Becoming global without leaving home: internationalization at home, a case study of San Jorge, a Spanish Private University

Abstract

The process of campus internationalization at San Jorge University, a small private Spanish university is analyzed as a case study in this dissertation. San Jorge University was selected as a unique case because of its recent creation and its being one of the first Spanish universities to implement and adapt to the Bologna process. The assumption was that the main Internationalization at Home (hereafter, IaH) elements were being implemented at USJ. The complexity of the analysis of an institutional internationalization process is found in how each one of those internationalization elements are connected to each other affecting the implementation of the whole process. Therefore, the main conceptual framework used was Mestenhauser´s systems perspective for understanding internationalization. To analyze and describe the current status of IaH at San Jorge University, an explanatory case study methodology was followed, using document analysis, focus groups, in-depth semi-structured interviews and participant observation as main methods for data collection. The findings of this study reveal that although there is no formal IaH policy at USJ, the main IaH elements are actually being implemented. Identified are both institutional and individual factors influencing such a process. The implementation of a supra national reform implemented in a private institution, is found to be greatly influenced by the institutional structure, policies, strategies, degree programs and educational model. However, the main IaH element, an internationalized curriculum, is being promoted by active faculty who are key champions of change. Transformational leadership has been found to be the key to implement important changes. The combination of institutional and individual factors, with both top-down and bottom-up leadership, have proven to be the right combination to promote internationalization initiatives.