Call for Papers “Global Learning for All? — Internationalisation at Home and Transnational Education at the Crossroads”

Please send your abstracts to Please enable Javascript by November 16, 2026.
The deadline for the complete manuscripts is February 15, 2027.
Please include the following information: Manuscript Title, Abstract (100 Words/1 Paragraphs), Author Name/Title/Institutional Affiliation.

 

The Journal of Internationalisation of Higher Education: Policy and Practice invites submissions for a special issue on "Global Learning for All? - Internationalisation at Home (IaH) and Transnational Education (TNE) at the Crossroads".

International higher education is operating in an increasingly complex and uncertain environment. Geopolitical tensions, shifting patterns of global cooperation, restrictions on cross-border engagement, funding constraints, demographic changes, and growing public scrutiny of higher education are reshaping the landscape of internationalisation. At the same time, governments, funders, and institutional leaders are placing increasing pressure on universities to demonstrate the broader value, impact, and outcomes of their internationalisation activities. Questions are being asked not only about who benefits from international education, but also about how internationalisation contributes to graduate outcomes, institutional resilience, social cohesion, economic development, and global engagement.

In this context, traditional mobility-centred models of internationalisation are being reassessed. While student and staff mobility remain important components of international education, they affect only a relatively small proportion of learners and are increasingly constrained by financial, political, environmental, and regulatory factors, to mention a few. As a result, higher education institutions are exploring more inclusive, scalable, and sustainable approaches to internationalisation that can deliver meaningful international and intercultural learning opportunities to a broader student population.

Two concepts have become particularly significant in these discussions: Internationalisation at Home (IaH) and Transnational Education (TNE). While often examined separately in policy and research, IaH and TNE allude to the possibility that they may be more closely interconnected than previously recognised. Through international branch campuses, joint and dual degrees, collaborative programmes, online and hybrid delivery models, globally networked learning environments, and cross-border institutional partnerships, TNE has the potential to create rich international and intercultural learning experiences without requiring physical mobility. In doing so, it may serve as an important mechanism for realising the aspirations of Internationalisation at Home.

Although pertinent questions remain. To what extent does TNE contribute to meaningful international and intercultural learning without necessarily involving physical mobility? How can institutions ensure that transnational provision moves beyond educational delivery to cultivate intercultural competence and global citizenship? Can TNE democratise access to international education, or does it risk reproducing existing inequalities? How are emerging technologies, changing geopolitical realities, and evolving policy priorities reshaping these relationships? What evidence exists regarding the impact of these approaches on students, staff, institutions, and communities?

As international higher education continues to evolve amid rapid technological changes, geopolitical uncertainty, and growing demands for equitable access to global learning opportunities, this special issue aims to advance understanding of how TNE and IaH can contribute to more inclusive, impactful, and sustainable approaches to internationalisation in the present times.

This special issue seeks to critically examine the intersections between TNE and IaH and explore how these approaches influence contemporary international higher education policy and practice. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • Conceptual and theoretical perspectives on the relationship between Transnational Education (TNE) and Internationalisation at Home (IaH)
  • Curriculum internationalisation in transnational education settings
  • Student engagement, belonging, and identity in transnational learning environments
  • Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), virtual exchange, blended intensive programmes (BIPs) and digitally enabled global classrooms.
  • Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in international learning and TNE
  • International branch campuses and their contribution to Internationalisation at Home
  • Quality assurance and assessment of international and intercultural competencies
  • Faculty development and professional learning for TNE and IaH
  • Equity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability in TNE
  • Regenerative internationalisation, IaH and TNE
  • Decolonising internationalisation and knowledge exchange within TNE contexts
  • Policy frameworks shaping TNE and Internationalisation at Home

 In alignment with the journal’s commitment to policy and practice, we particularly encourage submissions from practitioners, including international educators, institutional leaders, academic leaders and staff, curriculum developers, TNE managers, quality assurance professionals, international sustainability and equity, diversity, and inclusion officers, and policymakers. Practice-based reflections, evidence-informed case studies, and collaborative researcher-practitioner contributions are especially welcome.

Literature recommendations 

Bolton, J. P., Tran, L., Johanson, K., & Nguyen, D. (2025). The growth in transnational education. In Transnational education: Bridging borders, transforming futures (Chap. 12).

Healey, N. M. (2018). The challenges of managing transnational education partnerships: The views of "home-based" managers vs. "in-country" managers. International Journal of Educational Management, 32(2), 241–256.

Li, Q., Li, D., & Wu, J. (2024). A contextualised internationalisation of the curriculum: A case study in China. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 21(4), 1–20.

Piplani Kapur, N. (2025). Embedding a culture of ‘Internationalisation at home (IaH’): Preparing for the changing context of higher education in Ireland. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18174785

Schueller, J., & Keser, F. (2022). Transnational, multinational, binational? The role of international education in human capital development for graduate employability. In The SAGE handbook of graduate employability (p. 393). SAGE Publications.

TNE Institute. (n.d.). Internationalisation at home needs rethinking: Why TNE must be part of the conversation. https://www.tneinstitute.com/blog/internationalisation-at-home-needs-rethinking-why-tne-must-be-part-of-the

Waters, J. L. (2026). Some reflections on the internationalisation of higher education. In Diversity, internationalization and self-reflection in teacher education: Contributions to the 2023 Network Conference Internationalization of Teacher Education (pp. 171–184). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.

 

Journal Description & Scope
Designed for internationalisation professionals, policymakers, and higher education leaders, Internationalisation of Higher Education – Policy and Practice examines internationalisation policies, processes, and activities, addressing key issues in the internationalisation of higher education and placing them in the context of global developments. The peer-reviewed journal focuses on how international, regional, national, and institutional policy changes, trends, and initiatives impact practice.
Emphasis on Practice
Oriented towards practitioners, the journal aims to fill the space between practice and research in the fields of internationalisation and HE. There is a special focus on the synthesis of academic research results for a practitioner-based audience. In addition, practitioners frequently make contributions to the journal as a means of sharing their experiences in the field and contributing to the development of best practices and the flow of information.
Invitation to New Authors
If you are a practitioner or researcher in the field of Higher Education, a new or previously published author, we encourage you to submit a manuscript to our journal. We accept new contributions on a variety of topics throughout the year. We also encourage contributions on specific topics. Please see below to find an open call for manuscripts on the topic of “migration and international students.”
For more information on submission guidelines, please click here.