Steering Towards the Internationalisation of Higher Education: Lessons from Pedagogical Interventions in Overseas Experiential Learning Programmes

Abstract

Learning opportunities in tertiary levels, as part of internationalising education, promote awareness of a complex multicultural world and prepare students to meet contemporary global challenges. Drawing on our experience from 18 overseas study trips in Asia, Africa and Europe, this paper shows how the internationalisation of higher education (IHE) is operationalised through pedagogical interventions in short-term overseas learning programmes for undergraduates in an Asian university. The interventions included a combination of pre-trip seminars, reflection and debrief exercises, and building relationships with community partners, which included field trips to enable students to have immersive experiences in a myriad of cultural and societal settings. Using a qualitative directed content analysis method, we examined the impact of these programmes on student learning over time. The analysis of student journals, photo reflection essays and post-trip reports from three different overseas study trips during a stipulated period of time generated the following key themes: scaffolded learning allowed students to explore and critically examine connections between theory and practice while developing intercultural understanding, self-awareness and awareness of others, and skills to collaborate with diverse communities. Using these findings, a pedagogical model was developed for informing best practice in IHE. Lastly, considering the COVID-19 pandemic and unpredictable times, we present self-reflections of pioneer faculty members of the programme to highlight how such pedagogical models can facilitate and/or be reconfigured to sustain the relevance of IHE in creating new learning platforms amidst uncertain and unpredictable times.