International Education, A Matter of Heart

13 - 16 February 2006

International and trans-border education is high on the agenda of many universities and educational institutions worldwide. This conference will bring together many of those 'at the front line' of international education, those who see, feel, experience, learn about and question the development and impact of international education on nations, institutions, disciplines, communities, cultures and individuals.

Aims

In this conference we aim to explore and examine international education - the landscape in which it is embedded, the cultural conserves by which it is contained and the principles by which it is practiced.

We aim to get to the ‘heart of the matter’ by teasing out the issues at the core of international education.

Above all, we aim to provide an opportunity to share those aspects of higher education that we all value as nations, cultures, communities, institutions and individuals and that are ‘a matter of heart’.

Who should attend?

This conference is for academic teachers and researchers, administrators, educational developers and anyone from the post-secondary and higher education sectors interested in:

• exploring the concepts, dimensions and rationale of internationalisation of higher education
• exploring the impact of internationalisation on curriculum development and teaching strategies
• fostering international networks in teaching across borders
• researching the impact of internationalisation of education in our societies, and
• exploring new approaches to learning, teaching and research in international education.

Themes

The conference aims will be developed through the following themes:

• International and institutional issues in higher education:

The provision of international higher education, particularly in the trend toward borderless education, is becoming increasingly important and complex. Presentations within in this theme address internationalisation, globalisation, quality assurance, regulation, institutional governance, accreditation, capacity building, skills raiding, brain drain issues, migration, legislation and sector trends.

• The impact of culture on curricula and collaboration in higher education:

As universities become more “international”, cultural issues and national agendas will have an increasing impact on the curricula offered and the ways in which collaborations are conducted. Within this theme papers and workshops will explore cultural diversity, language and learning, teaching systems, notions of knowledge, and issues of staff and student mobility.

• Personal and professional practice in higher education:

This theme will cover a range of topics including professional identity and practice of academics, reflective practice, creativity, peer mentoring and development of graduate attributes.