Internationalisation of curriculum: Analysis of subjects within the Faculty of Arts and Education at a regional Australian university

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34097/jeicom-7-1-2

Keywords:

Internationalisation of curriculum, curriculum design, intercultural competency, graduate attributes, global citizens

Abstract

A regional university in Australia is dedicated to developing 21st-century graduates as global citizens. The curriculum is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in a globalised world. Assessing whether students are truly becoming ‘global citizens’ involves evaluating not just academic performance, but also intercultural competencies, global awareness, and adaptability. Immediate, tangible outcomes like job placements can take precedence over long-term goals like global readiness. There are many factors that hinders a comprehensive review of whether the curriculum is effectively preparing students to become global citizens. There has not been any systematic understanding of the research status of the internationalization of the curriculum (IoC). This paper reports on the experiences of academics and students regarding the internationalisation of the curriculum within the Faculty of Arts and Education (FoAE). A mixed-method approach was adopted over two years, involving surveys and one-on-one interviews with academics and students. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed both strengths and areas for improvement for integrating IoC in higher education institutions. While academics and students value an internationalised curriculum, it is inconsistently implemented across the curriculum and there is a need for universities to establish a clear framework or benchmark for evaluating the internationalisation of their curriculum to assess progress systematically. The study's findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the internationalisation of the curriculum and improving the effectiveness of academic staff in delivering globally relevant content. This could lead to a stronger institutional reputation, attract a more diverse and international student cohort, and has capability to positively impact the university's financial sustainability by aligning the curriculum with global education trends.

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Author Biographies

  • Amita Krautloher, Charles Sturt University, Australia

    Amita Krautloher is an Educational Designer in the Division of Learning and Teaching at Charles Sturt University in Australia. She has navigated diverse roles across various industries in Australia and overseas. She is passionate about widening participation in higher education and her research interests include assessment design, equity and inclusion, and the internationalisation of curriculum. She has taken the lead in establishing and guiding the Community of Practice on Interactive Oral Assessments (IOAs) at Charles Sturt, empowering academics to integrate and embed IOAs within their subjects. She has published and presented her research at conferences in Australia and overseas. She is also the co-founder of the Internationalisation of the Curriculum Hub. 

  • Meena Jha, Central Queensland University, Australia

    Dr. Meena Jha has a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering and a Master and Ph.D. in the area of Computer Science. She is a researcher and educator in the field of computer science and IT in the School of Engineering and Technology (SET), at Central Queensland University (CQUniversity) in Sydney, Australia. Her research interests include in particular Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems, Business Intelligence, Real-Time Analytics, Legacy System Modernization, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Academic Integrity in education.

    She is also working in the area of learning analytics, which is an emerging field and uses sophisticated analytic tools to improve learning and education. It draws from and is closely tied to, a series of other fields of study including business intelligence, web analytics, academic analytics, educational data mining, and action analytics. I am passionate about women in STEM and working on how to improve and enhance women's power in the STEM field.

    She is a co-founder of WinTECH (Women in Technology) a group dedicated to promoting and supporting girls and women in STEM. WinTECH features two interlinked actions aimed at increasing the number of girls and women participating in STEM through a school program and a series of networking events across the NSW Region for women STEM professionals.

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Published

2025-01-13

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Peer Reviewed Articles