Page 46 - AEI Insights 2020 - Vol. 6, Issue 1

AEI Insights, Vol 6, Issue 1, 2020

Higher Education
Development

Approach Networking

• International expansion
• Market penetration Internationalisation
Strategy • International integration of Higher Education

• Multilateral governance
• Bridging mechanism
• Partnerships
Rationale • Strategic alliances

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework

The networking components, expansion, partnerships and strategic alliances could explain and
support the approaches to internationalisation (programme, rationale, ad hoc, policy and
strategic approach). These components can also assist the higher education system to
implement imperative internationalisation activities such as conferences, joint research,
curriculum and courses development and staff and students exchanges (Kristensen & Karlsen,
2018). For instance, in the case of Malaysia, the higher education internationalisation at
university level has become the bridge between local and international scholars to share their
expertise and knowledge for higher education development (Mohd Ismail & Doria, 2012).
Sanders (2018) believes that internationalisation of higher education could become a bridge
between states, regions and higher education institutions. Meanwhile, market penetration and
international expansion are important components of networking that can connect strategy for
internationalisation of higher education to increase international students and establish branch
campuses abroad (Knight, 2004a). For example, Malaysia encourages foreign institutions to
establish branch campuses (Chan, 2013) to fulfil Malaysian students’ demand and to attract
international fee paying students from the region (Healey, 2008). Thus, in 2013, eight
international branch campuses from Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) were established
in Malaysia through the strong networking carried out (Mohd Ismail & Doria, 2014).
Girdzijauskaitė et al., (2019) stated that the University of Reading from UK developed strong
networks with local Malaysian partners and finally established a branch campus in Malaysia.
Consequently, all the seven components of networking in internationalisation are vital in
supporting the rationale for internationalisation of higher education. Firstly, international
expansion and market penetration relate to economic rationale. The major contribution of these
two components for economic rationale are fees paying international students, economy
growth, financial incentives and labour market (Knight, 2008a). Secondly, international
integration supports the socio-cultural rationale for the improvement of intercultural
understanding and maintaining the national cultural identity as well as understanding foreign
language (Qiang, 2003). Thirdly, the partnership and strategic alliance components influence
the academic rationale for staff and student exchanges, research collaboration, teaching and
curriculum and courses development (Wihlborg & Robson, 2018). Lastly, the multilateral
governance and bridging mechanism support the political rationale. These two components
encourage relationship among nations for trade purposes, inter-institutions agreements and

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