'Ideal+faculty'

A designated model of internationalisation as it applies to the role of faculty is Teekens's (n.d.) ‘A description of nine clusters of qualifications for lectures'. It is essentially a normative statement around the sorts of knowledge, skills and attitudes that would benefit teachers working in contemporary higher education environments characterised by increasing cultural, linguistic and educational diversity. The model originates from Western Europe and scant reference to it in the related literature suggests that it may not have been widely encountered outside of that region. To this end, all of its criteria are presented in the following document:

(Word DOCX 20KB)

Whilst the Profile is a one-of-a-kind and ultimately a whole-of-person approach to teaching international students, a number of its criteria lend themselves to internationalised teaching practice from the points of view of teaching in general, culture (including self-awareness), and the sociocultural construction of academic disciplines and their relationship with the international labour market. The focus on teachers’ familiarisation with some teaching theory, their self-awareness in relation to their own culture and workplace, and international perspectives on academic disciplines and the labour market are highlights of the Profile. The following statements are succinct ‘personalised’ expressions of its pivotal characteristics:


 * You have some basic knowledge of educational theory;
 * Internationalised content is featured in the syllabus you teach;
 * You have a critical appreciation of your own culture and its assumptions;
 * You have a working knowledge of essentialist cultural theory (e.g. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Hall’s proxemics, or Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars’ cultural factors). This helps you understand your own culture and other cultures;
 * You employ a range of teaching skills and strategies that accommodate the needs of international students (in the way that they are used to having their needs met);
 * You understand the way your academic discipline and its related profession (e.g. physiotherapy) are structured in a range of countries other than your own;
 * You understand the international labour market as it applies your academic discipline.


 * Reference:** Teekens, H. (n.d.). A description of nine clusters of qualifications for lecturers. In H. Teekens (Ed.), The international classroom: teaching and learning at home and abroad (pp. 35-52). The Hague: Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC).