Discussing international education

REGIONALISATION

15 HOLDING ON TO STRONG TIES 18 IN CONVERSATION WITH MANJA KLEMENČIČ 25 IS EUROPE THE GOLD STANDARD? 31 THE GEOGRAPHY OF MOBILITY

SPRING 2017 CONTENTS

04 EDITORIAL

05 CONTRIBUTORS

06 THE COST-REDUCING EFFECT The economic motive for regionalisation

09 COMPETING IN A GLOBAL HIGHER EDUCATION MARKET The importance of regional agreements

12 EUROPEAN REGIONALISATION IN AN AGE OF Published by ANTI- European Association for International Education Will regionalisation continue to grow? PO Box 11189, 1001 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands tel +31-20-344 51 00 e-mail [email protected], www.eaie.org 15 HOLDING ON TO STRONG TIES What the international office can do Editor Laura Rumbley Publications Committee Laura Rumbley (Chair), 18 IN CONVERSATION WITH MANJA KLEMENČIČ Jill Archer, Irina Ferencz, Jos Beelen, Han Aarts, Sara Lopez, Elise Kuurstra A Harvard scholar of regionalisation discusses present and future trends Head of Marketing & Communications Elise Kuurstra Editorial Coordinator Laura Mesquita 22 FOSTERING REGIONAL DIALOGUES Graphic Designer Nhu Nguyen How the Bologna Policy Forum has been intensifying collaboration The EAIE would like to express its appreciation and thanks to outgoing Editorial Coordinator, 25 IS EUROPE THE GOLD STANDARD? Laura Mesquita for her contributions to Forum There are other regions in the world during the past years. 28 REGIONAL COOPERATION AS A CATALYST FOR e-mail [email protected] INTERNATIONALISATION Advertising The Franco-German-Swiss border region way Contact [email protected] for more information. The EAIE welcomes requests for advertising space from 31 THE GEOGRAPHY OF MOBILITY companies and organisations whose aims and values Where do degree-seeking students go? are compatible with those of the Association and its members. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement by the EAIE. 35 A NORDIC–BALTIC COOPERATION Setting students up for success Printed by Drukkerij Raddraaier, Amsterdam 38 ANDALUSIA, A REGION OF DIVERSITY, TALENT, Copyright © 2017 by the EAIE All rights reserved. Extracts from Forum may be AND CREATIVITY reproduced with permission of the EAIE. Unless stated A closer look at the Spanish region of Andalusia, otherwise, opinions expressed by contributors do not host of EAIE 2017 necessarily reflect the position of the EAIE. 41 EAIE BLOG SPOT ISSN 1389-0808

Cover photo: shutterstock 43 EVENTS CALENDAR REGIONALISATION IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 03 15 “International offices must apply their accumulated expertise in cross-border bridge building with regional and international stakeholders”

HOLDING ON TO STRONG TIES

18 “Countries near each other often realise that if they want to be able to compete on a global stage, they have to work together”

IN CONVERSATION WITH MANJA KLEMENČIČ

25 “The discourse about the importance of the knowledge economy and society has paved the way for increased higher education regionalisms around the world”

IS EUROPE THE GOLD STANDARD? 31 “The relationship between regionalisation and internationalisation of higher education must, by definition, be a complex and multi-layered one”

