Internationalization of Higher Education in Laos

Rationales and Strategies of Public Universities

This study investigated key rationales and strategies of Lao universities in internationalizing their higher education. Findings revealed that the ASEAN community is a key external driver for internationalization practices among Lao universities, alongside internal rationales—quality enhancement, capacity-building, and national-identity promotion. The universities have implemented activities and programs, such as student mobility, joint curricular development, and research collaboration, for internationalization purposes. However, the practices remain fragmented and ad hoc due to the absence of a separate strategic plan for internationalization, a heavy reliance on external resources/actors, and a lack of monitoring mechanisms.

Kewords: higher education, internationalisation, Laos, public university, rationale, strategy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36197/INT.3-2021.03