, governments, and governing bodies?
We are facing an existential crisis. As noted in a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2022), climate change constitutes a serious threat to the well-being of humans and the health of our planet. What is more, concerted global action is required if we do not want to miss “a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all”.
As practitioners and scholars in higher education internationalisation we work in a field that has contributed significantly to the degradation of our planet. If we want to heed the IPCC’s call for swift and decisive action, we have a responsibility to critically examine internationalisation practices, especially those that damage the environment, and move towards less harmful alternatives.
In this session, the presenters will critically reflect on the interrelationship between internationalisation and environmental sustainability, particularly regarding internationalisation practices that are reliant on mobility. They will specifically focus on short-term international mobility and air travel in the context of in-person internationalisation conferences. The presenters will link sustainability concerns to considerations for equity and justice, drawing on their article titled “Towards More Sustainable, Equitable and Just Internationalisation Practices: The Case of Internationalisation Conferences”.
Participants will be encouraged to critically reflect on their own practices and to individually and collectively consider possibilities for change towards reducing our carbon footprint and practicing internationalisation in ways that foster sustainability, equity and justice. In doing so, we are not only part of the climate change problem but also contribute actively to solving.
References
Chasi, S., & Heleta, S. (2022). Towards More Sustainable, Equitable and Just Internationalisation Practices: The Case of Internationalisation Conferences. Journal of Studies in International Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10283153221139924
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] (2022). Climate change 2022. Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Summary for policy-makers. WGII contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report. https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6wg2/pdf/IPCC_AR6_WGII_SummaryForPolicymakers.pdf
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by and between the Universidade de Sâo Paulo, in the interest of Faculdade de Educacão, Brazil and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Education, South Africa aims to promote academic cooperation for the exchange of teaching staff/ researchers, students and members of the technical-administrative staff.
In establishing and engaging in this relationship the digitisation of a magazine, in the respective universities for international networking, creativity and recognising aspects of inclusion and social justice was actioned.
Revista Futuro do Pretérito and Creative Network Magazine, digital magazines from the universities with students as editors run parallel in their organisational roles and cross-county connections. The purpose of Revista Futuro do Pretérito magazine is a divulgative electronic journal, made in tribute to science and history produced at the School of Education of USP, so that they become more accessible to the largest possible number of people (students, employees, teachers and external community). The purpose of Creative Network Magazine is for all students and staff from ALL universities and members of the general public to write about their current experiences in a creative way – a story, lyrics, poem, drawing etc., including how learning can take place during this time (COVID-19).
In fostering inclusion and social justice, students from the two universities were informed about the magazines and asked to submit creative pieces, which were shared across the magazines. Also, communication via Zoom meetings to introduce and discuss issues pertinent to the editors and the magazines was encouraged and practiced. It is important to highlight the role of female protagonists in leading the magazine’s teams. As well as linguistic and educational exchanges between students from different countries, favoring intercultural dialogue.
Join us for an engaging session as World Education Services (WES) provides insights on the international mobility of South African and other African credentials. We will delve into WES’ overall approach and methodology for evaluating and recognizing African qualifications, drawing upon nearly 50 years of global credential evaluation experience and historical data. Learn how these credentials are perceived and treated in North America, offering valuable insights for educational and professional opportunities abroad. Discover the evolving trends about African countries, types of institutions, fields of study, and qualifications that African graduates are leveraging internationally. The presentation will provide valuable information and guidance about navigating the considerations linked to African credentials in the international arena to unlock opportunities in education, employment, and mobility.
In a globalised world where most daily activities are online, it has become essential for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to implement complementary pedagogical strategies that better suit students’ needs and learning environments. Similarly, given that the future of work is changing, HEIs must ensure that their teaching and learning practices provide students with differentiated capabilities that meet contemporary labour markets’ needs (Hawawini, 2016; De Wit and Deca, 2020; Grimshaw, 2020; Ghani et al., 2021).
Digital learning tools have become an inevitable methodology for lecturers who teach, mentor, coach and supervise students and graduates. Applying relevant digital learning modalities and pedagogical approaches for internationalisation reform can enhance the social contract with disenfranchised students, while benchmarking teaching, research and societal impact activities (Borsetto, 2021; Ghani et al., 2021). However, delivering an internationalised curriculum (i.e., international, global and intercultural knowledge) is often challenged by issues, such as infrastructure and resources with a significant effect on students situated in rural areas (Jakoet-Salie & Ramalobe, 2022). Students situated in rural areas struggle with internet access, poor living conditions and inadequate facilities and thus rely on institutional facilities for an enabling environment to learn (Ramolobe, 2020). Universities, on the other hand, are faced with challenges such rigid policies, digital literacy, a complex IT university ecosystem and poor infrastructure of IT departments to support digital initiatives (Maltese, 2018).
Against this background, this study aims to explore the experiences of academics and professional staff from a rural South African university concerning the adoption and integration of digitised learning modalities and associated pedagogy to internationalise curricula. By drawing on narratives from semi-structured interviews, this study will contribute to the academic discourse in the field of internationalisation. The findings can inform HEI leaders from rural-based universities about how complementary teaching and learning practices can be applied through digitalisation learning tools to support internationalisation. In particular, insights from the analysis are pre-empted to present emerging directions on the (1) teaching and learning practice, (2) curriculum and (3) institutional policies and strategies. Furthermore, the results may support the decisions of HEI leadership to exploit resources (infrastructure, knowledge, capabilities and specialisms) more cost-efficiently, thus matching capital with the opportunity to support the mandate as set out in the Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa (DHET, 2020).
This session examines the ethical practice of institutional responsibility towards international students, and as alumni. It also examines the responsibility of governing bodies that exist because of the business of internationalization. For example, responsibilities about natural disasters, medical pandemics, and war.
The presentation will focus on institutions in the west and Asia addressing recent world events like COVID-19, the War in Ukraine, and race-related events. In particular, what is the impact on higher education institutions, governments, and governing bodies?
PRESENTATION A LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
PRESENTATION A LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Refreshment Break |
11:30 - 12:30 Parallel Session 4
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Exploring Intercultural Competence in South African contexts | Topic: Research collaboration between Germany and South Africa: An analysis of collaboration trends between 2012-2021 | Topic: Developing sustainability mindsets through reciprocal entrepreneurial internships: A Norwegian – South African partnership | Topic: ‘Glocalising’ quantitative business skills development through learning content contextualisation and technology-enhanced delivery: An international collaborative case | Topic: Looking back, Looking forward: North- South Partnerships: A SANORD Case study |
| Darla Deardorff, Association of International Education Administrators | Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | Inger Beate Pettersen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences | EC (Corlia) Janse van Vuuren, University of the Free State | K. Cyster, University of the Westerna Cape |
| Orla Quinlan, Rhodes University | Martin Butler, University of Oldenburg | Paleesha Naidoo, University of Pretoria | Annari Muller, University of the Free State | N. Umwizerwa, University of the Western Cape |
| Mario Dunkel University of Oldenburg | ||||
| Chairperson: Sarah van der Westhuizen, Stellenbosch University | Chairperson: Hlulani Mabasa, University of Fort Hare | Chairperson: Huba Boshoff, Nuffic | Chairperson: Zenzele Mdletshe, University of Zululand | Chairperson: Segun Obadire, Univesity of Venda |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: Exploring Intercultural Competence in South African contexts | Topic: Research collaboration between Germany and South Africa: An analysis of collaboration trends between 2012-2021 |
| Darla Deardorff, Association of International Education Administrators | Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology |
| Orla Quinlan, Rhodes University | Martin Butler, University of Oldenburg |
| Mario Dunkel University of Oldenburg | |
| Chairperson: Sarah van der Westhuizen, Stellenbosch University | Chairperson: Hlulani Mabasa, University of Fort Hare |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Developing sustainability mindsets through reciprocal entrepreneurial internships: A Norwegian – South African partnership | Topic: ‘Glocalising’ quantitative business skills development through learning content contextualisation and technology-enhanced delivery: An international collaborative case |
| Inger Beate Pettersen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences | EC (Corlia) Janse van Vuuren, University of the Free State |
| Paleesha Naidoo, University of Pretoria | Annari Muller, University of the Free State |
| Chairperson: Huba Boshoff, Nuffic | Chairperson: Zenzele Mdletshe, University of Zululand |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Looking back, Looking forward: North- South Partnerships: A SANORD Case study |
| K. Cyster, University of the Westerna Cape |
| N. Umwizerwa, University of the Western Cape |
| Chairperson: Segun Obadire, Univesity of Venda |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
What is intercultural competency and what does intercultural competence look like in South African contexts? What key needs can be met through a focus on intercultural competence? What are ways to develop and assess intercultural competence in these contexts? Join in this highly interaction session to learn from and with each other as we explore these questions and more together. This session will conclude with the launch of the UNESCO Chair of Intercultural Competences, of which IEASA is a partner.
Germany and South Africa have a long bilateral relationship in higher education and research. The two countries signed an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in 1996, and this has contributed to the expansion of international research collaboration between universities, research institutes, academics and researchers from the two countries. Germany sees South Africa as one of the most important partners in sub-Saharan Africa, while South Africa sees Germany as one if its key global partners. Between 2012-2021, Germany was South Africa’s third most important collaborating country in the world when co-authored scholarly publications are taken into account, while South Africa is 30th on the list of top countries that collaborate on scholarly research with Germany.
There have been numerous funding initiatives and collaborative research projects and programmes between Germany and South Africa since the mid-1990s. However, there is limited published research on the trends and patterns in international research collaboration (IRC) resulting in co-authored scholarly publications between the two countries and their academic and research institutions. Using the Scopus bibliometric data, we will explore IRC trends between Germany and South Africa. Through an analysis of 14,211 co-authored publications indexed by Scopus for the 2012-2021 period, we will focus on:
– Unpacking and comparing overall research output and IRC figures and trends for Germany and South Africa;
– Analysing research collaboration trends between German and South African institutions and scholars, including the identification of institutions that have contributed the most to co-authored scholarly output;
– Identification of other countries that participate in IRC between Germany and South Africa (where collaboration includes other countries);
– Identification of fields of study that resulted in co-authored scholarly output.
Apart from the analysis of bibliometric data, we will also review relevant literature on IRC between Germany and South Africa, and the policy and other documents that drive bilateral academic, scientific and research collaboration, as well as research funding between the two countries. The presentation will also focus on the factors that play a role in the extent of institutional contribution to Germany-South Africa IRC. We will show that historical divisions, core-periphery stratification and the dominance of a select elite group of institutions in both countries continue to shape and influence research collaboration between Germany and South Africa.
The findings of this study will provide an important snapshot of the past decade of Germany-South Africa IRC that resulted in co-authored scholarly publications. The findings will illuminate which institutions (both in Germany and South Africa) consider the research collaboration between the two countries particularly significant and participate in co-authorship of scholarly output, and which do not. This will also allow us to identify certain patterns of development in IRC between the two countries. The study and the findings will be important for higher education and research institutions in Germany and South Africa, the governments, funders of research and collaboration (such as DAAD and NRF), and the ministries of higher education and research.
With entrepreneurship as a strong engine of sustainable development worldwide, it is critical for universities to invest in cross-cultural experiences and equip students with adaptable and sustainability skill sets to collaborate across borders and cultures. Cross-cultural intelligence is assumed particularly important in the driving of entrepreneurial activities (Pidduck, 2022; Yang and Yang, 2022). Scholars do also advocate for deep learning to develop sustainability mindsets, encompassing experiential learning with real-life entrepreneurship, coping with uncertainty and ambiguity and interaction with the outside world, fostering students’ entrepreneurial identity, self-awareness, and ethical sensitivity, changing from value-neutral to value-driven change agents (Hermes and Rimanoczy, 2018).
International entrepreneurship internship programs anticipate developing students’ entrepreneurial learning adaptability through cross-cultural learning. In these programs, students perform entrepreneurial tasks in close interaction with an entrepreneurial start-up team, in a foreign country, and students will adapt their learning to the contextualized cultural norms and practices. Through this participation, students will experience social encounters that differ from familiar settings, forcing them to behavioral experimentation, trying out new attitudes and behaviors, influencing students’ learning adaptability (Kubberød and Pettersen, 2017, 2018). Prior research reveals cross-cultural learning to offer transformational personal development of “hidden” skills and expansion of the repertoire of entrepreneurial behaviors, which ultimately may inspire future entrepreneurial ambitions. More, students will operate in a wider entrepreneurial ecosystem, involving encounters with entrepreneurs, industry, universities, investors and others acquiring deep knowledge of foreign cultures, organizations, industries and regions.
The research is anchored in a long-term partnership between 3 Norwegian and 2 South African universities; Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Nord University the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and Stellenbosch University and University of Pretoria.
In an UTFORSK project: Norwegian – South African partnership for sustainable entrepreneurial internships (SUSTENTSHIP), we aim to strengthen the partnership between universities and entrepreneurial ecosystem actors in Norway and South Africa to improve quality and relevance in education enhanced by comparative research. More, the project concentrates on building internship programs around 4 partner Universities and aims to develop sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems around the universities through interactive learning and comparative research. These entrepreneurial ecosystems are well-positioned to promote sustainable entrepreneurship and thereby contribute to the Sustainable Development goals (Volkmann et al., 2021). The project aims to achieve Goal 4.4. By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, and Goal 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.
All partners are researchers and educators and engage in entrepreneurship research on Norwegian and South African students enrolled in the internship programs, exploring if and how the program may develop sustainability mindsets and cross-cultural competence among students, transforming them into change agents for a sustainable world.
Introduction
Faced with continuous low graduation rates, a South African university sought new ways to develop quantitative skills in business students, to improve their university success. Through fostering the positive values of internationalising learning content, opportunities were created to develop students more holistically, and provide them with the necessary skills to function more effectively in a competitive, ever-changing, local, and global business environment. The United States based, Carnegie Math Pathways® programme, through an international collaborative partnership, was adopted as the foundational element for quantitative skills development at our South African university. However, adaptations in learning content and technology-enhanced delivery had to be made to fit our unique South African context. The international collaboration, thus, included creating an integrated (i.e., global and local) curriculum and integrated technology-based environment for content delivery, whilst contributing to the vision of both partners.
The aim of this presentation is to share and reflect on this international collaborative project, with a focus on curriculum development, refinement, and delivery.
Methodology
An action research methodology is applied in the project. In the initial phase, a critical utopian action research (CUAR) methodology was employed to identify the key content and content delivery options to be used in the initial implementation of the programme at our university. The programme coordinators and researchers from both partners (n=7) contributed to this development phase. From thereon, a Participatory Action Learning Action Research (PALAR) methodology is used to adapt and refine the content and content delivery options on an annual basis. Data from students, facilitators (i.e., teachers), as well as the project team (as in the initial phase), is utilised to inform the continuous project refinement.
Results
During the initial development stage of the project, four learning units were adapted for the South African context and included in the initial implementation of the programme. From thereon, another eight learning units have been contextualised, for implementation in 2023. For content delivery, the (international) Carnegie Math Pathways educational platform was embedded within our university’s local learning management system (i.e., Blackboard) during the initial phase. Changes in content delivery have been implemented, e.g., flexibility in student collaboration session scheduling to allow for local challenges, such as load-shedding. The initial reflection on academic performance, shows some promising trends, with students also reporting on gaining new insights into the relevance of quantitative business skills to their futures.
Discussion
Internationalisation of learning content has created more relevance of content for students to be prepared to function in a glocal business world. The international collaborative project has additionally provided the opportunity to utilise international technology-based environments for delivering content to South African students. As a further measure of success, another international partner and funder (i.e., Kresge Foundation), has joined the project to support further contextualisation of learning content for the South African context, with a bigger focus on decolonisation. This project creates an opportunity for further research within on quantitative business skills development within the South African and other comparable middle- and low-income contexts, to deliver high-quality, global business graduates.
The SANORD structure and network strives to minimize and close this gap by promoting opportunities for student mobility and staff exchanges in relation to research and educational collaboration. This provides both North and South equal opportunities to voice their opinions and finding solutions to address mutual concerns as it relates to sustainable development goals through its members bringing together their experience and expertise in a multilateral and cross-disciplinary setting.
What is intercultural competency and what does intercultural competence look like in South African contexts? What key needs can be met through a focus on intercultural competence? What are ways to develop and assess intercultural competence in these contexts? Join in this highly interaction session to learn from and with each other as we explore these questions and more together. This session will conclude with the launch of the UNESCO Chair of Intercultural Competences, of which IEASA is a partner.
Germany and South Africa have a long bilateral relationship in higher education and research. The two countries signed an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in 1996, and this has contributed to the expansion of international research collaboration between universities, research institutes, academics and researchers from the two countries. Germany sees South Africa as one of the most important partners in sub-Saharan Africa, while South Africa sees Germany as one if its key global partners. Between 2012-2021, Germany was South Africa’s third most important collaborating country in the world when co-authored scholarly publications are taken into account, while South Africa is 30th on the list of top countries that collaborate on scholarly research with Germany.
There have been numerous funding initiatives and collaborative research projects and programmes between Germany and South Africa since the mid-1990s. However, there is limited published research on the trends and patterns in international research collaboration (IRC) resulting in co-authored scholarly publications between the two countries and their academic and research institutions. Using the Scopus bibliometric data, we will explore IRC trends between Germany and South Africa. Through an analysis of 14,211 co-authored publications indexed by Scopus for the 2012-2021 period, we will focus on:
– Unpacking and comparing overall research output and IRC figures and trends for Germany and South Africa;
– Analysing research collaboration trends between German and South African institutions and scholars, including the identification of institutions that have contributed the most to co-authored scholarly output;
– Identification of other countries that participate in IRC between Germany and South Africa (where collaboration includes other countries);
– Identification of fields of study that resulted in co-authored scholarly output.
Apart from the analysis of bibliometric data, we will also review relevant literature on IRC between Germany and South Africa, and the policy and other documents that drive bilateral academic, scientific and research collaboration, as well as research funding between the two countries. The presentation will also focus on the factors that play a role in the extent of institutional contribution to Germany-South Africa IRC. We will show that historical divisions, core-periphery stratification and the dominance of a select elite group of institutions in both countries continue to shape and influence research collaboration between Germany and South Africa.
The findings of this study will provide an important snapshot of the past decade of Germany-South Africa IRC that resulted in co-authored scholarly publications. The findings will illuminate which institutions (both in Germany and South Africa) consider the research collaboration between the two countries particularly significant and participate in co-authorship of scholarly output, and which do not. This will also allow us to identify certain patterns of development in IRC between the two countries. The study and the findings will be important for higher education and research institutions in Germany and South Africa, the governments, funders of research and collaboration (such as DAAD and NRF), and the ministries of higher education and research.
With entrepreneurship as a strong engine of sustainable development worldwide, it is critical for universities to invest in cross-cultural experiences and equip students with adaptable and sustainability skill sets to collaborate across borders and cultures. Cross-cultural intelligence is assumed particularly important in the driving of entrepreneurial activities (Pidduck, 2022; Yang and Yang, 2022). Scholars do also advocate for deep learning to develop sustainability mindsets, encompassing experiential learning with real-life entrepreneurship, coping with uncertainty and ambiguity and interaction with the outside world, fostering students’ entrepreneurial identity, self-awareness, and ethical sensitivity, changing from value-neutral to value-driven change agents (Hermes and Rimanoczy, 2018).
International entrepreneurship internship programs anticipate developing students’ entrepreneurial learning adaptability through cross-cultural learning. In these programs, students perform entrepreneurial tasks in close interaction with an entrepreneurial start-up team, in a foreign country, and students will adapt their learning to the contextualized cultural norms and practices. Through this participation, students will experience social encounters that differ from familiar settings, forcing them to behavioral experimentation, trying out new attitudes and behaviors, influencing students’ learning adaptability (Kubberød and Pettersen, 2017, 2018). Prior research reveals cross-cultural learning to offer transformational personal development of “hidden” skills and expansion of the repertoire of entrepreneurial behaviors, which ultimately may inspire future entrepreneurial ambitions. More, students will operate in a wider entrepreneurial ecosystem, involving encounters with entrepreneurs, industry, universities, investors and others acquiring deep knowledge of foreign cultures, organizations, industries and regions.
The research is anchored in a long-term partnership between 3 Norwegian and 2 South African universities; Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Nord University the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and Stellenbosch University and University of Pretoria.
In an UTFORSK project: Norwegian – South African partnership for sustainable entrepreneurial internships (SUSTENTSHIP), we aim to strengthen the partnership between universities and entrepreneurial ecosystem actors in Norway and South Africa to improve quality and relevance in education enhanced by comparative research. More, the project concentrates on building internship programs around 4 partner Universities and aims to develop sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems around the universities through interactive learning and comparative research. These entrepreneurial ecosystems are well-positioned to promote sustainable entrepreneurship and thereby contribute to the Sustainable Development goals (Volkmann et al., 2021). The project aims to achieve Goal 4.4. By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, and Goal 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.
All partners are researchers and educators and engage in entrepreneurship research on Norwegian and South African students enrolled in the internship programs, exploring if and how the program may develop sustainability mindsets and cross-cultural competence among students, transforming them into change agents for a sustainable world.
Introduction
Faced with continuous low graduation rates, a South African university sought new ways to develop quantitative skills in business students, to improve their university success. Through fostering the positive values of internationalising learning content, opportunities were created to develop students more holistically, and provide them with the necessary skills to function more effectively in a competitive, ever-changing, local, and global business environment. The United States based, Carnegie Math Pathways® programme, through an international collaborative partnership, was adopted as the foundational element for quantitative skills development at our South African university. However, adaptations in learning content and technology-enhanced delivery had to be made to fit our unique South African context. The international collaboration, thus, included creating an integrated (i.e., global and local) curriculum and integrated technology-based environment for content delivery, whilst contributing to the vision of both partners.
The aim of this presentation is to share and reflect on this international collaborative project, with a focus on curriculum development, refinement, and delivery.
Methodology
An action research methodology is applied in the project. In the initial phase, a critical utopian action research (CUAR) methodology was employed to identify the key content and content delivery options to be used in the initial implementation of the programme at our university. The programme coordinators and researchers from both partners (n=7) contributed to this development phase. From thereon, a Participatory Action Learning Action Research (PALAR) methodology is used to adapt and refine the content and content delivery options on an annual basis. Data from students, facilitators (i.e., teachers), as well as the project team (as in the initial phase), is utilised to inform the continuous project refinement.
Results
During the initial development stage of the project, four learning units were adapted for the South African context and included in the initial implementation of the programme. From thereon, another eight learning units have been contextualised, for implementation in 2023. For content delivery, the (international) Carnegie Math Pathways educational platform was embedded within our university’s local learning management system (i.e., Blackboard) during the initial phase. Changes in content delivery have been implemented, e.g., flexibility in student collaboration session scheduling to allow for local challenges, such as load-shedding. The initial reflection on academic performance, shows some promising trends, with students also reporting on gaining new insights into the relevance of quantitative business skills to their futures.
Discussion
Internationalisation of learning content has created more relevance of content for students to be prepared to function in a glocal business world. The international collaborative project has additionally provided the opportunity to utilise international technology-based environments for delivering content to South African students. As a further measure of success, another international partner and funder (i.e., Kresge Foundation), has joined the project to support further contextualisation of learning content for the South African context, with a bigger focus on decolonisation. This project creates an opportunity for further research within on quantitative business skills development within the South African and other comparable middle- and low-income contexts, to deliver high-quality, global business graduates.
The SANORD structure and network strives to minimize and close this gap by promoting opportunities for student mobility and staff exchanges in relation to research and educational collaboration. This provides both North and South equal opportunities to voice their opinions and finding solutions to address mutual concerns as it relates to sustainable development goals through its members bringing together their experience and expertise in a multilateral and cross-disciplinary setting.
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch |
13:30 - 14:30 Parallel Session 5
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: The role of internationalisation in developing leadership in university students and staff | Topic: The Potential Impact and Influence of Private Higher Education Institutions in the Internationalization of Higher Education in South Africa | Topic: Moments of intersection: Reflections on Internationalisation, Collaboration and Communication during a COIL project between South Africa and the Netherlands | Topic: Investigating the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on internationalization of higher education in South Africa: “the bad, the good and the ugly”. | Topic: Digital internationalisation practices in higher education: Same Old (or not)! |
| Bhekumusa N. Zikhali, University of the Free State | Prem Ramlachan, Management College of Southern Africa | Tarryn Frankish, Durban University of Technology | Jabu Makhubela, University of Fort Hare | Mbali Moiketsi, University of the Free State |
| Kagiso Ngake, University of the Free State | Matome Mokoena, University of the Free State | |||
| Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Zenzele Mdletshe, University of Zululand | Chairperson: Stephen Appiah-Padi, Bucknell University | Chairperson: Asanda Tele, Nelson Mandela University | Chairperson: Danny Bokaba, University of Pretoria |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: The role of internationalisation in developing leadership in university students and staff | Topic: The Potential Impact and Influence of Private Higher Education Institutions in the Internationalization of Higher Education in South Africa |
| Bhekumusa N. Zikhali, University of the Free State | Prem Ramlachan, Management College of Southern Africa |
| Kagiso Ngake, University of the Free State | |
| Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Zenzele Mdletshe, University of Zululand |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Moments of intersection: Reflections on Internationalisation, Collaboration and Communication during a COIL project between South Africa and the Netherlands | Topic: Investigating the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on internationalization of higher education in South Africa: “the bad, the good and the ugly”. |
| Tarryn Frankish, Durban University of Technology | Jabu Makhubela, University of Fort Hare |
| Chairperson: Stephen Appiah-Padi, Bucknell University | Chairperson: Asanda Tele, Nelson Mandela University |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Digital internationalisation practices in higher education: Same Old (or not)! |
| Mbali Moiketsi, University of the Free State |
| Matome Mokoena, University of the Free State |
| Chairperson: Danny Bokaba, University of Pretoria |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
Institutions of higher education around the world are increasingly focusing on the trend of internationalisation. Higher Educational Institutions are increasingly acknowledged as improving the graduates’ and staff competitive edge as they become more globally renowned. This also goes to instilling a global perspective by shaping the expanding scope of values and ethics to align to the global perspective (this is in response to the different cultures and varying acceptable ethical standards in different societies) and empower graduate and (academic & professional/support) staff that connected and responsive to local and global knowledge and events. The preceding also applies to leadership development in internationalisation staff and students. Higher education leadership needs knowledge, understanding, dedication, and a clear objective to guide internationalisation efforts.
We must apply our understanding of higher education’s four pillars: knowledge, truth, critical thinking, and culture. The first pillar, “knowledge,” is concerned with what it means to have academic knowledge in the sense of creating a connection between the knower and the outside world rather than dividing them. Inquiries concerning the opportunities and obligations of academics and universities in a “post-truth” society to seek out and reveal the truth fall under the second pillar, “truth.” The third pillar, “critical thinking,” addresses the issue of whether critical understandings are acceptable for higher education. The possibility and capacity for academics, graduates and universities to engage in and contribute to public discussions, activities, and initiatives on mediating and resolving conflicts between value and belief systems in culturally diverse communities is the focus of the fourth pillar, “culture.” Together, the four research pillars form the philosophy of higher education, which is based on four fundamental threads of epistemological, social, ethical, and cultural past, present, and future.
