“The Importance of Student Mobility, Academic Exchange and Internationalization of Higher Education for College Students in a Globalized World: 

 

Abstract. Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies and governments of different countries and regions. It is a process that was initially thought would be based solely or exclusively commercial and business sector as well as investment in the international arena, which has the support of information technology. This process has effects on the environment, culture, political systems, development and economic prosperity, as well as on the welfare of human beings that make societies around the world. Policies and technological development of the last decades have resulted in such a large increase in trade, investment and cross-border migration, which many observers believe that the world has entered a new phase, in qualitative terms; they’re both economic and social development and culture. Technology has been the catalyst that has propelled other globalization. The progresses made especially in the field of information technology have dramatically transformed economic activity. Information technologies have offered all sorts of individual economic actors-consumers, investors and businesses-valuable new tools to identify and realize economic opportunities, including faster and better documented analysis on trends worldwide, a transfer easier to goods and services and collaboration people from different cultures. In the same context we can say that we live in a globalized world in which the internationalization of the education sector refers to a comprehensive institutional transformation process that aims to integrate international and intercultural dimension in the mission and the substantive functions of higher education institutions. In regard to the mobility of students, this involves the idea that instead of studying outside their home institution. However refers more to cooperation between institutions is established as a basic and essential to achieve the internationalization of education.

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Introduction

The internationalization of higher education is an answer to the challenges posed by globalization. The phenomenon of globalization which now characterizes the economic and social activities has also significantly influenced higher education in recent decades. Its importance is reflected in the place it occupies in the institutions and the national agendas in all countries of the world. At first the construction of the European Union and the Erasmus contributed decisively to the Europeanization of higher education that later became a broader and more inclusive globalization.

The internationalization is part of the strategic plans of universities. It has contributed to this many factors, including the challenge of competing in the global arena. Crespo MacLennan (2011) points out some of the main objectives we face to do: prepare for the knowledge society, to live up to the requirements of the Bologna

Process, and work internationally and informatics, knowledge has become a factor of production. We walked towards the knowledge society, towards a planned society. So we live in a world that is in constant change, in all respects, a competitive world where preparation becomes our best tool.

There are two terms: globalization and internationalization, used to describe the trends of global relations intensification of interaction and exchange, global networking in the fields of social communication, and transnational harmonization models and social structures. Both terms refer to a social context, which extends more and more in different parts of the world.

The first of the terms, globalization is the result of the internationalization of the economy first, through the formation of economic blocs and the establishment of new business relationships, which with the use of information technologies in specific case Internet, allows buy-sell transactions with countries far away or better yet, with everyone. It is important to understand that globalization is multidimensional, encompassing economic, political, social, cultural and educational course.

The great advances in science and technology have led globalization through information flow. Internationalization refers to integrate the international dimension in education, i.e. globalization serves as a catalyst for the internationalization of education. It is for this reason that the educational models are increasingly adapting to the demands brought about by globalization such as trade and economic openness, which makes the educational landscape is in a process of permanent change.

The internationalization of higher education is a response to the challenges and needs that globalization brings more specifically the globalization of education, is one of the ways in which a university or country face the repercussions of that, without neglecting the principles of the institution or, what is more important the idiosyncrasies of the nation. All this is achieved through academic programs such as student exchange; study a foreign language, mobility of academic and administrative staff.

Educational programs of masters and doctoral sets, international students, lecturers and visiting professors. Distance education programs, also are important research activities, including joint projects and seminars, international research agreements, articles and essays published in journals and international journals.

 

Internationalization refers to a comprehensive institutional transformation process, which aims to integrate international and intercultural dimension in the mission and the substantive functions of higher education institutions, so that they are inseparable from their identity and culture (Gacel -Avila, 1999).

 

What is the implication?

The internationalization of higher education has been a reality since the late twentieth century has been emphasized and prioritized in this century, in this context, consider the academics and students as the most visible and important elements of internationalization, becoming the quintessential protagonists of this process, because not only are recipients of knowledge, but also producers of it (Felix Corral, 2003), forming what Altbach considered as the personification of a global network made the internationalization of knowledge and research in an economy but especially in an integrated global society. Is that the reason why struggle in undeveloped countries to achieve the developed country model, gives the formation of high-level resources in the field of technology, a strategic area important for any nation and therefore also the effort to send their top students to study in abroad.

 

What really means the internationalization of education?

 Internationalizing the curriculum, i.e. international elements add to the content of the courses.

 Proficiency in foreign languages, allowing the approach to other cultures.

 Internationalization of research through cooperation between different national and foreign institutions.

 Internationalization extension, i.e. administrative and academic links all the events and projects of the university.

 

Mobility In regard to the mobility of students, this conveys the idea that instead of studying outside the home institution. In an international context, the use of the terms study abroad, international students and scholars and flows of international students (Altbach, 1989). These terms evoke the idea of migration of students and academic staff to another country, in order to obtain a degree or training in a specific discipline. This participation is an aspect that is perhaps the oldest and general internationalization of higher education.

 

Mobility has been a phenomenon that has its origin in the very beginning of the first universities. European universities have an international character and Christian, the most prestigious teachers attending these centers, and imparted his teachings on topics of interest. They used a common language, Latin, curriculum and standardized tests systems, which allowed students to begin their studies traveling on a stadium and continue after another and ensured the recognition of studies in all countries of Christendom. In addition to completing his studies, returned to their home countries with a large number of new experiences, ideas, opinions and political principles, which came to occupy important positions so they could apply and disseminate the knowledge acquired (Gacel-Avila, 2000)

Mobility has evolved and taken new forms in the world, there is currently a large number of programs such as ERASMUS, which promote mobility in Latin America and specifically in countries like Mexico that has shown very positive results in the past because mobility academic looked like something designed mostly only to members of certain elites. Nowadays mobility has taken an important role due to new circumstances and a demand of a globalized world has become a country strategy for human resources training. It is also a challenge, because it is an activity that has not been recognized as a tool to improve higher education but also is a potential, since it allows taking advantage and opportunities to strengthen the higher education system and thus have a better place internationally. By that, college students and future professionals can compete in the international market both as trade ideas.

 

The European Communication "Progress towards the common European Objectives in education and training? Indicators and Benchmarks 2010/2011", recognizes that, overall, the academic mobility of young people has increased by over 50% since 2000. For example, increased 2.0% in 2007/08 and 3% in 2008/2009 to undergraduate level, reaffirming the importance of international academic experiences acquired in the last decade and the trend indicates will strengthen in the coming years.