Internationalizing the University: A Case Study of a Canada-China Program

Abstract

Internationalization has become a goal of most universities in the world and includes increased student mobility across borders. Goals behind greater student mobility are mixed, but whatever the goals are, all institutions should strive to try to maximize the net benefits for students. An economics program between Dalhousie University in Canada and Shandong University of Finance and Economics in China is used to examine how net benefits can be maximized. Amongst the conclusions reached by the paper, it is students who participate in exchange or study abroad programs that will experience an increase in intercultural competence, which is a major benefit of the experience. A second significant conclusion is that language is a crucial determinant of success when students must adopt a foreign language when they study abroad. The paper also shows that faculty engagement is crucial to success. Strictly top-down programs that originate and/or reside in the central administration are less likely to have, and less likely to be successful without faculty engagement. The paper concludes that the institutions must have a commitment to the program that goes beyond a simple short term profit maximization motive but ultimately, the success of any program depends on the students themselves. Other factors can defeat a given program, but only the students can ultimately make a program successful.