Internationalisation has traditionally been viewed as a focus on the global movement of individual scholars and students as opposed to a technique to sway higher education institutions and systems. Therefore, the introduction of comprehensive internationalisation in Higher Education influences institutional practices and educational frameworks (methods). This paper interrogates and seeks to provide approaches to the role of internationalisation in developing leadership in university students and academic/professional staff. The paper will also seek to bring elements of Internationalisation @ Home and partnerships/collaborations as means of shaping comprehensive leadership of students and staff.
The Potential Impact and Influence of Private Higher Education Institutions in the Internationalization of Higher Education in South Africa
Abstract
WHAT AM I DOING?
Develop and unite all higher education teaching and learning centres under one umbrella body through the Department of Higher Education and Training and market South Africa into an international destination of choice to live, study, learn, teach and research.
DHET should be the national source of communication and information by including all teaching and learning centres within South
Africa. In uniting them, all institutions should maintain their autonomy and mode of delivery, as it allows potential students to make choices within a diversity of qualifications and institutions. As all institutions do almost the similar core administrative/academic functions of admissions, registrations, teaching and learning, research, graduation and alumni, their primary vision is to serve the student
to serve the universe.
WHY AM I DOING IT?
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 advocates the need for inclusive and equitable quality education, which will promote life-long learning opportunities for all. Globally, however, the demand for access to higher education exceeds the places which are available, resulting in many students who cannot obtain places in institutions and in their respective programmes of choice.
HOW AM I DOING IT?
The Independent Educational Associations of South Africa (IEASA) can take the lead in uniting all higher education institutions under one umbrella body while maintaining their autonomy and mode of delivery. Some ways to consider:
Engage in consultation and dialogue: IEASA can engage in consultation and dialogue with all higher education institutions
to understand their needs, concerns, and goals, and to build a common understanding of the benefits and challenges of uniting
under one umbrella body.
Develop a shared vision and mission: Based on the consultation and dialogue, IEASA can develop a shared vision and mission
for the higher education sector in South Africa, which will serve as the foundation for the united body.
Define the role and responsibilities of the umbrella body: The role and responsibilities of the umbrella body should be defined
in a way that balances the need for coordination and collaboration with the need to maintain the autonomy of individual
institutions.
Foster collaboration and communication: IEASA can foster collaboration and communication between institutions by
encouraging the sharing of best practices, resources, and expertise.
Support capacity building: IEASA can support capacity building by providing training and resources to institutions, which
will help them to better collaborate and work together as part of the united body.
Promote accountability and transparency: IEASA can promote accountability and transparency by establishing clear
governance structures and processes, and by regularly reporting on progress and outcomes.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the united body: Regular monitoring and evaluation can help to ensure that the
united body is achieving its goals and meeting the needs of the higher education sector.
WHERE AM I DOING IT?
IEASA’s 25th Annual Conference will form the highlight of the 2023 Jubilee Celebration. Themed Looking Back – Looking Forward,
the Conference will, after three years of online events, be held as a face-to-face conference in Durban from 23 to 25 August 2023.
WHAT OUTCOMES AM I LOOKING FOR?
South Africa, in its quest to be the preferred destination of choice to study and research, has to discover a working basis that is
universal in its application. With the demand for access to higher education which exceeds places available at public higher
education institutions, South Africa needs to re-evaluate its role as an educational services provider to aspire to SDG4, which is “To
ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, and promote lifelong.
There is growing literature to support the examination of moments of intersection in academic engagement. These moments may be understood as interactions, co-constructions or transformative moments in relationship-rich education (Felten and Lambert, 2020). This study is drawn to speaking about intersections (Zenger, 2022) to open up conversations related to how situatedness with others drives student learning.
This paper reports on a case study of a collaborative project between a University in Durban, South Africa and one in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Based in Media and Business the project focuses on intercultural communication and asks students to develop a video report of their own communication styles as it plays out in their interactions with each other.
This paper will look at the successes of the project for international collaboration and communication. However, embedded in discussions of internationalisation, collaboration and communication emerge the salience of critical moments of intersection for the South African students working within the project. In this paper I will unpack these critical moments and how they allow us to speak to dynamics related to race, class, gender etc that mark engaging with ‘the other’ and oneself. The study thus asks how engaging with others facilitates learning. This question is at the heart of this paper.
By reflecting on the project and examining reflection papers that students wrote at the end of the project we will be able to observe the outcomes of the project and students’ reflections on the process. These will be analysed for how they reveal insights into intersectionality and examining further how race, class and gender intersect and influence how learning takes place.
This analysis will allow us to speak to the learning opportunities and challenges that emerge from interactions with peers and teachers that may be missing in our handbooks for teaching praxis in higher education. This leads us to reflect on how and in what ways interacting with others expands or constrains students engagement. Such reflections offer insights into questions that have emerged after the Covid-19 pandemic regarding the benefits of online versus in-person classrooms can facilitate learning. Do students benefit from or miss out on learning when they interact with others and what does this tell us about how race, class and gender dynamics in our context play out in the classroom?
The Corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic, which was first indicated in Wuhan, China and rapidly became a pandemic, led numerous deaths around the world until today. The global Covid-19 pandemic affected higher education institutions, as it affected all areas of life. The pandemic caught the nations off-guard. The effects of the pandemic on internationalization in higher education institutions were among the important issues emphasized in this process. Due to the pandemic, higher education institutions were closed in South Africa and in most countries abroad. While certain countries attempted to solve the problem through distance education, certain others failed to manage the crisis due to the socio-economic and technological infrastructure problems. That’s way, as the impact of the pandemic on the economy was felt both in developed and developing countries, it also led to an increase in prevailing inequalities in several fields. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the rampage and severely affected lives of many globally. The disruption resulting from the pandemic cuts across various aspects of the society such as the economic, social, environmental and educational domains. Therefore, the paper seeks to investigate internationalization of higher education in South Africa, post Covid-19 pandemic in conjunction with challenges which existed in the higher education system before the advent of COVID-19 owing to the legacy of apartheid, transformational and other developmental issues in the South African context. The paper will employ a desk top research methodology, through reviewing of existing literature, published manuscripts, Government Gazettes and policy documents.
One of the key drivers of digital internationalisation in higher education has been the increasing demand for access to quality education from students worldwide. Another critical factor in the growth of digital internationalisation in higher education has been the increasing emphasis on globalisation and the need for higher education institutions to be competitive globally. In the context of internationalisation, digitalisation has the potential to foster inclusion and social justice. It can provide access to education for students who do not pursue higher education due to geographical location, financial constraints, or social and cultural barriers. Moreover, digitalisation has the potential to promote social justice by addressing issues of equity and fairness in the distribution of educational opportunities
Gap in the knowledge
Despite the potential of digital technologies to bridge the digital divide, there needs to be more understanding of the ways in which these technologies are impacting marginalised communities, particularly in developing countries. While there is growing awareness of the potential of digital technologies to promote inclusivity and social justice, there needs to be more research on the limitations and potential unintended consequences of these technologies.
Research Question and Aim
-To what extent are the digital internationalisation practices promoting inclusivity and social justice as opposed to simply duplicating former practices in the higher education?
-To determine the extent to which digital internationalisation practices promote inclusivity and social justice in higher education.
Method of study/ How to answer the question
Chosen method of study is desktop research and will be based on materials published in documents and websites of higher education institutions. The aim of this method is to achieve a broader understanding of digitalisation in higher education in South Africa.
1. Data available on the Internet: accessing information will be easier and one click away. This approach will provide a broader view of the digital approaches at higher education institutions
2. Sources of business information: Newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations will also be a great resource for this study.
What will the contribution be?
Digital internationalisation practices have the potential to promote inclusivity and social justice in the higher education sector, but it depends on how they are implemented and used. Higher education institutions should consider inclusivity and social justice when implementing digital internationalisation practices, and to ensure that they are not simply duplicating former practices in a digital space.
The contribution of digital internationalisation practices in higher education can have several implications, such as increased access to education; improved student engagement; international collaboration; enhanced reputation; and cost savings.
What are the main findings?
Further research and collaboration between stakeholders will be conducted to determine the benefits of digital technologies and if they are distributed equitably and they are used to address, rather than exacerbate, existing social justice issues.
Institutions of higher education around the world are increasingly focusing on the trend of internationalisation. Higher Educational Institutions are increasingly acknowledged as improving the graduates’ and staff competitive edge as they become more globally renowned. This also goes to instilling a global perspective by shaping the expanding scope of values and ethics to align to the global perspective (this is in response to the different cultures and varying acceptable ethical standards in different societies) and empower graduate and (academic & professional/support) staff that connected and responsive to local and global knowledge and events. The preceding also applies to leadership development in internationalisation staff and students. Higher education leadership needs knowledge, understanding, dedication, and a clear objective to guide internationalisation efforts.
We must apply our understanding of higher education’s four pillars: knowledge, truth, critical thinking, and culture. The first pillar, “knowledge,” is concerned with what it means to have academic knowledge in the sense of creating a connection between the knower and the outside world rather than dividing them. Inquiries concerning the opportunities and obligations of academics and universities in a “post-truth” society to seek out and reveal the truth fall under the second pillar, “truth.” The third pillar, “critical thinking,” addresses the issue of whether critical understandings are acceptable for higher education. The possibility and capacity for academics, graduates and universities to engage in and contribute to public discussions, activities, and initiatives on mediating and resolving conflicts between value and belief systems in culturally diverse communities is the focus of the fourth pillar, “culture.” Together, the four research pillars form the philosophy of higher education, which is based on four fundamental threads of epistemological, social, ethical, and cultural past, present, and future.
Internationalisation has traditionally been viewed as a focus on the global movement of individual scholars and students as opposed to a technique to sway higher education institutions and systems. Therefore, the introduction of comprehensive internationalisation in Higher Education influences institutional practices and educational frameworks (methods). This paper interrogates and seeks to provide approaches to the role of internationalisation in developing leadership in university students and academic/professional staff. The paper will also seek to bring elements of Internationalisation @ Home and partnerships/collaborations as means of shaping comprehensive leadership of students and staff.
The Potential Impact and Influence of Private Higher Education Institutions in the Internationalization of Higher Education in South Africa
Abstract
WHAT AM I DOING?
Develop and unite all higher education teaching and learning centres under one umbrella body through the Department of Higher Education and Training and market South Africa into an international destination of choice to live, study, learn, teach and research.
DHET should be the national source of communication and information by including all teaching and learning centres within South
Africa. In uniting them, all institutions should maintain their autonomy and mode of delivery, as it allows potential students to make choices within a diversity of qualifications and institutions. As all institutions do almost the similar core administrative/academic functions of admissions, registrations, teaching and learning, research, graduation and alumni, their primary vision is to serve the student
to serve the universe.
WHY AM I DOING IT?
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 advocates the need for inclusive and equitable quality education, which will promote life-long learning opportunities for all. Globally, however, the demand for access to higher education exceeds the places which are available, resulting in many students who cannot obtain places in institutions and in their respective programmes of choice.
HOW AM I DOING IT?
The Independent Educational Associations of South Africa (IEASA) can take the lead in uniting all higher education institutions under one umbrella body while maintaining their autonomy and mode of delivery. Some ways to consider:
Engage in consultation and dialogue: IEASA can engage in consultation and dialogue with all higher education institutions
to understand their needs, concerns, and goals, and to build a common understanding of the benefits and challenges of uniting
under one umbrella body.
Develop a shared vision and mission: Based on the consultation and dialogue, IEASA can develop a shared vision and mission
for the higher education sector in South Africa, which will serve as the foundation for the united body.
Define the role and responsibilities of the umbrella body: The role and responsibilities of the umbrella body should be defined
in a way that balances the need for coordination and collaboration with the need to maintain the autonomy of individual
institutions.
Foster collaboration and communication: IEASA can foster collaboration and communication between institutions by
encouraging the sharing of best practices, resources, and expertise.
Support capacity building: IEASA can support capacity building by providing training and resources to institutions, which
will help them to better collaborate and work together as part of the united body.
Promote accountability and transparency: IEASA can promote accountability and transparency by establishing clear
governance structures and processes, and by regularly reporting on progress and outcomes.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the united body: Regular monitoring and evaluation can help to ensure that the
united body is achieving its goals and meeting the needs of the higher education sector.
WHERE AM I DOING IT?
IEASA’s 25th Annual Conference will form the highlight of the 2023 Jubilee Celebration. Themed Looking Back – Looking Forward,
the Conference will, after three years of online events, be held as a face-to-face conference in Durban from 23 to 25 August 2023.
WHAT OUTCOMES AM I LOOKING FOR?
South Africa, in its quest to be the preferred destination of choice to study and research, has to discover a working basis that is
universal in its application. With the demand for access to higher education which exceeds places available at public higher
education institutions, South Africa needs to re-evaluate its role as an educational services provider to aspire to SDG4, which is “To
ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, and promote lifelong.
There is growing literature to support the examination of moments of intersection in academic engagement. These moments may be understood as interactions, co-constructions or transformative moments in relationship-rich education (Felten and Lambert, 2020). This study is drawn to speaking about intersections (Zenger, 2022) to open up conversations related to how situatedness with others drives student learning.
This paper reports on a case study of a collaborative project between a University in Durban, South Africa and one in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Based in Media and Business the project focuses on intercultural communication and asks students to develop a video report of their own communication styles as it plays out in their interactions with each other.
This paper will look at the successes of the project for international collaboration and communication. However, embedded in discussions of internationalisation, collaboration and communication emerge the salience of critical moments of intersection for the South African students working within the project. In this paper I will unpack these critical moments and how they allow us to speak to dynamics related to race, class, gender etc that mark engaging with ‘the other’ and oneself. The study thus asks how engaging with others facilitates learning. This question is at the heart of this paper.
