What does internationalisation bring to a university?
Diversity, inclusion, perspective, and value—but also challenges and risks—are at the heart of inter-
nationalisation. These themes shape the article written by Richard Turner, International Coordinator at Fundació UAB. His reflection highlights how international engagement enriches the university community and why it is essential in an increasingly globalized world.
24/03/2026
Interactions with people from other cultures make university life more dynamic
In the 21st century, universities face many challenges: to compete globally, attract more students, generate new revenue, boost programme quality, improve their rankings to prepare graduates for an increasingly international job market. These and other factors have have pushed internationalisation to the top of the agenda.
Internationalisation means including international perspectives in everything a university does: teaching, research, transfer, partnerships, campus life, student and staff mobility, joint programmes and an international curriculum design. It’s an essential strategy and here’s why.
Internationalisation is inclusive, it means opening to the world and different cultures, discovering and sharing new ideas and perspectives and challenging existing ones. Students, staff and organisations gain a wider understanding of themselves, their subjects and others and can use this to be more critical, flexible and constructive.
Students and staff from other countries bring value to host universities and communities. Meeting and working with people from different cultures helps develop intercultural skills. These interactions make university life more dynamic, inspire new ideas and projects and create an atmosphere that’s open, diverse, and respectful. Participants then export their knowledge and values to other places and organisations- Friendships and collaborations formed often lead to communities of knowledge and professional networks.
There are also more pragmatic considerations when measuring the value of internationalisation. Participating in exchange programmes gives an international experience at little or no extra cost and technological advances enable collaboration and experience across countries without the need for travel or absence from home. For many universities revenue from international students can subsidise local students and programmes and is used to finance student and staff mobility.
One of the missions of universities is to prepare future citizens and professionals. In a globalized world economy that means people working in multicultural teams, operating across borders and demonstrating adaptability, intercultural competence and language skills. All traits that studies have shown are more common in those with international exposure. Employers value international experience, graduates get better jobs and earn more. Plus satisfaction rates for international experiences are traditionally high, internationalisation enhances quality.
There are challenges involved in Internationalisation. There may be questions of quality across borders and too much standardisation of language and content favours uniformity and conformity over diversity and innovation. International experiences can reinforce inequalities rather than open opportunities to more people. It can fuel the brain drain, where the best students are harvested by elite universities and do not export their knowledge and skills. In some countries the presence of international students is conflated with issues such as migration, overtourism and housing. A good internationalization strategy is aware of these issues and mitigates them
In short, internationalization is something universities need. It is a declaration of intentions, of an institution that values diversity and a world of interdependence, sharing and cooperation. It transforms and improves lives and contributes to a better world, that is what universities are for.
