A New Typology for Analyzing the Direction of Movement in Higher Education Internationalization

Abstract

This article proposes a new typology of “inward- and outward-oriented” higher education (HE) internationalization based on the spread of innovations that involve knowledge, culture, HE models, and norms. It reviews existing typologies related to HE internationalization; discusses theories of world system, soft power, and knowledge diplomacy; and utilizes the notion of transcultural diffusion of innovations. As a supplement to existing theories, this new typology is constructed primarily for capturing the currents and dynamics of HE internationalization as they relate to the spread of innovations to analyze newly emerging scenarios. The article applies this new typology to a discussion of real-world cases and tests its viability.