Internationalization or globalization of higher education

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Studies
• International Relations
• Sociology of Education

Background:

• Lack of consensus among Iranian specialists on the definitions of globalization and internationalization.
• Divergent attitudes in existing literature regarding these concepts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically explain the concepts of internationalization and globalization within the Iranian context.
• To establish a clearer understanding and consensus on these terms among specialists.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of Persian articles published between 2001 and 2016.
• Searched databases including Scientific Information Database, Magiran, and Google Scholar.
• Keywords included globalization, internationalization, and various forms of academic exchange and cooperation.

Main Results:

• Identified 64 relevant articles after initial screening of 180.
• 39 articles explicitly discussed differences between globalization and internationalization.
• Defined globalization across four categories and internationalization across five, including higher education and curriculum aspects.

Conclusions:

• Globalization spectrum ranges from unification (globalization) to multipolarization (globalizing).
• Internationalization is defined similarly to globalizing, emphasizing dissonance and multipolarization.
• Internationalization is distinct from globalization, aligning with the 'globalizing' concept.