The role of international research collaboration in enhancing global presence of an institution

2012-11-09In recent decades, higher education institutions have steadily increased their international involvement in response to globalization. High-level research is generally a key component in efforts to increase international visibility (Armstrong, 2007). International research collaborations are perceived to be an important way to enhance global presence. However, little is known about what role such research collaboration plays in enhancing global presence. The goal of this study was to examine international research collaboration at Claremont Graduate University (CGU) and determine the extent to which this collaboration contributes to creating greater global presence in the institution. Utilizing a case study of CGU’s School of Community and Global Health (SCGH), this study sought to understand how international research collaboration contributes to the globalization of an institution as a whole. ) The methodology included interviews with administrators, SCGH faculty and non-SCGH faculty. Data were analyzed through the lens Etemad’s (2004) integrative framework of internationalization. The findings indicated that administrators and faculty perceived international research collaboration to serve as a catalyst in enhancing the global presence of CGU through facilitating academic advances, economic gain and prestige gain