By reflecting on the project and examining reflection papers that students wrote at the end of the project we will be able to observe the outcomes of the project and students’ reflections on the process. These will be analysed for how they reveal insights into intersectionality and examining further how race, class and gender intersect and influence how learning takes place.
This analysis will allow us to speak to the learning opportunities and challenges that emerge from interactions with peers and teachers that may be missing in our handbooks for teaching praxis in higher education. This leads us to reflect on how and in what ways interacting with others expands or constrains students engagement. Such reflections offer insights into questions that have emerged after the Covid-19 pandemic regarding the benefits of online versus in-person classrooms can facilitate learning. Do students benefit from or miss out on learning when they interact with others and what does this tell us about how race, class and gender dynamics in our context play out in the classroom?
The Corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic, which was first indicated in Wuhan, China and rapidly became a pandemic, led numerous deaths around the world until today. The global Covid-19 pandemic affected higher education institutions, as it affected all areas of life. The pandemic caught the nations off-guard. The effects of the pandemic on internationalization in higher education institutions were among the important issues emphasized in this process. Due to the pandemic, higher education institutions were closed in South Africa and in most countries abroad. While certain countries attempted to solve the problem through distance education, certain others failed to manage the crisis due to the socio-economic and technological infrastructure problems. That’s way, as the impact of the pandemic on the economy was felt both in developed and developing countries, it also led to an increase in prevailing inequalities in several fields. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the rampage and severely affected lives of many globally. The disruption resulting from the pandemic cuts across various aspects of the society such as the economic, social, environmental and educational domains. Therefore, the paper seeks to investigate internationalization of higher education in South Africa, post Covid-19 pandemic in conjunction with challenges which existed in the higher education system before the advent of COVID-19 owing to the legacy of apartheid, transformational and other developmental issues in the South African context. The paper will employ a desk top research methodology, through reviewing of existing literature, published manuscripts, Government Gazettes and policy documents.
One of the key drivers of digital internationalisation in higher education has been the increasing demand for access to quality education from students worldwide. Another critical factor in the growth of digital internationalisation in higher education has been the increasing emphasis on globalisation and the need for higher education institutions to be competitive globally. In the context of internationalisation, digitalisation has the potential to foster inclusion and social justice. It can provide access to education for students who do not pursue higher education due to geographical location, financial constraints, or social and cultural barriers. Moreover, digitalisation has the potential to promote social justice by addressing issues of equity and fairness in the distribution of educational opportunities
Gap in the knowledge
Despite the potential of digital technologies to bridge the digital divide, there needs to be more understanding of the ways in which these technologies are impacting marginalised communities, particularly in developing countries. While there is growing awareness of the potential of digital technologies to promote inclusivity and social justice, there needs to be more research on the limitations and potential unintended consequences of these technologies.
Research Question and Aim
-To what extent are the digital internationalisation practices promoting inclusivity and social justice as opposed to simply duplicating former practices in the higher education?
-To determine the extent to which digital internationalisation practices promote inclusivity and social justice in higher education.
Method of study/ How to answer the question
Chosen method of study is desktop research and will be based on materials published in documents and websites of higher education institutions. The aim of this method is to achieve a broader understanding of digitalisation in higher education in South Africa.
1. Data available on the Internet: accessing information will be easier and one click away. This approach will provide a broader view of the digital approaches at higher education institutions
2. Sources of business information: Newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations will also be a great resource for this study.
What will the contribution be?
Digital internationalisation practices have the potential to promote inclusivity and social justice in the higher education sector, but it depends on how they are implemented and used. Higher education institutions should consider inclusivity and social justice when implementing digital internationalisation practices, and to ensure that they are not simply duplicating former practices in a digital space.
The contribution of digital internationalisation practices in higher education can have several implications, such as increased access to education; improved student engagement; international collaboration; enhanced reputation; and cost savings.
What are the main findings?
Further research and collaboration between stakeholders will be conducted to determine the benefits of digital technologies and if they are distributed equitably and they are used to address, rather than exacerbate, existing social justice issues.
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
14:45 - 15:45 Poster Session
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E | PRESENTATION F | PRESENTATION G |
| Topic: Digitization of hiking routes in Durban – a student project between South African and German students using the technology platform outdooractive | Topic: Digitalisation of critical internationalisation databases: “A progressive step in employing Technology to enhance internationalisation” | Topic: Reflecting on 25yrs of collaboration: South Africa and the Netherlands | Topic: A reflection of my lived experiences as an international student at Rhodes University and the role played by the International Office | Topic: The role of internationalisation for sustainability | Topic: Reflections of staff and students on their first involvement in COIL | Topic: Equal Consortium Collaboration: The iKudu Project |
| Ralph Berchtenbreiter, Durban University of Technology | Refilwe Moleyane, Central University of Technology | Huba Boshoff, Nuffic | Vuyelwa O’Lacy Moyo, Rhodes University | Devonne Dimumbi, Institute for the International Education of Students | Benita Bobo, Durban University of Technology | Chevon Slambee, University of the Free State |
| Lewis Kaplan, Durban University of Technology, | Hlomelang Metsing, Central university of Technology | Berto Bosscha, Nuffic | Dingaan Booi, Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Jody Felton, Institute for the International Education of Students | Snegugu Mngwengwe, Durban University of Technology | Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State |
| Busi Ngutshane, Central University of Technology | Other iKudu representatives | |||||
| Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: Digitization of hiking routes in Durban – a student project between South African and German students using the technology platform outdooractive | Topic: Digitalisation of critical internationalisation databases: “A progressive step in employing Technology to enhance internationalisation” |
| Ralph Berchtenbreiter, Durban University of Technology | Refilwe Moleyane, Central University of Technology |
| Lewis Kaplan, Durban University of Technology, | Hlomelang Metsing, Central university of Technology |
| Busi Ngutshane, Central University of Technology | |
| Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Reflecting on 25yrs of collaboration: South Africa and the Netherlands | Topic: A reflection of my lived experiences as an international student at Rhodes University and the role played by the International Office |
| Huba Boshoff, Nuffic | Vuyelwa O’Lacy Moyo, Rhodes University |
| Berto Bosscha, Nuffic | Dingaan Booi, Cape Peninsula University of Technology |
| Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga |
PRESENTATION E | PRESENTATION F |
| Topic: The role of internationalisation for sustainability | Topic: Reflections of staff and students on their first involvement in COIL |
| Devonne Dimumbi, Institute for the International Education of Students | Benita Bobo, Durban University of Technology |
| Jody Felton, Institute for the International Education of Students | Snegugu Mngwengwe, Durban University of Technology |
| Venue: Great Ilanga | Venue: Great Ilanga |
PRESENTATION G |
| Topic: Equal Consortium Collaboration: The iKudu Project |
Chevon Slambee, University of the Free State |
Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State |
Other iKudu representatives
|
| Venue: Great Ilanga |
COIL projects are a modern way of using digital technologies to enable students to gain international experience without leaving their home university. Such approaches are important because many students don’t have the financial ressources to spend a semester abroad despite funding opportunities (e.g. Erasmus). In addition, there are often personal barriers that prevent students from leaving their familiar social environment. However, COIL courses are complex to organize, which is why many lecturers shy away from offering such courses to international students. This is even more true if a COIL course cannot be integrated permanently and thus sustainably into teaching. The effort involved in designing a COIL course therefor cannot be amortized over several semesters from the point of view of the lecturer. Further complexity arises if industry partners are involved.
In the case of the teaching project to be presented between the Durban University of Technology (DUT, Department of Entrepreneurial Studies and Management), Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences (HM, Department of Tourism) and the industry partner Outdooractive.com, a pilot project was to be tested that is largely based on self-organizing elements. The aim is to find out how an international teaching project with industry participation can be implemented with less effort, thus making it easier for students to gain an international teaching experience. Furthermore, the course should be repeatable. This ensures that lessons can be learned from experiences made by incorporating these insights into the next course.
The industry partner set the task that tourists visiting Durban are presented with a hiking trail in Durban that is interesting from a tourist’s point of view on the global digital technology platform outdooractive. This serves to market the destination of Durban globally on the platform. The task was chosen without strong content specifications in order to give the students maximum freedom in the implementation. The hiking trail is to be digitally tracked by the students, equipped with media and with content bilingually (English/German). This task is assigned to a mixed team of DUT and HM students with specific subtasks: Which route to choose was decided by the DUT students based on their local and tourism expertise. The implementation on the platform was done by HM students with their digital platform know-how. The choice and use of digital tools for collaborative work was not given to the students. Likewise, the organization of the project was left to the students in self-organization and without restrictions and specifications by the lecturers.
The students successfully implemented the task. As a result, it can be stated that in this case, the use of technology promoted inclusion and social justice in internationalization. Similar challenges existed as in elaborate COIL projects. Central to the success were intrinsically and extrinsically motivated students, as well as a well-coordinated international faculty team. The “Lean COIL” approach significantly reduced the organizational effort, thus promoting the offering of digital international courses. Improvements are possible. In addition, students were provided with an international teaching experience at their home institution.
The 4th Industrial Revolution brings with it a new dynamic that digitally influences the successful delivery and implementation of internationalisation of higher education initiatives. The role of technology in internationalisation of higher education now more than ever plays a critical role in internationalisation initiatives. In response to Industry 4.0, universities are called to digitalise systems and processes within the sector.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the urgency for key functions of internationalisation such as partnerships database management; mobility projects and funded project consortiums to digitalise. The lines between the physical and digital are slowly blurring at an increasing speed. New technology is disrupting the management and implementation of internationalisation across the higher education sector. The purpose of the poster is to demonstrate and illustrate that the current digital transformation is shaped by its international/global connections and in response to the international dynamic universities may need to proactively adapt their internationalisation initiatives.
The poster will use CUT’s digitalisation journey to demonstrate its response to Industry 4.0 output and current trends:
-Use of modern technologies to collate and accumulate data on the universities footprint internationally
-Monitoring and evaluating international partnership performance using an online platform
-Improve accurate data management critical for internationalisation reporting across university forums.
-Use of online platforms to enhance partner relations through database systems.
-Promoting and enhancing online collaborative projects
-Aimed at enhancing the teaching and learning agenda of the institution.
-Promoting the climate change dialogue by introducing alternative approaches to internationalise
At the end of the poster session, we expect the audience or participants to appreciate the following:
-Digitalisation of the higher education sector while adding to the need to implement comprehensive internationalisation is a collaborative process across the university’s functioning.
-Digitalisation strategies can fit form and identity in accordance with the university’s priorities.
-Embracing technology is an inclusive project that is time sensitive.
-Embracing technology in higher education does not have a standard template for all institutions.
The Netherlands and South Africa have a long-standing, intensive and multifaceted cooperation in education and research. Dutch higher education institutions have worked for decades with South African partners in various fields including student exchange, joint research programmes, joint degrees, cooperation in European and community service projects. Some partnerships on bilateral level date back to the 1990s.
This poster session will showcase some of the key moments and projects that shaped the relationship between the two countries including the NRF-Nuffic doctoral programme, SANPAD, the Orange Knowledge programme and the Merian Fund. It will also offer a perspective on what the future of collaboration could look like.
I rejected a Masters’s offer from a Zimbabwean University and took the Honours offer from a South African University as I had long wanted to face the impact of exposure to diversity, the development of intercultural competency, and, most importantly, being engaged in a global curriculum. I am from Zimbabwe, and my first degree, which was four years long, was conferred as an Honours degree. This caused an uproar from my family, who obviously could not wait for me to finish studying and get employed, and to them, this was not an upgrade but a downgrade in my studies. Well, a few years later, I am doing my 2nd year PhD, while in the Zimbabwean context, I would have already been a Doctor. Aside from the academic side, there are many other things I have gone through to adjust to the system, things as cultural shocks, struggles with visa renewals, mental health issues and a significant shift to being involved in student politics for two years as the Student Representative Council member serving as the Postgraduate Affairs councillor.
Has it all been worth it, or do I regret it? This paper will be an extensive review of my lived experience as an International student, and not only as an extraordinary student but as one who has been actively involved in student leadership and being a member of decision-making committees like the Senate and the Council within the Rhodes University context. This lived experience will be engaging on the societal impact of globalisation in a global and local context and what being part of an institution that identifies as being locally and globally engaged in higher education has meant to me from a student perspective. In a nutshell, there is a significant role that has been played by the International Office, and in collaboration with my presentation, they will also state how they have assisted other students and me, especially when there are visa problems and how they have adapted to the ever-changing circumstances that affect international students in accessing higher education at Rhodes University.
This paper also highlights the importance of student voices and lived experiences on the impact of internationalisation at institutions of higher learning. We are future leaders, and being actively involved in such discussions will make us conscious scholars contributing to policy-making and globally engaged citizens.
In 2021 Jody Felton along with David Reiersgord spoke on Horizontality-A different methodology for South African Higher Education Institutions and Organisations to engage. This proposal looks at a follow-up of that by looking at The Role of Internationalisation for Sustainability in relation to the overarching theme of Looking Back – Looking Forward.
They looked at the relationship between study abroad providers and universities and the many host countries as a very vertical relationship. Asking the question, “how can we create a more horizontal focus for study abroad providers?”
In 2022 we were finally able to pilot the project we’ve been working on after months of engagement with the two universities. We worked on creating more sustainable relationships and partnerships with these universities working directly and collaborating. We brought to life some of the course content with intermobility and relying on the strengths of our partners. This year we are running the field trip again to both universities and continue to build on the program components. We believe this is sustainable for the future and students not only get to explore more in-depth the various content but also learn more about the history and culture of the cities we visit in a meaningful way. This collaboration is sustainable for all parties and we look forward to growing.
