Internationalisation at Home

What is Internationalisation at Home exactly?

...the purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments (Beelen & Jones, 2015) 

Internationlisation is an important component of quality education in a globalised world. It is vital that we help prepare our students to face tomorrow’s challenges at both the local and global level. Through Internationalisation at Home (IaH) we can ensure all students are given the opportunity to gain the skills normally associated with traditional student mobility without travel, making it both an inclusive and environmentally friendly alternative. 

There are many different ways to work with IaH, some of which you will find outlined below. Choose the approach that best suits your course or programme based on your ambition and available resources. 

Virtual Exchange

Virtual exchange opens up for both international and interdisciplinary learning. Let students explore important topics through an online project in collaboration with an international partner (students from another university or a non-academic partner e.g. company, NGO etc.) 

Through virtual exchange, students can meet new people, and gain access to knowledge and material not available at Mid Sweden University, at the same time as they enhance their intercultural skills.

Internationalisation of the Curriculum

You can internationalise the learning outcomes, the reading list and/or assignments and assessments in your course/programme by including international and intercultural dimensions relevant to the subject.

There is a research based conceptual framework for Internationalisation of the Curriculum which can be a great help in the process. Learn more

Informal, (co-)curriculum activities

Learning also takes place outside the classroom, in the wider campus environment. Informal and optional activities, such as intercultural communication workshops, buddy programmes, language or cultural programmes are also part of IaH. 

Making use of cultural diversity in the classroom for inclusive learning, teaching and assessment practice

The cultural diversity of a classroom can be a challenge in terms of managing the different learning cultures students are used to, but by actively integrating experiences and knowledge of both internationally mobile students and local students from diverse backgrounds it can be turned into a valuable resource.

Getting Started

If you are interested in working with Internationalisation at Home in some way (perhaps you have an idea of your own that you would like to explore or you have recieved a request from students or an external partner), you are very welcome to -

• Book a meeting with Emma McKeogh at the International Relations Office to discuss possibilities, suitable frameworks, resources and the way forward tailored to your specific context.
• Book a meeting with our Educational Developers to for support and inspiration regarding relevant pedagogy and didactic methods.