Internationalization of the U of R:
Globalization and Higher Education
Andrea Sterzuk, PhD
Faculty of Education, University of Regina
October 3, 2011
Overview of this session
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Nationalism
Globalization
Internationalization of higher education
Internationalization of the University of Regina
Communicative & Pedagogical Adaptations
Conclusions
A. Nationalism
A. Nationalism
The Education of New Canadians, Saskatchewan Dept of Education, 1919
A. Nationalism
The Education of New Canadians, Saskatchewan Dept of Education, 1919
A. Nationalism
Why is a film made by the Saskatchewan
Department of Education in 1919 discussing
“canadianization,” “racial assimilation” and
nation-building?
 What do these things have to do with
education?

A. Nationalism

“Education is often seen as a source of upwardly
movement or as simply a place where children [students]
receive knowledge and skills required for successful lives.
Often ignored is the continuing role that schools play as a
nationalizing force and all that this phrase implies in terms
of the pedagogical practices necessary for producing
homogeneity in a heterogeneous settler society”
(Sterzuk, 2011).
A. Nationalism?


From the Faculty of Education Language Competence Policy
Statement
Standards of Speaking Performance for the B.Ed Degree:
3.2. Discourse

B) Participate in discussions following common rules of
conversational discourse: listening, taking turns, building on
others’ responses, etc.
A. Nationalism?


From the Department of English Handbook:
ESL Students in English 100: “It should be recognized that
students whose native language is not English have learned the
language in a different way and, to some extent, make different
cultural assumptions. As a result, they have problems of a
different kind to overcome and may require individual
attention and different approaches to teaching. However, ESL
students should be judged by standards as rigorous as
those applied to students whose first language is
English”
A. Nationalism


“The isolated, self-perpetuating, parochial environment
can no longer serve a functional purpose for the
educating institution...
...Historical experience, custom, tradition, the nationstate preoccupation and the evolution of some disciplines
tend to perpetuate a relatively narrow focus
impoverished by an absence of intercultural and
international perspectives, conceptualizations and data”
(Bartell, 2003, p. 49)
B. Globalization
B. Globalization



The 21st century is often described as a time of
globalization.
Characteristics specific to globalized times include: 1) a
unified global market; 2) innovations in communication
technology and 3) increased migration (Lo Bianco, 2000).
Lo Bianco, Liddicoat, and Crozet (1999), suggest that "we
are in the midst of the greatest movement of
populations of any time”
B. Globalization
Leader Post February 4, 2011
B. Globalization
Regina Sun – March 14, 2010
“Using the conservative,
medium-growth scenario,
Regina’s foreign-born
population would grow from
approximately 15,000 in 2006
to 20,000 in 2031.”
B. Globalization

Leader Post - September 16, 2011: “As part of Design
Regina, the city’s official community plan process,
projections indicate that by 2030, one-third of
Regina’s population (or 87,155 people) will be
made up of immigrants, compared to 11 per cent
(20,554) today.”
B. Globalization

In the past, Canada “felt relatively secure as a member of
the British Commonwealth, having a largely resourcebased and branch plant economy with strong commercial
and cultural ties to the United States. For both countries
and their institutions, changes in worldwide
environmental parameters have necessitated not merely a
reactive but a proactive response by adapting,
innovating and internationalizing higher education
(Bartell, 2003, p. 48)
B. Globalization

So, can we continue to assume that there are “common
rules” of English language communication or use first
language speakers of English as the benchmark for
assessment?
C.
Internationalization of
Higher Education
C. Internationalization of higher education


Internationalization is often confused with globalization
(Altbach, 2004). The two are related by not the same
thing.
Altbach and Knight see globalization as “the economic,
political, and societal forces pushing 21st century higher
education toward greater international
involvement” 2007, p. 290).
C. Internationalization of higher education

“Current thinking sees international higher education
as a commodity to be freely traded and sees higher
education as a private good, not a public
responsibility” (Altbach & Knight, 2007, p. 291).
C. Internationalization of higher education
March 9, 2010: “Facing a record deficit, province hopes to turn
education into export industry by boosting enrolment of
international students by 50% over five years”
C. Internationalization of higher education


Internationalizing a university involves more than the
creation of an export industry.
Internationalization is an ongoing, future-oriented,
multidimensional, interdisciplinary, leadership-driven vision
that involves many stakeholders working to change
the internal dynamics of an institution to respond and
adapt appropriately to an increasingly diverse, globally
focused, ever-changing external environment” (Ellingboe,
1998, p.199).
C. Internationalization of higher education

Internationalization “includes the policies and
practices undertaken by academic systems and
institutions—and even individuals—to cope
with the global academic environment.”
(Altbach & Knight, 2007, p. 290)
C. Internationalization of higher education