Key Words
Study Abroad, Engagement, Partnerships, Collaboration, Sustainability
This presentation draws on Rolfe, Freshwater and Jasper’s (2001) framework of reflective writing, to reflect on an early career academic’s experience and students’ perspectives of embedding a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project in a General Education module at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
COIL is a pedagogical tool that seeks to deepen students’ global engagement, while promoting intercultural competence. It is an innovative approach that fosters meaningful learning amongst students and staff with different linguacultural backgrounds in the online environment. DUT became the first African university to join the Global Network Partner in the State University of New York (SUNY) COIL system in 2015. This is in-line with the university’s strategic plan that includes the internationalization of the institution. This is also in-line with the national Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) internationalisation at home’s approach.
Cornerstone 101 (CSTN101) is one of 44 General Education modules offered at DUT. It is a compulsory module for all first-year students. Whereas there are various COIL projects that are run at DUT, this was the first time a project of this nature ran in the Centre for General Education, which services the CSTN101 module. 89 CSTN101 students that form the part-time class participated in this project. The 7-week long COIL project titled “Literature for Change: Envisioning Sustainable Futures” was a collaboration between three modules in two universities – SUNY New Paltz in New York and the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in South Africa.
Rolfe et al. (2001: 1) propose a three-step model which can be used to aid in the process of reflective writing. This framework is based on three questions, namely: What? So what? Now what? This presentation is centered around trying to answer these three questions. The presenters jointly reflect on their different experiences of having been involved in a COIL project for the first time. They explore what their key learnings were, and how these key learnings may be implemented in future COIL projects that they engaged in.
The iKudu project, which is co-funded through an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education funding grant, involves 10 consortium members: Five South African Universities (UFS, DUT, UL, CUT & UNIVEN), Five European Universities (UAntwerp, AUAS, THUAS, USiena and UCoventry). It was conceptualised to develop a contextualised South African concept of Internationalisation of the Curriculum (IoC), which integrates Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) virtual exchanges. At the heart of the project are values such as inclusivity, mutuality, respect and trust. The project which commenced in November 2019 and is due to end in July 2024, has achieved a lot. For instance, in line with the project proposal we are on an upward positive trajectory to achieve on all targets promised. For example, after the iKudu Leadership summit in June 2022, the project developed Considerations for enabling guidelines, strategies, and policies for internationalised curriculum renewal for universities with a focus on the diverse South African contexts and numerous open access professional development resources which will be made available for wider public consumption on the iKudu project website which can be accessed under the resources tab on the following project website: https://www.ufs.ac.za/ikudu/iKudu-home. In this poster presentation, we share a number of resources and insights with delegates.
COIL projects are a modern way of using digital technologies to enable students to gain international experience without leaving their home university. Such approaches are important because many students don’t have the financial ressources to spend a semester abroad despite funding opportunities (e.g. Erasmus). In addition, there are often personal barriers that prevent students from leaving their familiar social environment. However, COIL courses are complex to organize, which is why many lecturers shy away from offering such courses to international students. This is even more true if a COIL course cannot be integrated permanently and thus sustainably into teaching. The effort involved in designing a COIL course therefor cannot be amortized over several semesters from the point of view of the lecturer. Further complexity arises if industry partners are involved.
In the case of the teaching project to be presented between the Durban University of Technology (DUT, Department of Entrepreneurial Studies and Management), Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences (HM, Department of Tourism) and the industry partner Outdooractive.com, a pilot project was to be tested that is largely based on self-organizing elements. The aim is to find out how an international teaching project with industry participation can be implemented with less effort, thus making it easier for students to gain an international teaching experience. Furthermore, the course should be repeatable. This ensures that lessons can be learned from experiences made by incorporating these insights into the next course.
The industry partner set the task that tourists visiting Durban are presented with a hiking trail in Durban that is interesting from a tourist’s point of view on the global digital technology platform outdooractive. This serves to market the destination of Durban globally on the platform. The task was chosen without strong content specifications in order to give the students maximum freedom in the implementation. The hiking trail is to be digitally tracked by the students, equipped with media and with content bilingually (English/German). This task is assigned to a mixed team of DUT and HM students with specific subtasks: Which route to choose was decided by the DUT students based on their local and tourism expertise. The implementation on the platform was done by HM students with their digital platform know-how. The choice and use of digital tools for collaborative work was not given to the students. Likewise, the organization of the project was left to the students in self-organization and without restrictions and specifications by the lecturers.
The students successfully implemented the task. As a result, it can be stated that in this case, the use of technology promoted inclusion and social justice in internationalization. Similar challenges existed as in elaborate COIL projects. Central to the success were intrinsically and extrinsically motivated students, as well as a well-coordinated international faculty team. The “Lean COIL” approach significantly reduced the organizational effort, thus promoting the offering of digital international courses. Improvements are possible. In addition, students were provided with an international teaching experience at their home institution.
The 4th Industrial Revolution brings with it a new dynamic that digitally influences the successful delivery and implementation of internationalisation of higher education initiatives. The role of technology in internationalisation of higher education now more than ever plays a critical role in internationalisation initiatives. In response to Industry 4.0, universities are called to digitalise systems and processes within the sector.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the urgency for key functions of internationalisation such as partnerships database management; mobility projects and funded project consortiums to digitalise. The lines between the physical and digital are slowly blurring at an increasing speed. New technology is disrupting the management and implementation of internationalisation across the higher education sector. The purpose of the poster is to demonstrate and illustrate that the current digital transformation is shaped by its international/global connections and in response to the international dynamic universities may need to proactively adapt their internationalisation initiatives.
The poster will use CUT’s digitalisation journey to demonstrate its response to Industry 4.0 output and current trends:
-Use of modern technologies to collate and accumulate data on the universities footprint internationally
-Monitoring and evaluating international partnership performance using an online platform
-Improve accurate data management critical for internationalisation reporting across university forums.
-Use of online platforms to enhance partner relations through database systems.
-Promoting and enhancing online collaborative projects
-Aimed at enhancing the teaching and learning agenda of the institution.
-Promoting the climate change dialogue by introducing alternative approaches to internationalise
At the end of the poster session, we expect the audience or participants to appreciate the following:
-Digitalisation of the higher education sector while adding to the need to implement comprehensive internationalisation is a collaborative process across the university’s functioning.
-Digitalisation strategies can fit form and identity in accordance with the university’s priorities.
-Embracing technology is an inclusive project that is time sensitive.
-Embracing technology in higher education does not have a standard template for all institutions.
The Netherlands and South Africa have a long-standing, intensive and multifaceted cooperation in education and research. Dutch higher education institutions have worked for decades with South African partners in various fields including student exchange, joint research programmes, joint degrees, cooperation in European and community service projects. Some partnerships on bilateral level date back to the 1990s.
This poster session will showcase some of the key moments and projects that shaped the relationship between the two countries including the NRF-Nuffic doctoral programme, SANPAD, the Orange Knowledge programme and the Merian Fund. It will also offer a perspective on what the future of collaboration could look like.
I rejected a Masters’s offer from a Zimbabwean University and took the Honours offer from a South African University as I had long wanted to face the impact of exposure to diversity, the development of intercultural competency, and, most importantly, being engaged in a global curriculum. I am from Zimbabwe, and my first degree, which was four years long, was conferred as an Honours degree. This caused an uproar from my family, who obviously could not wait for me to finish studying and get employed, and to them, this was not an upgrade but a downgrade in my studies. Well, a few years later, I am doing my 2nd year PhD, while in the Zimbabwean context, I would have already been a Doctor. Aside from the academic side, there are many other things I have gone through to adjust to the system, things as cultural shocks, struggles with visa renewals, mental health issues and a significant shift to being involved in student politics for two years as the Student Representative Council member serving as the Postgraduate Affairs councillor.
Has it all been worth it, or do I regret it? This paper will be an extensive review of my lived experience as an International student, and not only as an extraordinary student but as one who has been actively involved in student leadership and being a member of decision-making committees like the Senate and the Council within the Rhodes University context. This lived experience will be engaging on the societal impact of globalisation in a global and local context and what being part of an institution that identifies as being locally and globally engaged in higher education has meant to me from a student perspective. In a nutshell, there is a significant role that has been played by the International Office, and in collaboration with my presentation, they will also state how they have assisted other students and me, especially when there are visa problems and how they have adapted to the ever-changing circumstances that affect international students in accessing higher education at Rhodes University.
This paper also highlights the importance of student voices and lived experiences on the impact of internationalisation at institutions of higher learning. We are future leaders, and being actively involved in such discussions will make us conscious scholars contributing to policy-making and globally engaged citizens.
In 2021 Jody Felton along with David Reiersgord spoke on Horizontality-A different methodology for South African Higher Education Institutions and Organisations to engage. This proposal looks at a follow-up of that by looking at The Role of Internationalisation for Sustainability in relation to the overarching theme of Looking Back – Looking Forward.
They looked at the relationship between study abroad providers and universities and the many host countries as a very vertical relationship. Asking the question, “how can we create a more horizontal focus for study abroad providers?”
In 2022 we were finally able to pilot the project we’ve been working on after months of engagement with the two universities. We worked on creating more sustainable relationships and partnerships with these universities working directly and collaborating. We brought to life some of the course content with intermobility and relying on the strengths of our partners. This year we are running the field trip again to both universities and continue to build on the program components. We believe this is sustainable for the future and students not only get to explore more in-depth the various content but also learn more about the history and culture of the cities we visit in a meaningful way. This collaboration is sustainable for all parties and we look forward to growing.
Key Words
Study Abroad, Engagement, Partnerships, Collaboration, Sustainability
This presentation draws on Rolfe, Freshwater and Jasper’s (2001) framework of reflective writing, to reflect on an early career academic’s experience and students’ perspectives of embedding a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project in a General Education module at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
COIL is a pedagogical tool that seeks to deepen students’ global engagement, while promoting intercultural competence. It is an innovative approach that fosters meaningful learning amongst students and staff with different linguacultural backgrounds in the online environment. DUT became the first African university to join the Global Network Partner in the State University of New York (SUNY) COIL system in 2015. This is in-line with the university’s strategic plan that includes the internationalization of the institution. This is also in-line with the national Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) internationalisation at home’s approach.
Cornerstone 101 (CSTN101) is one of 44 General Education modules offered at DUT. It is a compulsory module for all first-year students. Whereas there are various COIL projects that are run at DUT, this was the first time a project of this nature ran in the Centre for General Education, which services the CSTN101 module. 89 CSTN101 students that form the part-time class participated in this project. The 7-week long COIL project titled “Literature for Change: Envisioning Sustainable Futures” was a collaboration between three modules in two universities – SUNY New Paltz in New York and the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in South Africa.
Rolfe et al. (2001: 1) propose a three-step model which can be used to aid in the process of reflective writing. This framework is based on three questions, namely: What? So what? Now what? This presentation is centered around trying to answer these three questions. The presenters jointly reflect on their different experiences of having been involved in a COIL project for the first time. They explore what their key learnings were, and how these key learnings may be implemented in future COIL projects that they engaged in.
The iKudu project, which is co-funded through an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education funding grant, involves 10 consortium members: Five South African Universities (UFS, DUT, UL, CUT & UNIVEN), Five European Universities (UAntwerp, AUAS, THUAS, USiena and UCoventry). It was conceptualised to develop a contextualised South African concept of Internationalisation of the Curriculum (IoC), which integrates Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) virtual exchanges. At the heart of the project are values such as inclusivity, mutuality, respect and trust. The project which commenced in November 2019 and is due to end in July 2024, has achieved a lot. For instance, in line with the project proposal we are on an upward positive trajectory to achieve on all targets promised. For example, after the iKudu Leadership summit in June 2022, the project developed Considerations for enabling guidelines, strategies, and policies for internationalised curriculum renewal for universities with a focus on the diverse South African contexts and numerous open access professional development resources which will be made available for wider public consumption on the iKudu project website which can be accessed under the resources tab on the following project website: https://www.ufs.ac.za/ikudu/iKudu-home. In this poster presentation, we share a number of resources and insights with delegates.
PRESENTATION A LINKS:
PRESENTATION G LINKS:
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| 15:45 – 16:15 | Refreshment Break |
16:15 - 17:15 Parallel Session 6
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: The role of Internationalisation in promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) in higher education and society | CANCELLED | Topic: Covid-19 Implications on the University of Limpopo International Students Registration Process: The Need to Adjust | Topic: Macro-level factors impacting International Research Collaboration in South Africa | Topic: Digitisation of International Students Administrative Processes: A UWC Practise |
| Zoleka Mkhabela, University of KwaZulu-Natal | Vusi Makamu, University of Limpopo | Divinia Jithoo, Durban University of Technology | Khwezi Bonani, University of the Western Cape | |
| Mzwandile Zulu, University of KwaZulu-Natal | Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | |||
| Chairperson: Samia Chasi, IEASA | Chairperson: Danny Bokaba, University of Pretoria | Chairperson: Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State | Chairperson: Matome Mokoena, University of the Free State | |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: The role of Internationalisation in promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) in higher education and society | CANCELLED |
| Zoleka Mkhabela, University of KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Mzwandile Zulu, University of KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Chairperson: Samia Chasi, IEASA | |
| Venue: Suite 1 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Covid-19 Implications on the University of Limpopo International Students Registration Process: The Need to Adjust | Topic: Macro-level factors impacting International Research Collaboration in South Africa |
| Vusi Makamu, University of Limpopo | Divinia Jithoo, Durban University of Technology |
| Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | |
| Chairperson: Danny Bokaba, University of Pretoria | Chairperson: Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Digitisation of International Students Administrative Processes: A UWC Practise |
| Khwezi Bonani, University of the Western Cape |
| Chairperson: Matome Mokoena, University of the Free State |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
This research study explores the role of internationalization in promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) in higher education and society. The study focuses on the experiences of two postgraduate students from South Africa who participated in an international exchange program in two European countries. The research question guiding this study is: “How does higher education internationalization intersect with justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) concerns?” The study utilizes a reflective photovoice methodology, allowing the participants to use their own photographs and narratives to reflect on their experiences and to identify issues related to JEDI. The findings reveal that internationalization has the potential to promote JEDI values in higher education and society, but it also highlights challenges and areas that require improvement. This study contributes to the discourse on JEDI and internationalization in higher education and provides recommendations for institutions and policymakers to promote more inclusive and equitable internationalization practices.
