Dr Jooste · 1 August 2005
The first Colloquium in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University series set the agenda for the future colloquia. The purpose of the Colloquium series is to create a platform for NMMU staff to engage with Higher Education internationalisation experts from within South Africa, and internationally.
The first three Colloquia addressed the following topics: developing internationalisation policies, internationalisation of the curriculum, and the characteristics of an internationalised university.
The publication of the Colloquia papers and deliberations provide a wealth of information about internationalisation of higher education institutions. It brought together higher education practitioners from South Africa, other parts of Africa, as well as from Europe and the USA.
It is clear that the debate has only started. Internationalisation of a higher education institution is not a single event, but a systemic process. The discussions and evaluation of the process should, in the end, result in a common understanding of internationalisation.