Degree Mobility in the Higher Education Context: Could the English Language be a Key Driver of Internationalisation?

Yıl 2021, , 220 - 227, 20.12.2021

Tuğba Elif Toprak Yıldız

https://doi.org/10.32329/uad.876946

Öz

Nowadays, as higher education institutions strive for gaining reputation and increasing their visibility, the notion of internationalisation within the higher education systems continues to attract increasing attention. In particular, the influence of internationalisation on the linguistic landscape of European higher education appears to be far-reaching. Whereas the European Union policies have backed up the idea of multilingualism, the ambition of higher education institutions to draw more accomplished students has boosted the status of English as the lingua franca and medium of instruction. In a similar vein, literature on internationalisation has linked internationalisation to greater degree and credit mobility and extensive use of English as the medium of instruction. Competitiveness in the academic market, in particular, might have caused a considerable number of higher education institutions to associate the notion of internationalisation with Englishisation. While these pressures cement the position of English as the medium of instruction and scholarly activities, this article examines the possible relationships among internationalisation, degree mobility, Englishisation, and language policies in the light of the OECD 2019 and 2020 data. The article also considers several crucial implications for internationalisation that have become increasingly relevant especially during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Anahtar Kelimeler

degree mobility, internationalisation, higher education, Englishisation, English-medium instruction (EMI)

Yükseköğretim Bağlamında Derece Hareketliliği: İngilizce Uluslararasılaşmada Önemli Bir Etmen Olabilir Mi?

Öz

Günümüzde yükseköğretim kurumları üniversite sıralama listelerinde yukarı tırmanmak, itibar ve görünürlük kazanmak için çabalarken, yükseköğretim sistemlerindeki uluslararasılaşma kavramı gittikçe daha fazla ilgi çekmektedir. Uluslararasılaşmanın özellikle Avrupa yükseköğretim sisteminin dilsel yapısı üzerindeki etkisi derin olmuştur. Avrupa Birliği politikaları çok dillilik fikrini açıkça desteklemiş olsa da yükseköğretim kurumlarının daha yetenekli ve başarılı öğrencileri çekme arzusu, öğretim dili olarak İngilizcenin statüsünü güçlendirmiştir. Benzer şekilde, uluslararasılaşma literatürü bu kavramı daha fazla derece ve kredi hareketliliği ve İngilizcenin öğretim dili olarak kullanılması ile ilişkilendirmiştir. Akademik pazardaki rekabet, önemli sayıda yükseköğretim kurumunun uluslararasılaşma kavramını açık bir şekilde İngilizce ile ilişkilendirmesine neden olmuş olabilir. Bu baskılar, eğitim ve bilimsel faaliyetlerde İngilizcenin statüsünü sağlamlaştırırken, bu makale OECD 2019 ve 2020 verileri ışığında uluslararasılaşma, derece hareketliliği, İngilizceleşme ve dil politikaları arasındaki potansiyel ilişkileri incelemektedir. Makale ayrıca, özellikle COVID-19 pandemi döneminde uluslararasılaşma ile ilgili giderek daha fazla önem kazanan birkaç hususu değerlendirmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

derece hareketliliği, uluslararasılaşma, yükseköğretim, İngilizceleşme, eğitim dili olarak İngilizce

Kaynakça

• Abbott, A., & Silles, M. (2016). Determinants of international student migration. The World Economy, 39(5), 621–635.
• Altbach, P. G. (2002). Knowledge and education as international commodities. International Higher Education, 28, 2–5.
• Arik, B. T., & Arik, E. (2014). The role and status of English in Turkish higher education. English Today, 30(4), 5–10.
• Australian Productivity Commission. (2015). International education services, productivity commission research paper. Canberra.
• Back, K., Davis, D., & Olsen, A. (1997). Strategies for internationalisation of higher education in Australia. In J. Knight & H. de Wit (Eds.), Internationalisation of higher education in Asia Pacific countries (pp. 33–46). Amsterdam: The EAIE.
• Beine, M., Romain, N., & Ragot, L. (2014). Determinants of the international mobility of students. Economics of Education Review, 41, 40–54.
• Bologna Declaration. (1999). The European higher education area. Joint declaration of the European Ministers of education convened in Bologna on the 19th of June 1999.
• Coleman, J. A. (2006). English-medium teaching in European higher education. Language Teaching, 39(1), 1–14.
• Cots, J. M., Llurda, E., & Garrett, P. (2014). Language policies and practices in the internationalisation of higher education on the European margins: An introduction. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(4), 311–317.
• Curle, S., R. R. Jablonkai, J. Mittelmeier, K. Sahan, & A. Veitch. (2020). English medium Part 1: Literature review in N. Galloway (Ed.) English in higher education. London: British Council.
• De Swaan, A. (2001). Words of the world: The global language system. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Dearden, J. (2014). English as a medium of instruction– A growing global phenomenon. London: British Council.
• Doiz, A., Lasagabaster, D., & Sierra, J. M. (2014). Language friction and multilingual policies in higher education: The stakeholders’ view. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(4), 345–360.
• European Commission. (2015). ECTS Users' Guide. Publications Office of the European Commission. Fenton-Smith, B., Humphreys, P., & Walkinshaw, I. (2017). English medium instruction in higher education in Asia-Pacific. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
• Findlay, A., King, R., Stam, A., & Ruiz-Gelices, E. (2006). The changing geographies of UK students studying and working abroad. European Urban and Regional Studies, 13(4), 291–318.
• Garrett, P., & Gallego Balsà, L. (2014). International universities and implications of internationalisation for minority languages: Views from university students in Catalonia and Wales. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(4), 361–375.
• Ha, P. L. (2013). Issues surrounding English, the internationalisation of higher education and national cultural identity in Asia: A focus on Japan. Critical Studies in Education, 54(2),160–175.
• Hughes, R. (2008). Internationalisation of higher education and language policy: Questions of quality and equity. Higher Education Management and Policy, 20(1), 102–119.
• Karakaş, A., & Bayyurt, Y. (2019). The scope of linguistic diversity in the language policies, practices, and linguistic landscape of a Turkish EMI university. In J. Jenkins & A. Mauranen (Eds.) Linguistic diversity on the EMI campus (pp. 96–122). Routledge.
• Kehm, B. M., & Teichler, U. (2007). Research on internationalisation in higher education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3–4), 260–273.
• Kirkpatrick, A. (2011). Internationalization or Englishization? Medium of instruction in today’s universities. Centre for Governance and Citizenship Working Paper Series 2011/003. Hong Kong Institute of Education.
• Kırkgöz, Y. (2009). Globalization and English language policy in Turkey. Educational Policy, 23(5), 663–684. Knight, J. (1997) Internationalization of higher education: A conceptual framework. In Knight, J. & De Wit, H. (Eds), Internationalisation of higher education in Asia Pacific countries (pp.5–19). Amsterdam: EAIE.
• Knight, J. (1994). Internationalization: Elements and checkpoints. CBIE Research No. 7. Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)/Bureau canadien de l'éducation internationale (BCEI).
• Knight, J., & De Wit, H. (1995). Strategies for internationalisation of higher education: Historical and conceptual perspectives. In H. de Wit (Ed.), Strategies for internationalisation of higher education: A comparative study of Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States of America (pp. 5–32), Amsterdam: EAIE.
• Knight, J. (2004). Internationalization remodeled: Definition, approaches, and rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education, 8(1), 5–31.
• Kuteeva, M. (2014). The parallel language use of Swedish and English: The question of ‘nativeness’ in university policies and practices. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(4), 332–344.
• Kuteeva, M., & Airey, J. (2014). Disciplinary differences in the use of English in higher education: Reflections on recent language policy developments. Higher Education, 67(5), 533–549.
• Llurda, E., Cots, J. M., & Armengol, L. (2014). Views on multilingualism and internationalisation in higher education: Administrative staff in the spotlight. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(4), 376–391.
• Mackiewicz, W. (2001). Universities need a language lesson. Guardian Weekly, 21–27 June, 1.
• Macaro, E. (2018). English medium instruction: Content and language in policy and practice. Oxford: Oxford UP.
• Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36–76.
• McMullen, G. (2014). The value and attributes of an effective preparatory English program: Perceptions of Saudi university students. English Language Teaching, 7(7), 131–140.
• OECD (2004). Internationalisation and trade in higher education: Opportunities and challenges. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• OECD (2005). Education at a glance: OECD indicators – 2005 Edition. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• OECD (2016). OECD science, technology and innovation outlook 2016. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• OECD (2017). Education at a glance 2017: OECD indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• OECD (2018). Education at a glance 2018: OECD indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• OECD (2019). Education at a Glance 2019: OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• OECD (2020). Education at a Glance 2020: OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.
• Phillipson, R. (2009). English in higher education: Panacea or pandemic? ANGLES on the English-Speaking World, 9, 29–57.
• Risager, K. (2012). Language hierarchies at the international university. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 216, 11–130.
• Sánchez-Barrioluengo, M., & Flisi, S. (2017). Student mobility in tertiary education: Institutional factors and regional attractiveness (No. JRC108895). Joint Research Centre.
• Seidlhofer, B. (2011). Understanding English as a lingua franca. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Smit, U., & Dafouz, E. (2012). Integrating content and language in higher education: An introduction to English-medium policies, conceptual issues and research practices across Europe. AILA Review, 25(1), 1–12.
• The Times Higher Education (2020, December 20). https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/world-university-rankings-2020-methodology
• The QS World University Rankings (2020, December 20). https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings/methodology
• Wächter, B., & Maiworm, F. (2008). English-taught programmes in European higher education. The picture in 2007. Bonn: Lemmens.
• Wächter, B. & F. Maiworm (2014). English-taught programmes in European higher education: The state of play in 2014. Bonn: Lemmens.
• West, A. (2000). Reasons for studying abroad: A survey of EU students studying in the UK. Edinburgh: Education-line.
• Velliaris, D. M., & Coleman-George, D. (Eds.). (2016). Handbook of research on study abroad programs and outbound mobility. IGI Global.