Competing rationales for and discourses of
internationalisation: Implications for
academic staff development

Internationalisation is a much debated and interpreted concept in higher education institutions in Australia. Universities have a clear responsibility to prepare graduates with international perspectives, who can be active and critical participants in world society. However, economic rationales for internationalisation are also important and internationalisation is seen by many Australian universities as critical to success in an increasingly globalised society in which there are economic imperatives to sell educational products and services in the world marketplace. These different rationales for internationalisation are reflected in multiple discourses, all of which contribute to the construction of internationalisation. In this session research into discourses of internationalisation at an Australian university and implications for the professional development of academic staff will be discussed.