THE GEOGRAPHY OF MOBILITY REGIONALISATION 04 IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

EDITORIAL

n the concentric circles of our lives as international educators, we are connected to many spaces: our own institutionalI environments, the national context where live, and of course, the global environment that frames so much of the way we think about and elaborate our work. But what about some of the ‘middle spaces’ we occupy? From my perspective, one of the most interesting among these has to do with the realm of ‘regions’. Regions are fascinating in the way many of them provoke such a strong sense of affinity, while often defying clear consensus as to what exactly defines their contours. Europe easily stands out as a case in point. Europe is a clearly recognized region – or is it? As with many other world regions, ‘Europe’ can be defined ‘regionally’ in multiple ways, education. We gain insights into the rejection of all interests beyond the na- and it is also correctly understood as a regional experience of a border-spanning tional. There is no question that region- complex, multi-layered region of regions. initiative between universities at the alisation is fraught with possibilities and So, what is regionalisation and what does crossroads of , and pitfalls. However, given that the very it mean to our work? , thanks to Hans-Jochen name of the EAIE speaks to a regional Our interview with Manja Klemenčič Schiewer and Janosch Nieden. And orientation (‘European’), and in light of provides an excellent starting point for Susan Robertson helps us consider the the very special nature of the European this discussion by highlighting some big-picture scope and variety of a world project undertaken in the decades since of the key rationales for, and complex- of ‘global regionalisms’. Other authors the Second World War, which has been ities surrounding, regional cooperation take us in a variety of different directions. deeply influential around the world as a in European higher education circles. An undercurrent in our discussion on model for regional peace and prosperity, Additional articles in this issue help regionalisation is the rise of nationalism exploring some of the many dimensions us to explore regionalisation through seen in many quarters around the world of the phenomenon of regionalisation is other lenses. To mention a few: Gabriele today. This is challenging not so much surely worth our time. Suder offers a financial and economic because of the primacy it gives to nations — LAUR A RUMBLEY, EDITOR perspective by considering the effects (already front and centre in the notion [email protected] of free trade agreements and regional of ‘internationalisation’ itself), but more trade agreements on international higher so because of the accompanying blanket REGIONALISATION IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 05

CONTRIBUTORS

Gabriele Suder Meng-Hsuan Chou Director International Relations, University of Melbourne and Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Global Affairs, Nanyang Principal Fellow, Melbourne Business School, Australia Technological University, Singapore Gabriele is serious about international education: she has written 10 Many Forum authors have studied abroad. Hsuan, having studied books and countless academic and media articles on the subject! in the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, , and France, certainly takes the cake for most international of all. Susan Robertson Professor of Sociology of Education, Cambridge University, UK Hans-Jochen Schiewer When Susan isn’t studying regions, global institutions or knowledge Rector of the , Germany and President of and service economies, she likes to spend her time cooking, cooking Eucor – The European Campus and cooking some more! As President of Eucor and Rector of a border city university, Hans-Jochen is a strong believer in the power of cross-border collaboration for forging intercultural understanding! Robin Shields Senior Lecturer in Higher Education Management, University of Bath, UK Janosch Nieden Robin may specialise in higher education management, student Director of the Coordination Office of Eucor – The European mobility, sociology of education and more, but her free time is spent Campus tickling the ivories. A German national now living in France, Janosch very much appreciates the local pastry culture, but still misses the ‘Gemütlichkeit’ (or friendliness) of German coffee houses. Baiba Pētersone Director, International Department, Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia Baiba, like many of her compatriots, spends a great part of the year Daan Huberts indoors. In summer, she steps out of the international office and can Data analyst at EP-Nuffic, the Netherlands be found galloping through the country. Daan, whose academic background is in the humanities and social sciences, still finds the label of ‘data analyst’ a little weird. Luis Delgado Executive Advisor, General Secretariat of Universities, Ministry of Raili Ekholm Education, Culture and Sport, Senior Lecturer, Nordplus Coordinator, Lahti University of Applied Forum readers may recognise Luis’ name from the winter issue. Be- Sciences, Finland ing featured twice in a row is very uncommon, but his collaboration Raili names ‘work’ among her passions, but in her free time what with Patricia and Ella was just that interesting! she really enjoys doing is going to a cottage by the lake, growing potatoes and harvesting mushrooms. Patricia Pol Emerita Professor of Political Science and Former Deputy Charlotta Edlund Vice-Chancellor Newcastle University, UK University Lecturer and Program Coordinator, Mälardalen Patricia has a long history and extensive expertise in international University, Sweden education. Her hobbies? Oh, just Egyptian belly dancing and Charlotta is an organisational mastermind, and enjoys adding jewellery design. Talk about multi-talented! structure to any project she touches. In her downtime, she can be found ‘Netflixing’ and singing her heart out. Ella Ritchie Vice-Chair of the Bologna Follow Up Group, Ministry of education, higher education and research, France Ella has been working in international education since the 1980s, but like her co-author Patricia, she has special skills in the arts. Rock and roll dancing, anyone? REGIONALISATION 18 IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

