Higher Education and International Student Mobility in the Global Knowledge Economy - Book Report/Review Example

Higher Education and International Mobility in the Global Knowledge Economy For many years, governments haveworked so much to make their higher education systems and institutions international. Many countries have considered higher education as a way of creating and building linkages between nations, extending cultural exchange and improving political relations and access especially when future leaders are educated through such higher education systems and institutions. In the discussion of internationalization and globalization of higher education, the book Higher Education and International Student Mobility in the Global Knowledge Economy by Kemal Gürüz explores contributions made by international students and scholars in higher education from a historical perspective. This paper is a review of Kemal Gürüz’s book and specifically discusses how effectively he presents the international movement of scholars and students with comprehensive cultural, historical and socio-economical perspectives. In the book, the author excellently presents valuable information on global knowledge economy, enrollments of students in global higher learning institutions, patterns of higher learning in these institutions, issues of governance and the changes that have occurred in higher education institutions in different countries worldwide. Gürüz addresses socio-economic and cultural issues in higher education systems and institutions through a historical sense to capture the important changes that have occurred in these systems and institutions including the actions of governments in promoting internalization of higher education in their nations. In addressing the internalization of higher learning, the author uses two very important phrases throughout the book, which are global knowledge economy and international student mobility. To help readers understand what he means, Gürüz defines global knowledge economy as academic movement in higher education. He also defines international student mobility as a scenario where students move from their own countries to foreign countries for study purposes. Here, the author is focused on issues of social, cultural and political realms that the students carry with them from their countries and those that they experience in the foreign countries that they go to. In all these issues, Gürüz clearly states that capitalism has had a long history of influence because it promotes “virtuous cycle of innovation, reward, and reinvestment” (Gürüz 12). It is clear that governments and governmental-linked institutions especially in the developed nations have invested heavily in programs that use higher education as a tool for public diplomacy. One of such investments is the establishment of Alliance Francaise, planned in France in 1883 and spread in more than 1000 education institutions in 129 nations to spread French Culture and language. This supports Gürüz idea that capitalism has for a long time led the issue of internalization of higher learning and global student mobility (Gürüz 169). In the internalization of higher education, Gürüz presents information on how emigrants have attained valuable educational, language and cultural experience through this system and the value that these experiences have had to governments that have invested in them. Gürüz also presents data on demand and enrollment in higher education systems and institutions in various nations especially the developed nations. This shows how important internationalization of higher education and global knowledge has been and continues to be. For example, the US has funded the Fulbright program, while France and United Kingdom have invested funds to educate students from former colonies in their institutions of higher learning. Patrice Lumumba People’s Friendship University was created in USSR in 1960 with the purpose of spreading Russian culture and political customs to Africa countries and the Latin American and Asia regions (Gürüz 170). These examples show the investments that countries did on internalization of higher education because of the promise that such investments had in the spread of their languages, cultures and most importantly political beliefs and ideologies that would align the beneficiary students to them. In addition, globalization has played a significant role in influencing this initiative in terms of administration, financing and governing these institutions worldwide. Public diplomacy is important for nations especially developed nations as exemplified in Gürüz’s arguments. He states, “The use of academic exchanges as foreign policy instruments accelerated after World War II. New programs were started and many scholarships were established, both by international organizations, such as NATO… and by governments” (Gürüz 169). In the present world, government involvement in international education initiatives have grown and become diverse to the extent that they are interested in public diplomacy similarly to economic competitiveness. Many governments such as the US and UK are still active in the investment in international education because of the role that higher education plays in the economic and political relationships that nations have. Gürüz identifies new nations that have joined in the role of housing international students. These countries include Japan, New Zealand, Canada and Russia. However, it stands out that the United States of America remains the top nation that attracts top international students. In this realm, Gürüz also points to the growth of for-profit organizations in the creation of degree-granting centers in other nations (Gürüz 119). In addressing issues of international student mobility, Gürüz uses data from Global Education Digest and The Atlas of Student Mobility, including tables and figures to back up his assertions. He shows the establishment and growth of the number of students who have enrolled in programs in foreign nations historically and the manner in which such education have proved beneficial for these students and the foreign countries that have educated them (Gürüz 201). Throughout the book, the author has supported his arguments and assertions with valuable data to show how public diplomacy plays out in the internalization of higher education and international student mobility and global knowledge economy. In conclusion, Higher Education and International Student Mobility in the Global Knowledge Economy by Kemal Gürüz is important for people interested in enrollment information of international students including the patterns, numbers of enrollment and the most active nations. People interested in the basis of international comparative education can also benefit from the book including those who want to study internationalization of higher education as an important aspect of public diplomacy. Educational historians and economists can also benefit from the book especially with the information on international student movement over time and the investment in it. Overall, political science benefits from the book because it shows the relationship between developed and developing nations in terms of public diplomacy and the role that higher education plays in this. My understanding of internationalization of higher education has improved especially on its effect to diplomatic relations between countries. Work Cited Gürüz, Kemal. Higher Education and International Student Mobility in the Global Knowledge Economy. New York: SUNY (2008). Print. Read More