International Joint Double Degrees And International Transitions In Higher Education PDF Download

As higher education continues to evolve and institutions create innovative and diverse methods of instructional delivery and credentialing, so too does the world around us, including access to information, mobility, and skills necessary to compete in the workforce. Institutional responses to these trends have been to increase international collaborations. Gutierrez, Bhandahari, and Obst (2008) also find collaborative dual and joint degree programs to be a viable area of growth over study abroad programs. Despite interest by administrators to offer collaborative dual and joint degrees, in many institutions, these types of programs remain in the early stages of development (Asgary & Robbert, 2010). As institutions explore international collaborations, it is essential that they understand the landscape, but current literature on this topic is scarce, and much of what is available lacks rigorous theoretical analysis. The purpose of this study is to explore how public research institutions utilize ICDD as a strategic response to an increasingly internationalizing higher education arena. This work was inspired by preceding studies on international collaborative programs (Schoorman, 2000; de Wit, 2002; Godbey & Turlington, 2002; Chan, 2004; Healey, 2008; Kehm & Teichler, 2011; Beck, 2012; Culver, et al, 2012; Davey, 2013; Stone, Hua, & Turlington, 2016). This study is a qualitative multiple-case study of two US Institutions. The findings conclude that a number of key elements are regarded highly by respondents. With regard to process, barriers to change, pathways to degree development, robust and meaningful conversations, and innovation should all be considered. With regard to sustainability, institutional mechanisms of support, an assessment and evaluation plan, and essential resource allocation should all be considered. Lastly, with regard to identity, there needs to be careful attention paid to institutional/unit mission alignment, thoughtful approaches to financial burdens to both the student and the institution, and the perceived value of the program must also be considered. The implications for research include suggestions for future studies to expand the understanding of costs with perceived benefits, to address diversity, to seek a better understanding of resource allocation and their impacts on units, and how to better recruit both inbound and outbound students.