IN CONVERSATION WITH MANJA KLEMENČIČ

Manja Klemenčič is Lecturer in Manja, could you tell us a little bit about your re- search interest in regionalisation? Sociology of Higher Education at mk: My PhD research was on the role of regional Harvard University. She is a research- alliances in EU negotiations. I decided to push this er, teacher, and consultant in higher topic further to explore regional cooperation in the area of higher education. I specifically focused on education policy and practice with regions in Europe and the most formalised regional many years of experience in several alliances: the Benelux, the Nordic cooperation, the Visegrád Group, the Franco-German cooperation, parts of the world. Manja is also Edi- the Western Balkans, and the Baltic Coopera- tor of the European Journal of Higher tion. What is really interesting to me is the tension Education. Regionalisation in higher between cooperation and competition among higher education institutions within European sub-regions. I education is one of her many areas would even argue that these tensions are amplified in of expertise. In this interview, Manja the case of countries and institutions from the same discusses the rationales for countries region. and higher education institutions to Higher education institutions in countries in the collaborate regionally, the tensions same region tend to be similar in many ways, since they are located in similar socio-economic con- that exist in these arrangements, and texts, and often have shared histories and cultural the future of regional cooperation affinities. Given the geographic proximity, the social networks between academics tend to be more in the face of trends towards more developed. These networks are key for regional closed societies. cooperation. Institutions within the same region cooperate to promote the visibility and attractive- ness of their region. They also cooperate to develop LAURA MESQUITA EAIE world-class excellence in research and educational provision. Jointly, they can be more successful in REGIONALISATION IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 19 MANJA KLEMENČIČ Photos courtesy of Manja Klemenčič

attracting research funding and can pool their resources for building world-class or the European Student Union (ESU), resources to develop world-class study study programmes and research centres. where regional blocks of universities or programmes. At the same time, simi- unions work together to influence policies. larities and geographic proximity also Is this the definition of regionalisation in The third rationale, very much related make these institutions competitors – for higher education today? to the first two, is that countries work in talent and for research funding from mk: One of the main rationales for region- regions in order to capture resources that the EU. The competition may be even al cooperation in higher education today is specifically favour regional cooperation, fiercer between regional partners than pooling resources in order to be visible and for instance from the EU. The EU actively between partner institutions in other competitive at the global level. Another, promotes intra-European cooperation, of international partnerships, since regional more political rationale is coalition build- which regional cooperation is an impor- partners are more similar to one another. ing to influence policy decisions in favour tant part. In my research I focused in particular on of a region's interests – for instance, in EU intergovernmental cooperation within or EHEA policymaking. Governments Why does the EU promote regional cooperation? The EU actively promotes intra-European mk: The European communities were built on the notion that bringing the cooperation, of which regional cooperation is countries to the same table to work an important part together will prevent wars. This belief has always been the backbone of European cooperation. More relevant for pres- European regional alliances. I found that from the same region in these kinds of po- ent-day challenges is what I’ve men- many incentives exist for cooperation. litical settings tend to work together. They tioned before: the pooling of resources to Both internal and external. Externally, may not always vote the same or have the enhance global competitiveness. Many there is funding available from the EU exact same interests, but they often think European countries are small and as in- for intra-European cooperation. Inter- alike because they come from similar dividual countries cannot really compete nally, countries near each other often contexts and face similar challenges. This on a global level. That is even the case for realise that if they want to be able to happens also in policymaking in other larger countries, such as Germany and compete on a global stage, they have to supranational organisations, such as the France. The European Union therefore work together. It's a way for them to pool European University Association (EUA) tries to prompt cooperation ventures in REGIONALISATION 20 IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

