Internationalization of Australian Higher Education: A Critical Review of Literature and Research

Abstract

This chapter critically reviews scholarly and professional literature produced since 1990 on the internationalization of Australian higher education. It considers not only journal articles and monographs but also research theses and publications produced by government departments and agencies, non-government higher education organizations and specialized companies providing higher education support services. The chapter discusses briefly the concept of internationalization, traces Australian developments in the internationalization of higher education since 1990 and then reviews a wide variety of literature under the broad headings of: the processes of internationalization of higher education; national policy and evaluation; export of higher education services; international students; and various other aspects of the internationalization of Australian higher education. A final section attempts an overall assessment, pointing to both strengths and gaps in the literature and the unfortunate lack of effective interaction between scholars with distinctively different theoretical orientations and interests.