The internationalisation of higher education webinar series

The internationalisation of higher education webinar was first launched in 2007 and has been running since then; 2007 – 2012 as an in-person seminar, turning into an online event in 2013. This free event was founded and is organised by the School of Education's Dr Joanna Al-Youssef,  an academic with passion for, and interest in, the areas of internationalisation of higher education, language, and culture.

Aims

Since its conception, the primary aim of the webinar has been to bring together members of higher education institutions in an open and inclusive space for discussion and reflections around the broad area of internationalisation of higher education. The webinar also aims to contribute to:

• raising awareness about internationalisation perspectives and practices in various global contexts, thus contributing to a better understanding of global thinking, issues, and practices
• raising questions and inspiring further conversations, debates, research, and networking
• facilitating collaborative research, publications, and the exchange of knowledge and good practice
• addressing challenges, biases and inequalities while maintaining a positive discourse, narrative and outlook

Audience and support

The webinar has attracted interest and attendance from institutions and individuals globally. The map below shows webinar site views since 2007.

Previous contributors

The webinar has so far included discussions and presentations from prominent academics and researchers from institutions in the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada. Since its launch, the webinar has been sponsored and supported by various organisations:

• The University of Bath, Department of Education, UK (2007)
• The University of Bath, School of Management, UK (2008, 2009)
• The University of Bath, International Office, UK (2010)
• The University of Nottingham, International Office, UK (2011, 2012)
• The British Educational Research Association’s (BERA) ‘Comparative and International Education’ Special Interest Group, UK (2015, 2018, 2019)
• The Comparative and International Education Society’s (CIES) ‘Study Abroad and International Students’ Special Interest Group (Morgan State University, US) (2019)
• Ottawa University, Kansas, US (2019)

Topics

Since its launch, the webinar has covered a variety of presentations and discussions around theoretical and empirical research, practitioners’ experiences in teaching and learning, and higher education management and policy. Topics discussed include:

• internationalisation at home
• internationalisation and study abroad
• internationalisation of the curriculum and curriculum design
• internationalisation and sustainable development
• institutional international policy
• international student experience, support and advice
• inclusion and diversity
• pedagogical issues
• foreign languages
• English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
• intercultural communication
• information and communication technology (ICT)
• reflexivity
• criticality

Internationalisation Webinar 2025

Theme: Exploring internationalisation in African higher education: Policies, practices and future directions

Webinar 2025 returns as a series of four sessions that aim to highlight the African higher education context by bringing into the conversation researchers, scholars and practitioners working within, or interested in, higher education in Africa. 

Webinar 2025 panel discussion points will include:

1. Higher education landscape in Africa: focus on context and diversity
2. What does internationalisation mean in/for African contexts?
3. Perspectives in Africa: Internationalisation research/practice within African contexts
4. Perspectives on Africa: Internationalisation research on/outside African contexts
5. Opportunities and internationalisation priorities for African contexts
6. Challenges for internationalising higher education in Africa, and how to address them
7. Moving forward: Areas for research and practice
8. Lessons from the African contexts

The 2025 webinar series is organised in collaboration with the Association of African Universities’ (AAU) European regional office hosted at the University of Nottingham, the University of Nottingham’s UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development, and STAR Scholars Network, with support from the Centre for International Education Research (CIER) at the School of Education, University of Nottingham.

Overview

The global landscape of higher education is evolving rapidly, with internationalisation playing a critical role in fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development. Hence the Association of African Universities, the apex higher education institution in Africa, in collaboration with its European Regional office hosted at the University of Nottingham, presents the internationalisation in African higher education webinar series which has emerged as a strategic priority for enhancing the global competitiveness of higher education institutions in Africa, and contributing to regional integration and development.

The webinar series will bring together experts, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to explore the multifaceted aspects of internationalisation in higher education. The ultimate aim is to provide a platform for knowledge exchange, policy development, and the fostering of strategic partnerships that support the internationalisation agenda of higher education in Africa.

Specific Objectives

1. Discuss how internationalisation is interpreted, approached, and researched within the African higher education context
2. Identify gaps and challenges in policy and practice and propose actionable recommendations
3. Explore the integration of sustainability and global citizenship within internationalisation strategies
4. Foster a vision for future internationalisation efforts in African higher education
5. Promote collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders 

Webinar 2025 schedule

Session 1: Internationalisation within the African higher education context
Date: 4 March 2025
Time: 12 noon GMT
Aim: Discuss how internationalisation is interpreted and approached within African HEIs, touch on aspects of policy and practice, and identify priorities for further study and collaboration.
Register attendance for this event

Session 2: Internationalisation policy in African higher education
Date: 6 May 2025
Time: 12 noon GMT
Aim: Explore issues related to policy and practice, identify challenges and gaps, and propose policy briefs and recommendations.

Session 3: Internationalisation and sustainability policy and practice in African higher education
Date: 1 September 2025
Time: 12 noon GMT
Aim: Discuss how internationalisation strategies address sustainability and global citizenship, identify gaps, and suggest recommendations.

Session 4: Internationalisation within the African higher education context – looking ahead
Date: 2 October 2025
Time: 12 noon GMT
Aim: Explore a vision for the future of internationalisation in African HEIs within a global context and identify future research, teaching, policy, and practice directions.

Webinar outputs

• Policy briefs summarising key insights and recommendations
• Proposal drafts for further research or collaboration
• Session recordings and summary reports for wider dissemination

Contact

For more information, please email: Dr Joanna Al-Youssef or Dr Agyemang Okyere Darko