Policymaking in the Era of Internationalizing Universities

Abstract: Universities involved in internationalizing their institutions will be aware of the difficulties of making the correct determinations when considering the short-, medium-, and long-term effectiveness of their policies. Much like other institutions required to change their practices in the modern age, the scope of university policymaking is constrained by the market within which they ostensibly intend to thrive. The trilemma outlined in this paper involves universities making decisions based on three interlinked yet asymmetrically influential factors: identity, modernity, and sustainability. This paper discusses how these three factors influence all universities, albeit to differing degrees at different times. This paper argues for a contextually based approach to university internationalization, fully informed by the various influences on stakeholders in the system, to produce outcomes that can be of lasting benefit for individuals, institutions, and international systems alike.