GENERAL INFORMATION
TAM title: Understanding the process of internationalisation in higher education institutions. Why do HEIs internationalise?
Type of Event: Seminar
Modality: Presential
Location: University of Elbasan “Aleksanër Xhuvani”, Tirana
Country: Albania
Dates: 4 – 5 March 2024
Participants: 40 participants from public and private HEIs in Albania.
THEMES COVERED
- Conceptualization of internationalisation in the Albanian context / How to define internationalisation.
- Internationalisation of higher education: motivations, objectives, expected benefits and challenges.
Internationalisation of curricula / Key elements.
Evaluating internationalisation. How to measure Internationalisation
Internationalisation and strategic planning at the institutional level.
KEY OUTCOMES
During the workshop, participants:
- Gained a comprehensive understanding of the full spectrum of internationalisation activities, including the key actors, stakeholders, and their respective motivations.
- Developed a clear grasp of major trends in internationalisation both in Europe and globally and identified the most relevant developments within the Albanian context.
- Engaged in a productive discussion on the main challenges currently facing Albanian higher education and explored how internationalisation could serve as a tool to address them.
- Reached a shared understanding of the importance and usefulness of institutional internationalisation strategies. While most Albanian universities already have such strategies in place, implementation remains a key challenge.
OVERVIEW
The 1.5-day seminar combined expert presentations, discussions, and group work to enhance understanding of higher education internationalisation in Albania. Around 40 participants attended, including vice-rectors, deans, and international relations staff from public and private universities, as well as representatives of national agencies such as the Erasmus Office.
Participants examined European and international practices, focusing on defining internationalisation, addressing misconceptions, assessing joint and double degree programs, measuring progress, and integrating internationalisation into institutional strategies and curricula.
Discussions showed that while most Albanian HEIs have internationalisation strategies, these are often not visible, lack clear objectives, and are weakly implemented. Impact assessment is limited, few programs are offered in English, and international student recruitment remains minimal. The absence of a national strategy leads to fragmented efforts, while wider issues such as declining student numbers and insufficient research funding further constrain progress. Despite these challenges, the seminar was considered highly valuable for deepening understanding, sharing experiences, and identifying practical steps toward a more coherent and effective approach to internationalisation.
THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
Title of the activity: Focus group meetings
Dates: 25 March 2024; 02 April 2024; 08 April 2024
Audience: 22 participants.
Description: Following the TAM seminar, a series of small focus group meetings were held with staff from international relations, Erasmus+, project, and curriculum offices. The meetings took place at several institutions — including the Mediterranean University of Albania, University of Elbasan, Faculty of Foreign Languages, and University of Tirana — between 25 March and 8 April 2024, involving 22 representatives from different Albanian HEIs.
The discussions helped participants gain a deeper understanding of internationalisation as a complex, evolving process that extends beyond signing MoUs or participating in Erasmus+ programmes. They examined the taxonomy of internationalisation, explored key processes, and discussed the real meaning of curriculum internationalisation — emphasizing that offering courses in English alone does not make a curriculum international. A report of recommendations was subsequently presented to the Ministry of Education, and continued dialogue among HEI staff is fostering collaboration and identifying effective actions to strengthen internationalisation in Albania.
ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS
Recommendations for advancing internationalisation in Albanian higher education:
- Adopt a National Strategy: Establish a coherent national framework for internationalisation with clear goals, indicators, and alignment to EU and global standards.
- Strengthen Institutional Strategies: Make HEI internationalisation plans visible, inclusive, and measurable through defined KPIs and regular assessment.
- Internationalize Education and Campus Life: Expand programs in English, embed global and intercultural perspectives in curricula, and foster an inclusive international campus culture.
- Attract and Support International Students: Create clear recruitment pathways, improve online information, and train staff to assist foreign students effectively.
- Promote Lifelong Learning and EU Alignment: Encourage HEIs to offer lifelong learning to address demographic decline and use EU accession processes to fund and guide reforms.
RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL
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Promoting human capital development: A typology of international scholarship programmes in higher education. Educational Researcher, 43(2), pp. 63–73. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X14521863Compagnucci, L. & Spigarelli, F. (2020).
The third mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 161, Article 120284.Craciun, D. (2019).
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