Abstract Book of the 9th International Academic Conference on Education
Year: 2025
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Academic Rationales and Implementation of Internationalization in Higher Education: Perspectives from International Office Professionals and Faculty Members in Switzerland and Türkiye
Fatma Uslu Gülşen, Abdeljalil Akkari
ABSTRACT:
Internationalization has emerged as a central feature of higher education by global competition, economic imperatives, academic excellence. While prior research has emphasized economic and political rationales, limited attention has been paid to how academic rationales are implemented within differing governance systems. This study explores how academic rationales for internationalization are conceptualized, operationalized, and enacted by international office professionals and faculty members in Switzerland and Türkiye—representing decentralized and centralized higher education systems, respectively. Using a qualitative comparative multiple case study design integrated with grounded theory methodology, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 27 participants from higher education institutions in Switzerland and Türkiye. The constant comparative method guided the coding process (open, axial, and selective), enabling the development of a contextualized understanding of internationalization practices. The analysis reveals that the Contextual Strategic Agency Model, which integrates findings across five dimensions: governance structures, faculty agency, institutional roles, strategic logic, and internationalization outcomes. Results show that Swiss institutions pursue faculty-driven, academically motivated internationalization supported by institutional autonomy. In contrast, Turkish institutions follow visibility- and policy-driven approaches shaped by centralized oversight and funding mechanisms. By examining how actors navigate structurally distinct systems, the study contributes theoretical and practical insights into the academic dimensions of internationalization in higher education.
Keywords: academic rationales, comparative education, grounded theory, higher education, internationalization