Being and doing internationalisation differently: the case of Education in an Italian university

This paper focuses on an alternative analysis of the ways in which internationalisation can be conceptualised against a background of competitive neoliberal agendas and the current volatile geopolitical context. Given the lack of plural, democratic and reflexive transnational relations in higher education, it aims to contribute to critical reflections that have highlighted the need to promote alternative and more equitable approaches to the definitions and practices of internationalisation. The paper focuses on an analysis of internationalisation in the field of education in the context of an Italian university which has recently increased its focus on the international dimensions of educational research, teaching and knowledge production. The study consists of a case study which draws out alternative and more inclusive underlying principles for internationalisation through interviews with the parties involved and an analysis of governance structures based on documentary analysis. Through a literature review of international higher education and a mapping of university activities, the research examines how these initiatives might contribute to more inclusive approaches to internationalisation. Drawing on the research’s empirical and theoretical work, the paper ultimately calls for a rethinking of internationalisation that is not based on a neoliberal or economic rationale but is more open in its epistemologies and inclusive of alternative forms of knowledge.