Today, internationalization is perceived as one of the key challenges in the higher education sector across the world (Knight 2008) even though it is not a new phenomenon.  It existed in the Middle Ages when there was a need for “the use of a common language and a uniform programme of study and system of examination” (Knight and de wit 1995) with the aim of facilitating student and scholars’ mobility as well as exchange of ideas. However, there seems to be a huge difference in the rationales for internationalization then and now. According to Knight (2004) this can be explained by the varying rationales and goals for internationalization which may include economic, political, academic and social/cultural; as well as, rationales and goals at the institutional and national level. The raising cost of higher education coupled with the reduction of government spending on education has led to the subsequent opening of the sector to market forces (Rizvi & Lingard 2010), which might explain the emphasis on the economic rationale for internationalization of higher education (Knight 2008).

Internationalization of higher education has been discussed extensively (Altbach & Teichler 2001; Knight 2008; van der Wende 1999). A large body of research papers discusses internationalization of higher education at individual, university and national level. However, little attention has been paid on international organizations’ perspective even though the international dimension of higher education is increasingly discussed and negotiated in international and global circles. In this paper, international dimension is applied as an umbrella framework to all ideas and activities related to international and global in higher education enabling conceptual shifts within the framework. Focusing on the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) final reports of the World Conference on Higher Education (1998, 2004 and  2010), this paper examines and reviews the predominate concepts related to the international dimension of higher education as discussed in the final reports of these UNESCO based world conferences. This paper examines specifically if and how the concepts related to international dimension has shifted, narrowed and broadened. In addition, as an international organization with its principles of equality, international understanding and solidarity, this paper also examines UNESCO’s stance on the shifting understandings and how these shifts can be explained vis-à-vis its values. In The specific research questions to be answered in this paper are:

1. How has the understanding of international dimension of higher education shifted during the period under investigation (1998-2010)?
2. How can these shifts and changes be explained?
3. What does the conceptual framework reveal about UNESCO’s values?

2. What are the forms of international dimension of higher education discussed in the final reports?

From a theoretical perspective, this paper applies Stier’s (2004) three concepts of internationalization ideologies: ‘idealism’, ‘instrumentalism’ and ‘educationalism’. Firstly, ‘idealism’ refers to the idea of creating a better world toned by mutual understanding and redistribution of wealth. Secondly, ‘instrumentalism’ entails the vision on sustainable development, which includes economic overtone. Lastly, ‘educationalism’ focuses on individual’s learning processes and on learning itself. This paper examines if and how these ideologies are reflected in the UNESCO documents under study.

Altbach, P.G. & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education 11, 290-305. Altbach, P.G. & Teichler, U. (2001). Internationalization and exchanges in a globalized university. Journal of Studies in International Education 5, 5-25. Kallo, J. (2012). Temporal comparison and change in higher education. In J. Kivirauma, A. Jauhiainen, P. Seppänen & T. Kaunisto (eds.). Social perspectives on education. Suomen kasvatustieteellinen seura (p. 201-218). Knight, J. (2003). Updating the definition of internationalization. International Higher Education. Knight, J & de Wit, H. (1995). Strategies for internationalisation of higher education: Historical and conceptual perspectives. In H. de Wit (ed.) Strategies for internationalisation of higher education (pp. 5-32). Amsterdam: European Association for International Education Publications. Knight, J. (2004). Internationalization Remodeled: Definition, Approaches, and Rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education, Vol 8, pp. 5-31. Knight, J. (2008). The Internationalization of Higher Education: Complexities and Realities. In D. Teferra & J. Knight. (eds.) Higher Education in Africa: The International Dimension. Rizvi, F., & Lingard B. (2010). Globalizing Educational Policy. London and New York: Routlegde. Stier, J. (2004). Taking a critical stance toward internationalization ideologies in higher education: idealism, instrumentalism and educationalism. Globalisation, Societies and Education 2 (1), 1-28. UNESCO. (1998). World Conference on Higher Education: Higher Education in the Twenty-first Century: Vision and Action. UNESCO. (2003). World Conference on Higher Education + 5: Final report of the Meeting of Higher Education Partners. UNESCO. (2010). World Conference on Higher Education: Final Report. UNESCO. (2013). Introducing UNESCO: what we are. Retrieved: 1.2.2013. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/. Van der Wende, M. (1999). An innovation perspective on internationalisation of higher education institutionalization: the critical phase. Journal of Studies in International Education 3, 3-14.