Internationalization of Higher Education and Imported Universities in Post-conflict Iraq through a Policy Borrowing Lens
The U.S.-led invasion in 2003 has created opportunities for Iraq to reconnect with the international academic community, adopt some internationalization activities and establish American-style universities. Drawing on policy borrowing and educational transfer theory, this study examines how internationalization and the American-style university are rationalized, appropriated, or resisted, by various actors at national, sectoral, and institutional levels. I used a vertical case study research design with interviews as the primary method of data collection. The findings suggest that various stakeholders in Iraqi higher education have rationalized internationalization activities, such as twinning programs and international university partnerships, differently. While the Iraqi government was motivated by an economic rationale to develop urgently needed manpower to participate in the economic and social development of the post-2003 democratic Iraq, the Ministry of Higher Education and some of the universities’ administrators framed the rationales around rebuilding the reputation of higher education institutions. At the institutional level, the rationales centered around finding a better alternative to the local system that seems resistant to change, bringing in financial aid, and the potential for revenue generation. The findings suggest that the primary framing used by various external and internal actors to justify adopting internationalization activities is the conceptualization of Iraq as a cradle of civilization that has collapsed, and desires help from the international community to reform its higher education institutions. The founders’ rationales for establishing American-style universities in post-conflict Iraq include peace and social cohesion, reviving the history of excellence and greatness of Iraq, and revolutionizing public higher education. While the American-style university model promises an environment for cultural tolerance and unity and encourages positive social change, the findings show that the chaotic transition to democracy in Iraq has yet to provide a safe environment for the university to fully realize its social and political agendas. Lack of financial support could make these universities more isolated rather than fully engaged in shaping Iraq’s new society. In the conclusion, I critique internationalization that occurs without regard for Iraq's specific contextual factors and suggests the establishment of a policy sector that could guide educational change for Iraq.
American Liberal Arts University Model, Imported Universities, Internationalization of higher education, Iraq, Policy Borrowing, Post-conflict society
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations