Deane joins IAU panel discussing the internationalization of higher ed

Can students get a truly international educational experience without ever leaving the country?

That’s one of the questions facing the world’s leaders in higher education, many of whom have gathered at the University of Siena in Italy this week to discuss the internationalization of education.

McMaster’s President Patrick Deane is slated to be part of a panel tackling “internationalization without mobility” at the International Association of Universities’ annual conference.

“The opportunity to study overseas is often thought of as the essence of internationalization in higher education,” says Deane. “But, paradoxically, it can also be the greatest obstacle to a truly international educational experience at North American universities.”

Institutions are increasingly shifting their sphere of operations from local issues to global issues, but no matter how much international student mobility may increase in the future, few believe it is ever likely to include all students.

“That’s why we want to understand what needs to change in order for education to be truly international – whether students travel or not,” says Deane.

Deane and the panel hope to identify the constraints on institutional transformation and discuss a strategy for ensuring the experience of students at home properly and effectively prepares them for encountering the world.

Deane joins higher education leaders at the conference as well as delegates from the World Health Organization and UNESCO, among other organizations.