Envisioning a Dream University: from the Lens of Internationalisation at Home (IaH)

In Irish third-level education, less than four per cent of students have traditionally benefited from an international mobility experience as part of their studies through international exchanges, Erasmus programmes, etc. (HEA, 2023). Since most students are not able to access mobility opportunities, Internationalisation at Home (IaH) helps them build their global competencies at their home institution. IaH seeks to provide international and intercultural learning to the majority who cannot take advantage of the mobility opportunities due to socio-economic, physical, or personal circumstances or a lack of interest or awareness about IaH, defined as ‘the purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments’ (Beelen & Jones, 2015).

As an Irish Research Council doctoral student researching IaH in the Irish higher education context at SETU, the author presents a poster using the imagery of the SETU building, symbolising it as a dream university. This visual metaphor is depicted from the prism of IaH and encompasses international experiences for its students at their home institution campus. IaH will prepare students as future leaders to tackle global challenges that may or may not necessarily be limited to societal, environmental, economic and technological problems. The author represents key aspects of IaH across four categories bringing the canvas to life- contribution to United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, emphasis on an inclusive campus, and formal and informal curricula. These will amplify the impact in shaping global citizens that prepare students to thrive in the 21st-century world where they live and work, contributing to ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakkam’ – the world is one family.