Understanding the internationalization of higher education as a policy process — Ligia Deca

Understanding the internationalization of higher education as a policy process. The case of Romania 1990-2015 \n \n This book provides an exceptionally insightful account of processes of internationalisation in higher education, drawing on the author's extensive insider experience of national and European decision-making processes, as well as on comparative frameworks drawn from the wider academic literature. Deca paints a fine-grained portrait of higher education internationalisation in the case of Romania over the course of the quarter-century of institutional firmament and consolidation that followed the restoration of democracy. Challenging the often broad-brush accounts of internationalisation present in the literature, the analysis presented here untangles the complicated 'cat's cradle' of influences that account for internationalisation outcomes, highlighting the role of stakeholder positioning and resources in addition to the importance of narrative(s). Internationalisation comes to be seen as a mediated, and thus necessarily differentiated process at both national and institutional levels. A significant contribution to the literatures on higher education internationalisation and policy transfer in Central and Eastern Europe, this book also has much to offer ecision-makers as a practical guide to formulating better calibrated and correspondingly more effective internationalisation strategies. - Prof. Robert Harmsen Dean and UNESCO Chair of Human Rights, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg This volume delves into the intricate dynamics of internationalization within the Romanian higher education system, set against the backdrop of post-communist transition. This study examines internationalization as both an international norm diffusion process and a distinct policy endeavor, employing a unique five-point star model to dissect the multifaceted actors and their interactions. Deca reveals that, until 2015, internationalization in Romania has been more a product of contextual factors like globalization, the Bologna Process, and EU policies, rather than a deliberate strategic pursuit. Ultimately, this research offers critical insights for improving decision-making in higher education policy, not only in Romania but also in other nations navigating similar transitions, by minimizing over-reliance on international influence and fostering context-aware policy implementation. Prof. lordan Gheorghe Barbulescu, President of the Senate National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest