Internationalising the University Curriculum

Many Western universities are responding to the demands of globalisation by attempting to internationalise their curricula—that is, to introduce an element of multiculturalism. This project derives its rationale from three assumptions: (1) the globalisation process is a viable agenda for a sustainable and just future for all people; (2) it is the responsibility of the university to respond faithfully to current demands of Western society—that is, in this case, to the demands of globalisation; and, (3) given the first two assumptions, internationalisation of the curriculum is a logical response. It is argued that the first two assumptions need to be explicitly recognised and then rigorously questioned. This must be done by academics themselves, and as a joint project with students in the classroom. This questioning amounts to challenging the foundational concepts of contemporary Western civilisation. New directions for the future may thus emerge from the classroom. The core concepts of other cultures may be seen as an asset in this process, giving an entirely new meaning to the term ‘internationalisation of the curriculum’.