Internationalisation discourse hits the tipping point

The discourse on internationalisation has undergone a transformation in recent years, particularly in the sphere of education, where the term's centrality has long been undeniable. This discourse has evolved from a focus on internationalisation's increasing importance in education to a mounting critique regarding the process's utility and incorrect interpretation of its meaning by countries and higher education institutions. This critique attributes to internationalisation many negative implications linked to neoliberalism within the socio-economic discourse and thus raising the need for novel theoretical conceptualisation of the term that will allow further development of empirical research and academic discourse. The present article discusses the need to redefine the concept of internationalisation, and proposes a new definition for internationalisation. The article argues that negative by-products should not be a reason to dismiss a concept that has significance for learners and the education system.