Promoting and Hampering Factors in Internationalization of Universities

Over the last two decades, the concept of internationalization of higher education has been strongly considered and become one of the main priorities of universities worldwide. This study aimed to examine the Promoting and hampering factors influencing internationalization of state universities of Tehran.

This was a qualitative study and data were analyzed using content analysis methods. The study population consisted of university experts and faculty members with published works on internationalization, experience in teaching at international universities or teaching experience in international education courses, managers of international offices, and deans of international faculties in state universities in Tehran city. A total of 12 participants were selected for this study through purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The methods employed to assess the validity and reliability of the data included review by members and review by co-researchers.

The findings showed that the Promoting factors influencing internationalization of universities included raising awareness, policy-making, communicating, allotting funding and facilities, empowering human resources, and promoting freedom and academic autonomy. Whereas, hampering factors included political, economic, socio-cultural, scientific-pedagogical, and organizational factors.

Since participants believed that there are considerable factors hampering the internationalization of Tehran's state universities, it is suggested that policymakers and higher education planners consider milestones to eliminate or reduce hampering factors in political, economic, socio-cultural, scientific-pedagogical and organizational areas. This could happen by planning and implementing programs for informing, policy-making and planning, communicating with other universities, allotting funding and facilities, empowering human resources, and promoting freedom and academic autonomy.