The internationalisation of higher education institutions

Universities of applied sciences in Switzerland have been facing a far-reaching process of internationalisation since their establishment. In teaching and research, they are increasingly creating space for international academic staff, and for students with different backgrounds and/or educational backgrounds.

The aim of the study is to put the study orientations and practices of students with different social and educational backgrounds into the context of current internationalisation strategies of Swiss universities of applied sciences. With a focus on the field of higher education, the question of how far universities of applied sciences can offer equal study opportunities to women and men with different backgrounds of origin/migration, as a result of the dynamics of internationalisation, is of interest. What institutional and organizational requirements can this entail for the university? To what extent does the internationalisation of universities of applied sciences create new equality potentials or new inequality conditions? Which institutional hurdles or options can be observed in the context of different training courses for students with a migration background? What strategies  do students develop in dealing with institutional requirements? And in what contexts can migration experience and gender possibly become cultural or social capital?

These questions will be investigated in the context of the study using the example of bachelor students in the fields of technology and IT, social work and education, as well as economics and services at universities of applied sciences in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. The study is based on a' mixed-method-design', in which qualitative and quantitative methods are applied and the participating universities of applied sciences in German- and French-speaking Switzerland are included in a comparative perspective.

The results - and the recommendations derived from them - should provide a basis for universities of applied sciences to adequately design gender- and migration-friendly study conditions in the various training courses.