Information kit

Introduction
Definition
Contents of the kit
Further reading and resources.

Each section of the kit can be downloaded as an individual file by clicking on the relevant pdf icon or you may download the kit in full (PDF 246kb - download Adobe Acrobat).

Introduction

This information kit has been designed to assist you to identify program and course characteristics and those aspects of your teaching practice which contribute to internationalisation. It includes a number of questionnaires which may be self or peer administered, by Program Directors, Course Coordinators or individual academics. It addresses internationalisation of the curriculum at 3 levels: Program level, Course level and Teacher level. It has been designed to assist you to explore what internationalisation of the curriculum means in your discipline area; to encourage you to reflect on your own teaching, to invite constructive feedback and comments from your peers; and to use all of this data to inform the development of your teaching.

The kit has been developed with reference to contemporary literature in the area of internationalisation and UniSA documents and guidelines on internationalisation. Links to further reading and resources are included should you decide to investigate internationalisation in more depth.

Definition

Internationalisation in the higher education sector is a multi-faceted, much debated and diversely interpreted concept. In 1994 Knight defined internationalisation of higher education as ‘the process of integrating an international/intercultural dimension into the teaching, research and service functions of the institution’ (Knight 1994). Internationalisation of the curriculum is thus a critical part of the broader process of internationalisation. At the University of South Australia internationalisation of the curriculum has been largely driven by the introduction of a set of seven Graduate Qualities in 1996, one of which relates to the development of international perspectives in all students.

Graduate Quality #7 states that a ‘graduate of the University of South Australia will demonstrate international perspectives as a professional and as a citizen’.

The generic indicators for Graduate Quality #7 (PDF 74kb - download Adobe Acrobat) provide guidance on the key features of an internationalised curriculum at UniSA. They focus on intercultural learning through the development of student’s understanding and valuing of their own and other cultures (indicators 7.2, 7.4, 7.6 and 7.7) the development of knowledge and understanding (7.3, 7.5) and the application of what they have learned to their professional practice (7.1, 7.8 and 7.9). Internationalisation outcomes for students are thus focused both on the acquisition of skills and knowledge related to professional areas, as well as on the development of values and cross-cultural awareness. Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on the application of skills and knowledge, on taking action rather than on passive development.

However, the generic quality and its indicators require interpretation and elaboration at the program and course level. Clearly the sort of international perspectives appropriate for professional practice as an engineer will be different in some significant ways from those required for professional practice as a nurse, an accountant or a journalist.

Contents of the kit:

Internationalisation at program level

Program structure
Graduate quality #7 audit tool
Internationalisation at different levels in a program
Tasks and different levels of development.

Internationalisation at course level

Course documentation
Course content
Teaching and learning activities
Assessment practices

Internationalisation at teacher level

Teacher preparation
Knowledge
Presentation in lectures and tutorials
Presentation of materials
Assessment practices.