This paper aims to outline and critically analyse the impact of Covid-19 outbreak on the institution of higher learning; case study of the registration process of international students at the University of Limpopo (UL) focusing at the national emigrational act, the University admission policy and admission guide from International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA). The Covid-19 outbreak has critically affected academic sphere with major uncertainties and disruptions of the economy, health sector and other governmental sectors this include the institution of higher learning. Thus, Universities and college campuses serve as informational and cultural hubs where students come together across the globe to acquire knowledge and explore the world. For the first time South African adopted the innovative policy framework for internationalization of high education in 2019 which aimed at encouraging among other internationalization at home and the international students 5% SADC protocol to South African universities. Due to the covid-19 outbreak the higher education sector was affected and expected to adjust to the so call “new normal”. The adjustment includes among other adjusting to new ways of recruiting international student’s and the registration process of international students in order to ensure internationalization. This is a conceptual paper which will carefully select secondary data and review the literature in order to support the need to adjust the admission of international students’ process at the University of Limpopo as the results of the coronavirus. To this end, the paper recommends that South African universities should adjust all international student’s admission policies and processes in order to meet international standard and continue with teaching and learning process. In summation, this paper will propose possible solution’s and make certain recommendation’s the can be employed to improve current state of international student’s recruitment, registration process and university policies.
Keywords: Internationalization, international students, registration & admission, Covid-19, University of Limpopo.
There are macro-level factors impacting South African higher education institutions and their ability to engage in international research collaboration (IRC) that leads to co-authored scholarly output. The history of a country, economic power and development opportunities, geopolitics, and institutional, national, regional, and global structural dynamics impact research capacity, infrastructure, resources and agendas across the globe. In the Global South, including South Africa, there are many challenges that impede the participation in and contribution to global research output stemming from these influencing impactors. As a result, the scientific core across the globe as well as within specific regions and countries are highly unequal. This paper aims to explore this phenomenon in the context of international research collaboration when capacity and infrastructure for research are not balanced. Through a mixed method approach, the presenters will use Scopus and Sci-Val quantitative data to highlight the collaborative patterns of higher education institutions in South Africa and qualitative data that highlights the challenges of research team leaders within South Africa aiming to include perspectives from the periphery. The aim is to illuminate the limiting factors of the inclusion into research collaboration from the developing world’s scientific periphery by the core within the context of Africa.
Technology plays a huge role in improving administrative efficiency as well as enhancing student experience. The proposed presentation seeks to share UWC’s International Student Services Office (ISSO) experience with digitisation of pre-registration clearance process.
It is a matter of common cause that all students must undergo a pre-registration clearance process prior to their actual academic registration. This process entails financial clearance which applies to all students, local and international. For international students, there is an additional layer of immigration clearance. The University of the Western Cape has until recently cleared students manually for their fees and immigration requirements. This meant long and multiple queues, especially for international students – impacting negatively on student experience. Furthermore, the manual process also meant that we had to make copies of the documents, scan and file them – and this was a tedious and expensive administrative burden.
ISSO introduced an online immigration pre-registration clearance process in 2021. This is one of the positive lessons induced by COVID-19. With the introduction of virtual academic and administrative activity, we had to think on our feet as to how we can digitise our processes. Enhancing the university information management systems was not a quick enough option for ISSO, especially given that we only cater for about 6% of the total student population. We therefore identified the Jotform digital platform as our alternative. We are currently using this platform for both our pre-registration clearance as well as immigration letters.
The benefits of digitisation are immense and they include enhanced student experience and administrative efficiency. These may potentially also include an improved sense of inclusion and belonging for international students as it cuts out a need for an additional layer of queueing. It is our hope that sharing this experience might assist other colleagues to begin to develop similar practises where manual processes are still employed.
This research study explores the role of internationalization in promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) in higher education and society. The study focuses on the experiences of two postgraduate students from South Africa who participated in an international exchange program in two European countries. The research question guiding this study is: “How does higher education internationalization intersect with justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) concerns?” The study utilizes a reflective photovoice methodology, allowing the participants to use their own photographs and narratives to reflect on their experiences and to identify issues related to JEDI. The findings reveal that internationalization has the potential to promote JEDI values in higher education and society, but it also highlights challenges and areas that require improvement. This study contributes to the discourse on JEDI and internationalization in higher education and provides recommendations for institutions and policymakers to promote more inclusive and equitable internationalization practices.
Leadership and those deemed to be leaders in their respective institutions are viewed as a critical aspect of success whether in business, government, or higher education. In recent years, higher education systems and institutions across the globe have integrated their definition of internationalization into the fabric of their respective operations. Even though internationalization in its simplest form, the movement of staff and students across international borders, has taken place for years (Warwick, 2014) in an ad hoc manner, higher education institutions now required a structured approach to internationalization. This saw the implementation of Internationalization Strategies or Policies at higher education institutional level as well as the government level.
With the development of an Internationalization Strategy comes the realization, as observed by Knight (2008), that the Strategy must be grounded in the environmental reality of the institution (Baldridge, Curtis, Ecker and Riley, 2000; Kufaine, 2016). Furthermore, the person identified to implement the Strategy and lead internationalization must possess certain unique characteristics (Markert, 2006). This is due to the ever-evolving global environment and the need for this individual to manage the intersection of the institution’s engagement of the complexities that exist in the current disrupted global environment. For example navigating the remnants of COVID-19 on the university environment and the student mindset.
This study will explore, through survey’s and semi-structured interviews, the characteristics, soft skills, educational background and experience from a leadership and managerial perspective to manage Internationalization in a developing environment. The study will further compare the characteristics identified in a previous study (Wilcox, 2006) required of a higher education senior international manager with those characteristics required currently of a manager of higher education internationalization that need to navigate the complexities of the current disrupted global environment. The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership provided the framework on which the study will be based.
Keywords: leadership; internationalization; higher education; South Africa.
This paper aims to outline and critically analyse the impact of Covid-19 outbreak on the institution of higher learning; case study of the registration process of international students at the University of Limpopo (UL) focusing at the national emigrational act, the University admission policy and admission guide from International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA). The Covid-19 outbreak has critically affected academic sphere with major uncertainties and disruptions of the economy, health sector and other governmental sectors this include the institution of higher learning. Thus, Universities and college campuses serve as informational and cultural hubs where students come together across the globe to acquire knowledge and explore the world. For the first time South African adopted the innovative policy framework for internationalization of high education in 2019 which aimed at encouraging among other internationalization at home and the international students 5% SADC protocol to South African universities. Due to the covid-19 outbreak the higher education sector was affected and expected to adjust to the so call “new normal”. The adjustment includes among other adjusting to new ways of recruiting international student’s and the registration process of international students in order to ensure internationalization. This is a conceptual paper which will carefully select secondary data and review the literature in order to support the need to adjust the admission of international students’ process at the University of Limpopo as the results of the coronavirus. To this end, the paper recommends that South African universities should adjust all international student’s admission policies and processes in order to meet international standard and continue with teaching and learning process. In summation, this paper will propose possible solution’s and make certain recommendation’s the can be employed to improve current state of international student’s recruitment, registration process and university policies.
Keywords: Internationalization, international students, registration & admission, Covid-19, University of Limpopo.
There are macro-level factors impacting South African higher education institutions and their ability to engage in international research collaboration (IRC) that leads to co-authored scholarly output. The history of a country, economic power and development opportunities, geopolitics, and institutional, national, regional, and global structural dynamics impact research capacity, infrastructure, resources and agendas across the globe. In the Global South, including South Africa, there are many challenges that impede the participation in and contribution to global research output stemming from these influencing impactors. As a result, the scientific core across the globe as well as within specific regions and countries are highly unequal. This paper aims to explore this phenomenon in the context of international research collaboration when capacity and infrastructure for research are not balanced. Through a mixed method approach, the presenters will use Scopus and Sci-Val quantitative data to highlight the collaborative patterns of higher education institutions in South Africa and qualitative data that highlights the challenges of research team leaders within South Africa aiming to include perspectives from the periphery. The aim is to illuminate the limiting factors of the inclusion into research collaboration from the developing world’s scientific periphery by the core within the context of Africa.
Technology plays a huge role in improving administrative efficiency as well as enhancing student experience. The proposed presentation seeks to share UWC’s International Student Services Office (ISSO) experience with digitisation of pre-registration clearance process.
It is a matter of common cause that all students must undergo a pre-registration clearance process prior to their actual academic registration. This process entails financial clearance which applies to all students, local and international. For international students, there is an additional layer of immigration clearance. The University of the Western Cape has until recently cleared students manually for their fees and immigration requirements. This meant long and multiple queues, especially for international students – impacting negatively on student experience. Furthermore, the manual process also meant that we had to make copies of the documents, scan and file them – and this was a tedious and expensive administrative burden.
ISSO introduced an online immigration pre-registration clearance process in 2021. This is one of the positive lessons induced by COVID-19. With the introduction of virtual academic and administrative activity, we had to think on our feet as to how we can digitise our processes. Enhancing the university information management systems was not a quick enough option for ISSO, especially given that we only cater for about 6% of the total student population. We therefore identified the Jotform digital platform as our alternative. We are currently using this platform for both our pre-registration clearance as well as immigration letters.
The benefits of digitisation are immense and they include enhanced student experience and administrative efficiency. These may potentially also include an improved sense of inclusion and belonging for international students as it cuts out a need for an additional layer of queueing. It is our hope that sharing this experience might assist other colleagues to begin to develop similar practises where manual processes are still employed.
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
PRESENTATION D LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
| 19:00 – 22:30 | Gala Dinner |
| Venue: Great Ilanga, Elangeni Maharani Hotel |
* Provisional programme
| 08:00 – 08:30 | Registration Desk Open |
08:30 - 09:30 Parallel Session 7
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: The Student Voice: National Results from the 2021 CBIE International Student Survey | Topic: Responding to the changing international student medical scheme landscape and challenges experienced | Topic: Global inequity in the field of international education | Topic: Striving for Balance in Rationales for Internationalization | Topic: International partnerships as catalyst for multistakeholder collaboration |
| Karen Dalkie, Canadian Bureau for International Education | Debbie Pretoria (Simeka Health) | David Reiersgord, Institute for the International Education of Students | Sonja Knutson, Memorial University | Huba Boshoff, Nuffic Southern Africa |
| Josua Joubert (Compcare Medical Scheme) | Stephen Appiah-Padi, Office of Global & Off-campus Education | |||
| Rikki Wooding (Momentum Health Solutions) | ||||
| Chairperson: Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo | Chairperson: Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State | Chairperson: Sarah van der Westhuizen, Stellenbosch University |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: The Student Voice: National Results from the 2021 CBIE International Student Survey | Topic: Responding to the changing international student medical scheme landscape and challenges experienced |
| Karen Dalkie, Canadian Bureau for International Education | Debbie Pretoria (Simeka Health) |
| Josua Joubert (Compcare Medical Scheme) | |
| Rikki Wooding (Momentum Health Solutions) | |
| Chairperson: Nonceba Mbambo-Kekana, University of Limpopo | Chairperson: Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Global inequity in the field of international education | Topic: Striving for Balance in Rationales for Internationalization |
| David Reiersgord, Institute for the International Education of Students | Sonja Knutson, Memorial University |
| Stephen Appiah-Padi, Office of Global & Off-campus Education | |
| Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Lynette Jacobs, University of the Free State |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: International partnerships as catalyst for multistakeholder collaboration |
| Huba Boshoff, Nuffic Southern Africa |
| Chairperson: Sarah van der Westhuizen, Stellenbosch University |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
With over 67 institutions participating from across the country and over 40,000 international student responses, the 2021 International Student Survey offers a comprehensive first-hand perspective on the international student experience in Canada, from pre-arrival planning through study and post-graduation. In addition to the longitudinal data that has been collected since 2012, this most recent iteration of the survey provides valuable insight into the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on students as they experienced arriving in Canada, studying online and in their search for work opportunities. The survey also has been revised to understand in a meaningful way the perceptions of safety and inclusion that students have while in our country. Join us as we unpack the data that was collected in the fall of 2021.
The presenters will unpack the possible impact of National Health Insurance (NHI), the process to select appropriate, accredited medical schemes for students, collaborative fraud management and prevention plus mental health awareness.
We are interested in discussing what international educators could contribute to solving the problem of global inequity in the field of international education. While efforts have been made to prioritise DEI, JEDI, etc, lately, this focus does not seem to include the inequities between the Global North and the Global South. We have presented on this topic at the IES Abroad Conference (2022) and will do so at the upcoming NAFSA Conference (May 2023). Having this discussion in South Africa, a key part of international education in the Global South, offers the opportunity to prioritise voices that are not prominent in these venues. Globalisation has brought the world together in many ways, and climate change has made us aware of the common threat to life here on earth. Yet our selective concern and practice of equity appears to ignore the web-like nature of global existence and the types of challenges emerging at the scale. If the ultimate goal of international education is to give our students the opportunity to become global citizens, then we ought to use our internationalisation efforts and knowledge to pave the way for global equity learning and practice. How can we do that more effectively? We see the issue of global inequity as central to the perspective of “looking back—looking forward”, as the continued absence of equity is a global existential threat for all. Crafting a plenary discussion around how collective approaches to global equity can be achieved through leveraging internationalisation of higher education.
