Laura RUMBLEY

Abstract: The EAIE Barometer is a key instrument for understanding the perceptions and working conditions of professionals engaged in internationalization in European higher education. Seeking similar insights, a Japanese research team collaborated with the EAIE to conduct a Barometer-based survey of international educators working at Japanese universities. This session juxtaposes Japanese and European Barometer findings across five dimensions where responses diverge most sharply: job satisfaction, perceptions regarding budgets, opinions about government and public policy, confidence in institutional leadership, and priorities for the future of internationalization. We explore various factors behind those findings, including governance structures, historical and policy contexts, employment models, organizational cultures, and the rationales for internationalization. The session is delivered in an active dialogue format: the Japanese and European researchers exchange and contrast data in real time, making the divergences vivid and inviting the audience into the conversation. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the scope of internationalization, the environment surrounding it, and the approaches to it in the two regions through a comparative lens, highlighting distinct institutional realities and national internationalization policies and efforts within a rapidly changing higher education landscape. We also discuss our ongoing project to expand this survey to Asian countries. Learning objectives: Participants will: - Be exposed to evidence-based differences in internationalization practices and perceptions between European and Japanese higher education systems. - Gain a comparative analysis of Barometer findings between Europe and Japan across five key areas: job satisfaction, budget, government policy, institutional leadership, and internationalization priorities. - Gain insight into how structural factors—governance structures, employment models, organizational cultures, and rationales for internationalization—shape approaches in different national and regional contexts. - Develop a deeper understanding of the scope, environment, and approaches to internationalization in both regions through a comparative lens, taking into account institutional contexts and national policies. - Develop an appreciation for the importance of expanding this type of survey more widely across Asia, and the value of their cooperation in this effort. Target audience: HEIs leaders, international office staff, policymakers, researchers, and mobility professionals interested in internationalisation dynamics in Europe and Japan/East Asia.