Abstract
similar to what is happening globally, internationalisation has become a key concept driving policies and practices in many public universities in Ghana. However, internationalisation as a concept, is bedevilled with many challenges, which impact negatively especially on ex-colonial countries. This paper explores the challenges, strengths and opportunities of internationalisation in the public universities in Ghana. The research was a qualitative and multiple case studies of three public universities in Ghana. The methods employed for the study were interviews and documentary analyses. The population comprised senior administrators, deans, heads of department and students. The findings indicate that the universities, as they strive to position themselves internationally, are confronted with many challenges including a sense of inferiority complex and dependency, North/South dichotomy and power imbalances, stigmatisation, limited funding and research, and lack of national policies. These challenges limit the ability of the institutions to contribute meaningfully to the internationalisation agenda. The challenges also limit their abilities to challenge the dominant discourse and offer a different and distinctive ‘internationalisation’. It is also argued that in spite of these challenges, the universities have various strengths and opportunities, which could enhance their international positioning and competitiveness.
Author Information
Gifty Oforiwaa Gyamera, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Ghana
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