Bartell (2003, p. 50) suggests that the process of
internationalizing universities must include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A curriculum review to ensure emphasis on international
dimensions of issues
An increase of the proportion of students from abroad
including both developed and newly industrialized countries
Further development of the number and types of exchange
programs, study abroad programs and internships so that
Canadian students can experience other cultures
Enhanced utilization of diversity and international experience
from faculty, students and the wider community.
D. Internationalization of the U of R
D. Internationalization of the U of R

Presentation by the Immigration Services Division –
Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment &
Labour on June 14, 2010:
 Key Services: “We work with Saskatchewan stakeholders to
increase the number of international students in the
province”
 Goals: Increase opportunities for international education
 Strategies: International Education Committee
D. Internationalization of the U of R
Student Enrolment Statistics: Total Credit Students by Citizenship Status 2000-2010
Fall 2010
Fall 2000
Total Undergraduate
10755
10943
Total Graduate
1703
1008
Total Undergraduate
International
723
280
Total Graduate
International
323
113
Total Students
12,458
11,951
Total International Students
1046
393
Total International Students
as Percentage of all
Students
8.4%
3.3%
Source: http://www.uregina.ca/orp/facts.shtml#URS
D. Internationalization of the U of R
Leader Post - July 19, 2011:
“University of Regina president Vianne
Timmons hopes a new partnership with
a South Korean university will increase
internationalization for both
institutions”
D. Internationalization of the U of R

Global Learning Centre: “The hub for all international
undergraduate, graduate and English as a Second Language
students at the University of Regina seeking assistance
during their stay in Canada. The Global Learning Centre
will be the location of the new international transitioning
program, which includes providing academic support,
teaching intercultural skill development and hosting sociocultural activities.”
D. Internationalization of the U of R

UR International “provides assistance for international
students, as well as helping domestic students looking for
adventure abroad. It also supports staff, faculty members
and the greater community with internationalization
initiatives. UR International also takes the lead in
implementing the University's internationalization
strategy, hosting visiting scholars, international delegations
and coordinating University international delegation
travel.”
D. Internationalization of the U of R

Faculty initiatives – Science



Changes in admission requirements
Motion passed at FGSR meeting on September 22, 2011.
Previously, Physics “required” international grad students to write the
GRE Physics Subject exam. Now they are “encouraged.” This follows
the lead of Chemistry and Biochemistry. (Domestic students have
never been required to write it.)
D. Internationalization of the U of R


Do we find evidence of a deliberate process of
internationalizing the University of Regina in response “to
an increasingly diverse, globally focused, ever-changing
external environment.”
What’s going on in teaching, learning and language policy
as a result of internationalization?
D. Internationalization of the U of R





My research set out to explore this changing reality, with
a particular focus on language policy & standard language
ideologies and the types of pedagogical practices that
might result.
Two-year study (2009-2011)
Interviewed 17 faculty and staff
Interviewed 15 international students (2 of whom were
recent permanent residents)
Four Faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Engineering
and Education
D. Internationalization of the U of R

Through policy document analysis and semi-structured
interviews with staff and international students at a
Canadian university, this study set out to explore:
1.
2.
How do faculty language policies describe "English language
standards”
What kinds of practices do these policies produce?
D. Internationalization of the U of R

Faculty initiatives – Engineering & Applied Science









R110 Uh, I think uh, what we discussed about that, that we are not
concerned—this is not the place to—to discuss how to improve their English..
Q111 Uh-huh.
R111 ...but what concerns us as faculty, uh their technical writing skills.
Q112 Their technical writing…kay.
R112 ‘Cause we share with them their thesis writing, the—we share with them
the papers and whatever we are going to publish together. So this is why there
are some technical writing courses that we, uh, agreed, uh, to actually make them
take it.
Q113 Okay.
R113 Uhh…there is a technical writing assistant in the department…
Q114 Oh, there is?
R114 …to help them out, yea. Uhh, and to help professors, also, on some
proposals, and, uh, also we, u, there is a graduate seminar course where we ask
them to present their uh, their research. Uhh, and this would definitely give
them an opportunity to little bit improve, uh, their uh, presentation skills.
E. Communicative & Pedagogical Adaptations




Internationalization of the U of R – Implications
for Intercultural Communication (November 1)
What are the implications of internationalization in terms
of how we communicate effectively?
Internationalization of the U of R – Implications
for Inclusive Pedagogical & Institutional Practices
(December 1)
What are the implications of internationalization in terms
of approaches for teaching effectively?
F. Conclusions



We can no longer position “sameness” as a learning goal.
Our increasingly heterogenous campus is the result of
deliberate institutional and provincial policy.
We need to be equally deliberate in making proactive
changes to our communication skills, language policies,
pedagogical practices, research connections, and campus
initiatives.
Thank you & see you on November 1!



Andrea.sterzuk@uregina.ca
Andreasterzuk.com
@andreasterzuk