Assessing the internationalisation of degree programmes: experiences from a Dutch-Flemish pilot certifying internationalisation

Abstract

Internationalisation has transformed into mainstream strategy in higher education and is increasingly seen as adding value to the life of universities through improving its quality. But how do we assess the quality of internationalisation? This article evaluates a pilot project that aimed to qualitatively assess the internationalisation of programmes in the Netherlands and Flanders. The project took into account the diversity of internationalisation strategies, the desirability of certification and the increasingly important issue of learning outcomes, focusing especially on the challenging aspects and use of international and intercultural learning outcomes. The key outcome of the project has been the development of a new method for measuring the quality of internationalisation, which highlights the need for an enhanced framework for the interpretation of quality criteria, a stronger focus on relevant institutional contexts and a need to review the standards upon which quality measures can be benchmarked. The decision by European accreditation agencies to extend this methodology to the European level is presented as an important next step.

Keywords:

• internationalisation
• programme certificate
• accreditation
• quality assurance