Introduction
Raising the educational and academic status and ranking of universities to that of internationally accepted world-class universities has become the goal of many university higher administrators around the globe in recent years. This trend has been made possible and accelerated by rapid global economic growth and development. Such efforts inevitably involve the progressive evolution of successful strategies dealing with issues concerning academic and educational excellence, funding, support facilities suitability, academic staff qualifications, and graduates competencies. Within this global academic context, an initiative for attaining world-class university rank and status was undertaken by King Abdulaziz University (KAU). The aim of this initiative was not primarily to compete with leading internationally recognized universities, but was rather a means of showcasing the academic and educational strengths and potential of KAU, and of creating an appropriate and navigable roadmap to facilitate genuine, academically credible, and enduring improvements in the quality of the higher education provided.
Before discussing KAUs approach to this venture, it is necessary to differentiate between the two concepts university internationalization and world-class university which are sometimes used interchangeably, although their meanings are dissimilar. KAU has selected to seek the status and ranking of world-class university.
Internationalization in Higher Education
The term internationalization covers a broad range of concepts of varying scope and emphasis concerning various aspects of higher education. A number of viewpoints have been adopted concerning university internationalization, and consequently differences in understanding of the term have become apparent. Internationalization can involve international contributions on syllabi, literature in other languages, exchange of professors and students, international studies, international technical collaboration, and academic staff mobility.
Internationalization in terms of activities includes academic and non-academic activities such as the development of curricula, scholar and student exchange, technological assistance, intercultural teaching, and joint research activities. The level of concentration of activities varies, depending on the specific educational and academic situation and geographical location of the concerned universities.
The European Association for International Education (EAIE) defines internationalization as the entire range of procedures by which higher education becomes less national, and more internationally oriented [].
Others define internationalization as the integration of international aspects into teaching, research, and community services. This involves the integration of an international/intercultural/global perspective into a universitys major functions whereby the universitys higher education system develops an international orientation [].
Internationalization can also refer to interactions between cultures through teaching, research, and community service functions, with the aim of attaining understanding, communication, and discussion across cultural and geographical borders.
This explains why internationalization is frequently referred to in relation to cultural integration and conflicts in some countries. In Asia, for example, cultural and ideological implications have been incorporated in the internationalization concept resulting in meanings such as Westernization, and Liberalization. This is the reason some scholars pose the question: how can a university rooted in its values open itself to thoughts and ethics derived from other knowledge sources []?
Internationalization is also sometimes described in terms of the process of learning the languages, social systems, and broader cultures of other countries.
As a result of the above, it is clear that any given understanding of internationalization depends on the particular socio-cultural context.
World-Class University
World-class universities, usually referred to as the most prominent research universities, are essential in developing competitiveness in the international knowledge economy. These universities play key roles in generating and circulating knowledge, educating highly skilled personnel for leadership, and serving the needs of society. In recent years, the development of world-class universities has featured prominently in the strategic planning of a range of countries. Various developmental strategies at national and institutional levels have been drawn up and implemented. In this context, Shanghai Jiao Tong University has initiated the International Conference on World-Class Universities, to bring together university administrators and top researchers from around the globe to discuss issues related to world-class universities, in the context of an increasing number of countries and higher educational institutions facing up to the challenge of the achievement of academic excellence. Universities in developing countries are making every effort to improve their ability to boost their research performance to achieve and maintain their worldwide positions and status [].
There are important questions that must be answered:
How does a university develop its status to become a world-class university?
Are all universities facing identical issues and challenges?
Can one universitys successful strategies be transferred to other universities in other countries?
World-class universities are sometimes referred to as global research universities. World-class universities are academic institutions dedicated to creating and spreading knowledge in a range of disciplines and fields, delivering quality higher education at all levels, serving national needs, and furthering international public interest. Scholars and institutional administrators define world-class as attaining the standard to be included in the Lists of World University Rankings, which focuses on quality of education, internationalization, research output, status, and impact. Key attributes of world-class universities include qualified faculty, academically gifted and successful students, excellence in research, quality teaching at an international standard, high levels of funding, and well-equipped facilities. A world-class university is able to attract the most academically able students and the most highly qualified professors and researchers. It should also have access to plentiful funding sources and offer a rich learning and research environment, so as to respond flexibly and appropriately to the demands of a changing international market.
Important Considerations Related to World-Class University Status
For a university to become world-class, it has to ceaselessly strive for excellence. This has obvious implications for the quality of higher education. The distinction of a university and its academic preeminence is dependent on the maintenance of enduring and prolonged high levels of academic and educational excellence and accomplishment.
Expectations of quality differ from one viewpoint to another depending on factors such as educational situation, processes, input and output, vision and mission, university objectives, teaching and research outcomes, graduates employment status, and student involvement.