Universities have a mandate to educate students to function in our globalized society and this requires a strategic, comprehensive, culturally literate approach to internationalization (Hudzik, 2011). Yet at the national and the institutional levels, international agendas tend to be grounded in economic rationales where the focus, supports and resources are on financial outcomes while humanistic outcomes (though occasionally manifested rhetorically) are not supported or resourced (El Masri & Trilokekar, 2016; Grantham, 2018; Suša, 2016). It has been more than ten years since Deardorff et al (2012) wrote about a vision for internationalization “in which the benefits of internationalization are acknowledged, potentially adverse unintended consequences addressed and a call is made to higher education institutions to act to ensure that its outcomes are positive and of reciprocal benefit to institutions and countries involved.” (p. 481). This concept of reciprocity as a way to achieve balanced internationalization is key, yet there is still little available guidance about how to ensure positive and reciprocal benefits for all. This session will address the concept of balanced internationalization through the lens of reciprocity and related concepts.
Impactful internationalization requires innovative approaches to collaboration. This session will use an international development project as a case study to illustrate a model that addresses three challenges often cited as shortcomings within the knowledge sector or with a more positive lens, holds the potential to enhance collaboration and impact.
The Climate Smart agriculture project forms part of the Orange Knowledge PRogramme, the largest Dutch development cooperation programme. It involves 6 South African TVET colleges, Dutch and SA higher education institutions as well as the private sector.
In addition to the curriculum development and training that took part within this project, three key challenges were addressed and developed into model/s of cooperation. These include:
– Cooperation between levels of education (in this case: higher education and vocational education) to address societal challenges for example youth unemployability
– Local/regional partnerships
– Engagement with the private sector
Highlighting activities and outputs of the project, this session will demonstrate how innovative ways of working can contribute to internationalisation opportunities.
With over 67 institutions participating from across the country and over 40,000 international student responses, the 2021 International Student Survey offers a comprehensive first-hand perspective on the international student experience in Canada, from pre-arrival planning through study and post-graduation. In addition to the longitudinal data that has been collected since 2012, this most recent iteration of the survey provides valuable insight into the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on students as they experienced arriving in Canada, studying online and in their search for work opportunities. The survey also has been revised to understand in a meaningful way the perceptions of safety and inclusion that students have while in our country. Join us as we unpack the data that was collected in the fall of 2021.
The presenters will unpack the possible impact of National Health Insurance (NHI), the process to select appropriate, accredited medical schemes for students, collaborative fraud management and prevention plus mental health awareness.
We are interested in discussing what international educators could contribute to solving the problem of global inequity in the field of international education. While efforts have been made to prioritise DEI, JEDI, etc, lately, this focus does not seem to include the inequities between the Global North and the Global South. We have presented on this topic at the IES Abroad Conference (2022) and will do so at the upcoming NAFSA Conference (May 2023). Having this discussion in South Africa, a key part of international education in the Global South, offers the opportunity to prioritise voices that are not prominent in these venues. Globalisation has brought the world together in many ways, and climate change has made us aware of the common threat to life here on earth. Yet our selective concern and practice of equity appears to ignore the web-like nature of global existence and the types of challenges emerging at the scale. If the ultimate goal of international education is to give our students the opportunity to become global citizens, then we ought to use our internationalisation efforts and knowledge to pave the way for global equity learning and practice. How can we do that more effectively? We see the issue of global inequity as central to the perspective of “looking back—looking forward”, as the continued absence of equity is a global existential threat for all. Crafting a plenary discussion around how collective approaches to global equity can be achieved through leveraging internationalisation of higher education.
Universities have a mandate to educate students to function in our globalized society and this requires a strategic, comprehensive, culturally literate approach to internationalization (Hudzik, 2011). Yet at the national and the institutional levels, international agendas tend to be grounded in economic rationales where the focus, supports and resources are on financial outcomes while humanistic outcomes (though occasionally manifested rhetorically) are not supported or resourced (El Masri & Trilokekar, 2016; Grantham, 2018; Suša, 2016). It has been more than ten years since Deardorff et al (2012) wrote about a vision for internationalization “in which the benefits of internationalization are acknowledged, potentially adverse unintended consequences addressed and a call is made to higher education institutions to act to ensure that its outcomes are positive and of reciprocal benefit to institutions and countries involved.” (p. 481). This concept of reciprocity as a way to achieve balanced internationalization is key, yet there is still little available guidance about how to ensure positive and reciprocal benefits for all. This session will address the concept of balanced internationalization through the lens of reciprocity and related concepts.
Impactful internationalization requires innovative approaches to collaboration. This session will use an international development project as a case study to illustrate a model that addresses three challenges often cited as shortcomings within the knowledge sector or with a more positive lens, holds the potential to enhance collaboration and impact.
The Climate Smart agriculture project forms part of the Orange Knowledge PRogramme, the largest Dutch development cooperation programme. It involves 6 South African TVET colleges, Dutch and SA higher education institutions as well as the private sector.
In addition to the curriculum development and training that took part within this project, three key challenges were addressed and developed into model/s of cooperation. These include:
– Cooperation between levels of education (in this case: higher education and vocational education) to address societal challenges for example youth unemployability
– Local/regional partnerships
– Engagement with the private sector
Highlighting activities and outputs of the project, this session will demonstrate how innovative ways of working can contribute to internationalisation opportunities.
09:45 - 10:45 Parallel Session 8
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: The Recognition of Qualifications of Refugees & Asylum Seekers: Implementation of a Collaborative Pilot Initiative | Topic: Responding to the changing international student medical scheme landscape and challenges experienced | Topic: Exploring the use of virtual exchange to develop intercultural competencies using UNESCO Story Circles | Topic: SASUF – How the project contributes to the role of internationalisation paving the way for a sustainable future in line with Agenda 2030 | Topic: Managing International student’s efficiently via Student Information System |
| Hylton Bergh , Job Placement Services | Debbie Pretoria (SIMEKA HEALTH) | Penny Orton, Durban University | Helin Bäckman Kartal, South Africa Sweden University Forum | Pravie Govender, Adapt IT |
| Beka Tavartkiladze, World Education Services | Josua Joubert (COMPCARE MEDICAL SCHEME) | Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | Linda Putu, Adapt IT | |
| Rikki Wooding (MOMENTUM HEALTH SOLUTIONS) | Brilliant Tleane , Adapt IT | |||
| Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Hlulani Mabasa, University of Fort Hare | Chairperson: Prem Ramlachan, Management College of Southern Africa | Chairperson: |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: The Recognition of Qualifications of Refugees & Asylum Seekers: Implementation of a Collaborative Pilot Initiative | Topic: The Recognition of Qualifications of Refugees & Asylum Seekers: Implementation of a Collaborative Pilot Initiative |
| Hylton Bergh , Job Placement Services | Debbie Pretoria (SIMEKA HEALTH) |
| Beka Tavartkiladze, World Education Services | Josua Joubert (COMPCARE MEDICAL SCHEME) |
| Rikki Wooding (MOMENTUM HEALTH SOLUTIONS) | |
| Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg | Chairperson: Lebethe Malefo, University of Johannesburg |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: Exploring the use of virtual exchange to develop intercultural competencies using UNESCO Story Circles | Topic: SASUF – How the project contributes to the role of internationalisation paving the way for a sustainable future in line with Agenda 2030 |
| Penny Orton, Durban University | Helin Bäckman Kartal, South Africa Sweden University Forum |
| Savo Heleta, Durban University of Technology | |
| Chairperson: Hlulani Mabasa, University of Fort Hare | Chairperson: Prem Ramlachan, Management College of Southern Africa |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Managing International student’s efficiently via Student Information System |
| Pravie Govender, Adapt IT |
| Linda Putu, Adapt IT |
| Brilliant Tleane , Adapt IT |
| Chairperson: |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
Intercultural competencies are an integral part of a virtual exchange (VE) project but targeted tasks, expected to develop these competencies, are not always explicitly integrated into the projects. It is not enough to bring students from different countries and institutions together, have them engage on a specific topic and expect them to develop intercultural competencies. VE projects must go beyond academic engagements, exchange of information and perspectives and enable or deliberately encourage students to develop their intercultural competencies. Despite the expectation of the development of intercultural competence in international engagements – both in person and virtual – this is, in many instances, left to chance, including in VE projects. If activities to improve students’ intercultural competencies are not purposefully infused into a VE project and left to chance, then students might not develop these competencies and one expected outcome of a VE project will not be achieved.
This study aimed to assess whether the integration of UNESCO Story Circles – a methodology developed by Dr Darla Deardorff for development of intercultural competencies – as a teaching and engagement strategy to deliberately infuse intercultural activities into VE projects contributes to the development of intercultural competencies in students. We explored the effects of the incorporation of Story Circles in the process of developing intercultural competencies among university students involved in VE projects between Durban University of Technology (DUT) and international institutions. This presentation shares the findings from a qualitative, embedded, multiple case study, which utilized multiple methods of data collection including questionnaires, interviews and document review. The Adapted Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Scale (Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, 2019; Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, Handrick, 2017) was used. This scale was developed among multicultural adolescents in multiethnic schools. The self-report CQ scale showed good reliability and validity (Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, 2019; Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, Handrick, 2017). The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative data was analysed through a thematic analysis. Initially a within case analysis was done to give a detailed description of each VE project and once all those were done a cross case thematic analysis was done which was interpreted as a whole and reported as the findings of this study.
The findings that will be presented will be relevant for higher education institutions, academics and internationalisation practitioners interested in VA, international academic engagement and collaboration, and development of students’ intercultural competencies.
South Africa – Sweden University Forum (SASUF) is a transformative project uniting 40 universities from across Sweden and South Africa. Since 2018, the project has brought together leading researchers, teachers, students, university leaders and other stakeholders, in order to jointly develop solutions to the challenges posed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030. The first iteration of SASUF collaboration resulted in a total of 70 collaborative research projects, each involving researchers from both countries. This was considered such a success that a second project phase of SASUF collaboration was funded.
Then COVID happened and much of the cooperation came to a halt. This presentation will focus on the first iteration of SASUF and the most recent, what lessons have been drawn from our experiences trying to collaborate globally during a pandemic, and what possibilities that we see for a continued collaboration beyond this project phase.
The presentation will highlight the role of iternationalisation to pave the way for a sustainable fudute, as well as new ways of international collaboration and ideas on what is necessary to build resilient and sustainable international collaboration that can sustain external shocks, such as a pandemic.
The presentation will bring together South African and Swedish experts on internationalisation and focus on what contributions internationalisation can make to achieve the Agenda 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals; how we have improved the development of tools and methods that enables internationalisation at home throughout the years, which is allowing more inclusive models of international collaboration to take place with a reduced common carbon footprint.
SASUF serves as one a very concrete illustration of how South Africa is engaging and collaborating with a far located country. Furthermore, as these two countries constantly maintain as well as develop their relationship through SASUF, specifically in the fields of research, education and innovation, the results of this collaboration contribute to the development of higher education as well as internationalisation in both countries.
- The increasing importance of international student management.
- The role of Student Information Systems (SIS) in enhancing efficiency and student experience.
- Key Features of SIS for International Student Management
- Benefits of Using SIS for International Student Management
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, sub-Sahara Africa hosts more than 26% of the world’s refugees. This number has soared over the years.
In 2021, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the World Education Services (WES), Canada signed a partnership agreement to initiate a pilot project for the recognition of qualifications of eligible refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa. SAQA’s research highlights that refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa face unique challenges in meeting SAQA’s application criteria to have their qualifications assessed for recognition. The pilot project is aimed at testing methodologies to recognise qualifications of refugees and asylum seekers who have incomplete or partial documentation of their qualification. The pilot project has been designed as a two-year intervention, the first phase (2022-2023) focusing on recognition of qualifications while phase 2 targets access of this cohort to further education and employment.
SAQA plans to hold workshop at the conference where the findings of Phase 1 will be shared. Consequently, a major part of the session will involve consulting with stakeholders to design Phase 2. The session will take place in a workshop mode by way of extensive interaction with attending stakeholders. The output will be a project plan for implementation of phase 2 for 2023-2024.
This consultative session will focus upon:
1. Overall purpose of the pilot project
2. Sharing of learning from Phase 1
3. Overview of the Phase 2
4. Key questions to stakeholders to help design the phase 2 programme
5. Award of recognition to learners within this project (refugees and asylum seekers)
As part of the session, information will be shared on recognition practices and especially the work of the Global Network called The Association of International Credential Evaluator Professionals (TAICEP).
Intercultural competencies are an integral part of a virtual exchange (VE) project but targeted tasks, expected to develop these competencies, are not always explicitly integrated into the projects. It is not enough to bring students from different countries and institutions together, have them engage on a specific topic and expect them to develop intercultural competencies. VE projects must go beyond academic engagements, exchange of information and perspectives and enable or deliberately encourage students to develop their intercultural competencies. Despite the expectation of the development of intercultural competence in international engagements – both in person and virtual – this is, in many instances, left to chance, including in VE projects. If activities to improve students’ intercultural competencies are not purposefully infused into a VE project and left to chance, then students might not develop these competencies and one expected outcome of a VE project will not be achieved.
This study aimed to assess whether the integration of UNESCO Story Circles – a methodology developed by Dr Darla Deardorff for development of intercultural competencies – as a teaching and engagement strategy to deliberately infuse intercultural activities into VE projects contributes to the development of intercultural competencies in students. We explored the effects of the incorporation of Story Circles in the process of developing intercultural competencies among university students involved in VE projects between Durban University of Technology (DUT) and international institutions. This presentation shares the findings from a qualitative, embedded, multiple case study, which utilized multiple methods of data collection including questionnaires, interviews and document review. The Adapted Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Scale (Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, 2019; Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, Handrick, 2017) was used. This scale was developed among multicultural adolescents in multiethnic schools. The self-report CQ scale showed good reliability and validity (Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, 2019; Schwarzenthal, Juang, Schachner, van de Vijer, Handrick, 2017). The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative data was analysed through a thematic analysis. Initially a within case analysis was done to give a detailed description of each VE project and once all those were done a cross case thematic analysis was done which was interpreted as a whole and reported as the findings of this study.