within the larger political entities of the a 'health check' of higher education sys- EU and the EHEA. These sub-regions tems. There, governments are struggling share historical experiences and cultural with the question of whether to channel affinities and often have shared regional resources into a single flagship world- concerns. In a similar vein, Europe, as the class university or distribute resources EU or the EHEA, has shared cultur- across universities to raise the quality of al affinities, historical experiences and the entire higher education system. This regional interests when acting in a global is a very real and very difficult challenge context with other world regions. for governments. In these countries, In the same way that cooperation and I think that building regional ‘world- competition coexist within the European class’ consortia of universities could be sub-regions, it also does so within Europe a solution. Pooling resources among the as the larger political entity. However, universities via strategic partnerships, the differences between countries within joint research centres, and joint research Europe are larger than those within Eu- programmes could tip the scales to ropean sub-regions. In Europe we have achieve both objectives: having world- countries that are hubs for international class universities and lifting the quality students and that actively develop their of higher education provision across the higher education as an export, such as the national systems. Netherlands, the UK or Spain, and those Where I worry about the effects of that are not in the same playing field regionalisation is when countries in the higher education policy that would make when it comes to education export. same region begin to imitate the most suc- regions globally competitive. cessful ones among them without carefully Clearly, there are a lot of formal incen- considering whether the reforms will work You’ve mentioned smaller sub-regions tives for regional cooperation in Europe out within their specific context. These within Europe. Is the European Higher and many motives for countries to challenges are similar to the potential Education Area not also a region embrace this kind of collaboration. Is pitfalls of the influence of global league in itself? regionalisation always a positive force? tables on university strategies, whereby mk: That's an interesting question, be- mk: This is not an easy question to an- cause it all comes back to your definition swer. In terms of the pooling of resources, of a region. From a global perspective, I would say that regionalisation is defi- Europe is definitely a region. Due to var- nitely positive. In this day and age, with ious instruments of the European Union, major powers like China investing heavily such as Erasmus, the EHEA, the policies in higher education to create world-class of consolidation of quality assurance sys- universities from scratch, the only way tems, and the standardisation of degree for European universities to compete systems, Europe is globally identifiable as in global higher education markets is a region. But it's also a meta-region of all to work together. That's just a reality. of these sub-regions that we've been talk- The exceptions are the few established ing about. These European sub-regions European global university brands. Last are political entities, they are sub-systems year I worked a lot in Central Asia, doing REGIONALISATION IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 21

universities imitate the most successful executive order in the United States that that they've been too open and let too universities. Doing so they often forget universities lobbied together to ensure many people from different cultural to consider whether the same practices that their students and faculty from backgrounds in, and have invested also help them to be nationally and locally countries under visa restrictions were able too much in international cooperation relevant, and whether they also improve to obtain visas. without getting enough out of it. The the communities that gave them life and governments might then decide to protect purpose. In deciding on regional cooper- You have young children. Looking at national and local interests through meas- ation, universities have to ask themselves their generation, further down the line ures which give preferential treatment to what specific regional interests they have than our immediate political reality, how native students. In this scenario, inter- in common that they can pursue togeth- do you think regionalisation will shape nationalisation would not be perceived er. But as with any cooperation, they their education experience and outlook as advantageous or necessarily desirable. also need to think about asymmetries in on the world? National borders would be very visible, resources and prestige, which inevitably mk: It can go either way. One option is and students would not travel as freely as affect the purpose and terms of cooperation. that globalisation continues to develop they do today. Regional cooperation – as other forms of international coopera- tion – would be impaired. Institutions Higher education has been one of the main and countries in the same region would be perceived more as competitors than forces trying to resist the closing of societies collaborators. It is difficult to foresee in which direction the sentiments of governments In the current political climate, where as we have seen in the last decades, and and the citizenry will go in the coming national interests appear to be again on national borders will become increasingly years. While the trajectory of globalisa- the rise, is regional cooperation in higher permeable and our societies increas- tion is difficult to unwind, governments education at any risk of extinction? ingly multicultural. In such a scenario, with specific policies can make interna- mk: So far, higher education has been students will choose to study anywhere tionalisation of higher education more one of the main forces trying to resist in the world, and perhaps universi- difficult and de-internationalisation of the closing of societies. Universities have ties within the same region will work some areas of higher education possible. been vocal in affirming that they have together to be more recognisable. This Multiculturalism has long been em- benefitted from internationalisation, scenario can also mean that every coun- braced uncritically in Europe, perhaps and that their countries, through higher try charges tuition fees and that there much more so than in many other world education, have benefitted from being are no special benefits in terms of tuition regions. Now there are signs that the international. But I do wonder whether fees or scholarships for native students. tide may be turning. When it comes to and how some forms of de-internation- This scenario might also mean that, apart critical societal questions, universities, alisation of higher education might take from a few globally recognised university I think, have to engage politically. They place due to political circumstances. Will brands, employers will no longer care have to be at the forefront of political countries be turning further inwards and about where students have studied. They and public debates. They have to contrib- closing borders? Will universities follow will care about what they know and are ute to these debates and enlighten them suit? Or will they continue to fight for able to do. with sound research, equipping their the free movement of researchers and The other scenario is the other graduates with sharp critical thinking students? We've seen it recently with the extreme. Countries might begin saying skills and informed social observation.