Faculty Members’ Perspective on the Internationalization of Higher Education in Taiwan

Faculty members are a key stakeholder group in the internationalization of higher education (IHE). However, there is scant research, especially in the non-English-speaking world, on faculty in IHE. Taking Taiwan as a case study, this study examines faculty’s perspective on and role in IHE. Based on data collected through in-depth interviews with faculty members and participant observation at four universities, the study shows that while faculty unanimously agreed on IHE, they held divergent imaginaries on internationalization and different perspectives on internationalization strategies. Furthermore, university internationalization affected faculty’s work lives in three ways: performancism in faculty evaluations, emphasis on international publications for research output, and using English as a medium of instruction (EMI). In response, faculty either took an active role in internationalization by embracing the changes, or a passive role by avoiding, questioning, or resisting internationalization initiatives. Faculty’s imaginaries of internationalization and seniority ranking were crucial in shaping their responses to and roles taken in IHE. This study discusses the impacts of university internationalization on faculty’s academic profession, and illuminates the challenges that universities and faculty face in non-English speaking countries who aspire to compete in the global market of higher education.