The Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America: A Comparative Perspective

Keywords: Comprehensive internationalization; internationalization of higher education; Latin America

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the current state of the internationalization of higher education in five Latin American countries, with the most active higher education institutions (HEIs) in this field: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. The study is based on the main findings of the II Regional Survey on the Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, conducted by the UNESCO Chair Internationalization of Higher Education and Global Citizenship at the University of Guadalajara (Gacel-Ávila, et al., 2023). This Survey is the only study with a regional scope in this field, taking as a reference the conceptual framework of comprehensive internationalization (CI). This is a qualitative case study, using SPSS statistical software in 12 areas of a CI process. The results allow for an intra- and inter-regional comparative analysis; and to reflect on the progress of each of the countries that participated in the study, in terms of their internationalization process. It highlights the leadership of the HEIs of Colombia and Brazil; in contrast to Mexico, where there is a perceived lag in this process.

Author Biographies

Jocelyne Gacel-Avila, Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

D. in International Education, professor and member of the Academic Board of the Doctorate in Higher Education Management at the University of Guadalajara and member of Mexico's National System of Researchers (Level III); in charge of the internationalization area of said university for 27 years and President of the Mexican Association for Internationalization; Recipient of the AMPEI award for her trajectory in the internationalization of higher education in Mexico and the CONAHEC Award of Distinction for her role in collaboration in North America; currently coordinator of the UNESCO Chair “Internationalization of Higher Education and Global Citizenship”.

Estela Villalón de la Isla, Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

D. in Educational Sciences with International Mention from the University of Granada, Spain. Member of the National System of Researchers of Mexico, Level I. Associate Researcher of the UNESCO Chair “Internationalization of Higher Education and Global Citizenship” at the University of Guadalajara.

María Guadalupe Vázquez Niño, Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

Master in International Higher Education from the University of Guadalajara and Boston College. Professor of the Program for Foreign Language Learning and Associate Researcher of the UNESCO Chair “Internationalization of Higher Education and Global Citizenship” at the University of Guadalajara.

Published
2024-06-30
How to Cite
Gacel-Ávila, J., Villalón-de-la-Isla, E. M., & Vázquez-Niño, G. (2024). The Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America: A Comparative Perspective. Higher Education and Society Journal (ESS), 36(1), 310-334. https://doi.org/10.54674/ess.v36i1.912