The role of language and culture in open learning in international collaborative programmes

Abstract

In the context of internationalisation, the delivery of higher education programmes increasingly combines open learning with collaborations among people of diverse languages and cultures. In this paper we argue that while the literature on international education focuses on mapping modes of delivery in international education, there is also a need to recognise that it is these modes, together with language and culture, which mediate the delivery of programmes. Drawing on data from a case study of collaboration between an Australian university and an educational institution in Malaysia, we argue that international education per force involves collaboration and that this collaboration is mediated.

Keywords:

• Culture
• Higher education
• Internationalisation
• Language
• Open learning

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution made to this paper by Leo Papademetre as well as his collaboration in the research on which it is based.