The findings that will be presented will be relevant for higher education institutions, academics and internationalisation practitioners interested in VA, international academic engagement and collaboration, and development of students’ intercultural competencies.
South Africa – Sweden University Forum (SASUF) is a transformative project uniting 40 universities from across Sweden and South Africa. Since 2018, the project has brought together leading researchers, teachers, students, university leaders and other stakeholders, in order to jointly develop solutions to the challenges posed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030. The first iteration of SASUF collaboration resulted in a total of 70 collaborative research projects, each involving researchers from both countries. This was considered such a success that a second project phase of SASUF collaboration was funded.
Then COVID happened and much of the cooperation came to a halt. This presentation will focus on the first iteration of SASUF and the most recent, what lessons have been drawn from our experiences trying to collaborate globally during a pandemic, and what possibilities that we see for a continued collaboration beyond this project phase.
The presentation will highlight the role of iternationalisation to pave the way for a sustainable fudute, as well as new ways of international collaboration and ideas on what is necessary to build resilient and sustainable international collaboration that can sustain external shocks, such as a pandemic.
The presentation will bring together South African and Swedish experts on internationalisation and focus on what contributions internationalisation can make to achieve the Agenda 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals; how we have improved the development of tools and methods that enables internationalisation at home throughout the years, which is allowing more inclusive models of international collaboration to take place with a reduced common carbon footprint.
SASUF serves as one a very concrete illustration of how South Africa is engaging and collaborating with a far located country. Furthermore, as these two countries constantly maintain as well as develop their relationship through SASUF, specifically in the fields of research, education and innovation, the results of this collaboration contribute to the development of higher education as well as internationalisation in both countries.
- The increasing importance of international student management.
- The role of Student Information Systems (SIS) in enhancing efficiency and student experience.
- Key Features of SIS for International Student Management
- Benefits of Using SIS for International Student Management
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION E LINKS:
| 10:45 – 11:15 | Refreshment and Networking Break |
11:15 - 12:15 Parallel Session 9
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B | PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D | PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: The Structural Dynamics of intra-Africa Academic Collaborative Research teams | Topic: JEDI Now! Creating a knowledge platform to achieve justice equity diversity and inclusion (JEDI) in higher education geared towards internationalisation. | Topic: The Impact of Internationalisation Activities aiming to develop leadership in University students | CANCELLED | Topic: Global development in the educational sector |
| Divinia Jithoo, Durban University of Technology | Naziema Jappie, University of Cape Town | Annah Chuene, University of Limpopo | Scott Slaney, Niagara College | |
| Stefan Johnson, Charles University | ||||
| Chairperson: Wiseman Jack, IEASA / Durban University of Technology | Chairperson: Samia Chasi, IEASA | Chairperson: Sarah van der Westhuizen, Stellenbosch University | Chairperson: | Chairperson: Jody Felton, IES Abroad |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 | Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 | Venue: Suite 5 |
PRESENTATION A | PRESENTATION B |
| Topic: The Structural Dynamics of intra-Africa Academic Collaborative Research teams | Topic: JEDI Now! Creating a knowledge platform to achieve justice equity diversity and inclusion (JEDI) in higher education geared towards internationalisation. |
| Divinia Jithoo, Durban University of Technology | Naziema Jappie, University of Cape Town |
| Chairperson: Wiseman Jack, IEASA / Durban University of Technology | Chairperson: Samia Chasi, IEASA |
| Venue: Suite 1 | Venue: Suite 2 |
PRESENTATION C | PRESENTATION D |
| Topic: The Impact of Internationalisation Activities aiming to develop leadership in University students | CANCELLED |
| Annah Chuene, University of Limpopo | |
| Chairperson: Sarah van der Westhuizen, Stellenbosch University | Chairperson: |
| Venue: Suite 3 | Venue: Suite 4 |
PRESENTATION E |
| Topic: Global development in the educational sector |
| Scott Slaney, Niagara College |
| Stefan Johnson, Charles University |
| Chairperson: Jody Felton, IES Abroad |
| Venue: Suite 5 |
The session will cover a PhD situated in the field of higher education Internationalisation research. More specifically, the lens is on the structural dynamics of leading IRC within the borders of the African continent. Issues such as research team structure and leadership are explored.
To overcome the complexities of executing research while grappling with contextual challenges, the research includes the modified snowball sampling method, Referral Sampling. Making use of an interpretivist paradigm and a mixed methods approach, data was obtained via online semi-structured interviews with South African research-intensive university representatives and collaborative research team PI’s. Data collected was analysed against internationalisation concepts and leadership theory. Literature covering IRC concludes that research collaboration between South Africa and institutions in other African countries is nominal. The data in the study also found minimal engagement between South Africa and the rest of Africa.
Furthermore, data has shown that institutional leadership roles of specific departments in leading IRC are not clear. There is no clear division of the roles played by the international and research offices at South African research-intensive universities, which contribute to the facilitation of partnerships and collaborative activities.
In addition, the data showed that a number of leadership frameworks are evident in the way multi-national collaborative research teams within the context of Africa are led, confirming that there is no one size fits all model of leadership for successful intra-Africa academic collaborative research. In fact, the data exhibits perceptions of combined traditional and shared leadership frameworks contributing to the leader role. Through an exploration of the leadership structures, roles and systems, the study has aimed to provide an understanding of the role of leadership of IRC within the African context.
There is a wealth of knowledge about JEDI (Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion), but unfortunately this remains at a discrete initiative level at universities. South African universities are committed to social justice by promoting inclusive teaching, learning and research environments, diversity and equity in access and participation of students and staff regardless of age; disability; gender; sexual orientation; nationality, ethnic or national origin; religion; and socioeconomic background in all aspects of higher education at a national level. Universities strive to promote and protect equal rights and equity of access is safeguarded for international students by recognizing the foreign policies and practices. Nevertheless, many international students remain underrepresented, alienated and often without employment. Universities see internationalisation as a commercial venture, but where does JEDI fit into this plan? Given the focus on diversity in higher education institutions, one would assume that JEDI should have a broader compass rather than a narrow scope. Over the past decades, national trends have emerged in the commitment to international diversification by admitting students and recruiting staff, mainly from the African continent. Most importantly, emergence of statements of broader diversity and equity plans across the campuses, included in the strategic plans of institutions, are counterproductive to the statements of the Employment Equity plans and targets when aligned to the recruitment processes. These trends are certainly significant and relevant given the increasing diverse populations in higher education. What is missing in JEDI initiatives is the lack of global perspective and situating JEDI within a larger and inclusive context to embrace institutional internationalization. It is not a separate construct but internationalization framework takes the JEDI vision from local to global. Embracing JEDI and internationalization are fundamental for future economic growth. JEDI creates diverse perspectives and capacitates international students with talent that will gives a competitive edge. Increasing internationalisation efforts and creating a knowledge platform will affect the innovation performance of the economy. However, transforming South African higher education policies require a comprehensive educational strategy on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI).
Student leadership has been central to the Higher Education revolution in South Africa with many students pre 1994 engaging in activities that led to the liberation of the people of South Africa against the Apartheid rule. The element of internationalisation has always been a part of the revolutionary activities of student leaders with some moving from country to country(mobility) in effort to find refugee, a good example is of one of the South African student activists who was assassinated while in Botswana – Abraham Nkgopotse Tiro and many student leaders of their time who studied abroad while in exile. The importance of student leadership is also cemented in the Higher Education Act of 1997 under the Student Representative Council, proving to it that it is an aspect that cannot be excluded if institutions are to foster a comprehensive internationalisation.
In recent years, the South African higher education landscape has changed and exists in a more globalised world with the rise of technology making the world smaller and more interconnected. According to Sebola (2019) the development of student leadership is an essential part of a university existence. He further notes that universities across the Globe have a responsibility to produce future leaders for various facets of society. Internationalisation in higher education has been a key source of opportunities for these students to develop their leadership skills using tools of development such as scholarships, exchange programmes and capacity building projects . Examples of such programmes include The Abe Bailey Travel Bursary and The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship. This paper explores the impact of such programmes using lived experiences of South African student leaders who were beneficiaries of the international opportunities.
Educational institutions are key contributors to the local, national and global economy as well as influencers for social change through the internationalization of its programs and a shifting focus from regional to global. The session outlines the variety of global activities that Niagara college performs that support global learners and local economies in and outside of Canada.
The session will cover a PhD situated in the field of higher education Internationalisation research. More specifically, the lens is on the structural dynamics of leading IRC within the borders of the African continent. Issues such as research team structure and leadership are explored.
To overcome the complexities of executing research while grappling with contextual challenges, the research includes the modified snowball sampling method, Referral Sampling. Making use of an interpretivist paradigm and a mixed methods approach, data was obtained via online semi-structured interviews with South African research-intensive university representatives and collaborative research team PI’s. Data collected was analysed against internationalisation concepts and leadership theory. Literature covering IRC concludes that research collaboration between South Africa and institutions in other African countries is nominal. The data in the study also found minimal engagement between South Africa and the rest of Africa.
Furthermore, data has shown that institutional leadership roles of specific departments in leading IRC are not clear. There is no clear division of the roles played by the international and research offices at South African research-intensive universities, which contribute to the facilitation of partnerships and collaborative activities.
In addition, the data showed that a number of leadership frameworks are evident in the way multi-national collaborative research teams within the context of Africa are led, confirming that there is no one size fits all model of leadership for successful intra-Africa academic collaborative research. In fact, the data exhibits perceptions of combined traditional and shared leadership frameworks contributing to the leader role. Through an exploration of the leadership structures, roles and systems, the study has aimed to provide an understanding of the role of leadership of IRC within the African context.
There is a wealth of knowledge about JEDI (Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion), but unfortunately this remains at a discrete initiative level at universities. South African universities are committed to social justice by promoting inclusive teaching, learning and research environments, diversity and equity in access and participation of students and staff regardless of age; disability; gender; sexual orientation; nationality, ethnic or national origin; religion; and socioeconomic background in all aspects of higher education at a national level. Universities strive to promote and protect equal rights and equity of access is safeguarded for international students by recognizing the foreign policies and practices. Nevertheless, many international students remain underrepresented, alienated and often without employment. Universities see internationalisation as a commercial venture, but where does JEDI fit into this plan? Given the focus on diversity in higher education institutions, one would assume that JEDI should have a broader compass rather than a narrow scope. Over the past decades, national trends have emerged in the commitment to international diversification by admitting students and recruiting staff, mainly from the African continent. Most importantly, emergence of statements of broader diversity and equity plans across the campuses, included in the strategic plans of institutions, are counterproductive to the statements of the Employment Equity plans and targets when aligned to the recruitment processes. These trends are certainly significant and relevant given the increasing diverse populations in higher education. What is missing in JEDI initiatives is the lack of global perspective and situating JEDI within a larger and inclusive context to embrace institutional internationalization. It is not a separate construct but internationalization framework takes the JEDI vision from local to global. Embracing JEDI and internationalization are fundamental for future economic growth. JEDI creates diverse perspectives and capacitates international students with talent that will gives a competitive edge. Increasing internationalisation efforts and creating a knowledge platform will affect the innovation performance of the economy. However, transforming South African higher education policies require a comprehensive educational strategy on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI).
Student leadership has been central to the Higher Education revolution in South Africa with many students pre 1994 engaging in activities that led to the liberation of the people of South Africa against the Apartheid rule. The element of internationalisation has always been a part of the revolutionary activities of student leaders with some moving from country to country(mobility) in effort to find refugee, a good example is of one of the South African student activists who was assassinated while in Botswana – Abraham Nkgopotse Tiro and many student leaders of their time who studied abroad while in exile. The importance of student leadership is also cemented in the Higher Education Act of 1997 under the Student Representative Council, proving to it that it is an aspect that cannot be excluded if institutions are to foster a comprehensive internationalisation.
In recent years, the South African higher education landscape has changed and exists in a more globalised world with the rise of technology making the world smaller and more interconnected. According to Sebola (2019) the development of student leadership is an essential part of a university existence. He further notes that universities across the Globe have a responsibility to produce future leaders for various facets of society. Internationalisation in higher education has been a key source of opportunities for these students to develop their leadership skills using tools of development such as scholarships, exchange programmes and capacity building projects . Examples of such programmes include The Abe Bailey Travel Bursary and The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship. This paper explores the impact of such programmes using lived experiences of South African student leaders who were beneficiaries of the international opportunities.
Educational institutions are key contributors to the local, national and global economy as well as influencers for social change through the internationalization of its programs and a shifting focus from regional to global. The session outlines the variety of global activities that Niagara college performs that support global learners and local economies in and outside of Canada.
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
PRESENTATION B LINKS:
PRESENTATION C LINKS:
Closing Plenary
| 12:30 – 13:45 | Closing Plenary World Conversations Topic: Q&A | |
| Piet van Hove, EAIE | ||
| La Nitra Berger, NAFSA | ||
| Karen Dalkie, CBIE | ||
| Lavern Samuels, IEASA | ||
| Jeet Joshi, AIEA | ||
| Sarah Todd, APAIE | ||
| Kefa Simwa, Anie | ||
| 13:45 – 14:00 | Thank you Lavern Samuels, IEASA President, 2023 – 2024 | |
| Venue: Great Ilanga |
| 14:00 – 15:00 | Closing Lunch |