In a region traditionally seen as a student source market, organisers of the Leadership Forum in Higher Education say more complex internationalisation is happening at the grass roots level but institutions need guidance to boost momentum and grab the attention of university leadership.

“Asking themselves why they’re internationalising is a top question,” said Justyna Giezynska, CEO of consultancy firm Studyblity and the conference organiser.

Most mobility is inter-regional among Slavic-speakers with the Czech Republic and Poland leading destinations

“They are all doing it but the second they start thinking about the deeper reasons, rather than just to bring in streams of fee paying students from outside the European Union, then they’ll see the benefits of internationalisation which is much larger than just student mobility.”

While some universities currently offer English taught classes, most mobility is inter-regional among Slavic-speakers with the Czech Republic and Poland leading destinations.

Like universities in other parts of the world, Giezynska said the biggest challenge to internationalise for Eastern and Central European institutions is internal management of human and financial resources.

“The forum is focused on management and financing within HE institutions,” she explained. “Because once the financial models are a little bit more friendly toward internationalisation activities then the actual financial benefit of internationalising will be seen much faster.”

Speakers include Hans de Wit, founding member of the European Association for International Education, former EAIE president Gudrun Paulsdottir, Deputy President of the International Education Association of South Africa Nico Jooste and Jan Truszczyński, former Director-General of the Directorate General for Education and Culture for the European Commission.

Will Archer, CEO of international student benchmarking firm i-graduate and María Victoria Calabrese, Director of Academic and Government Relations at ETS Global in Amsterdam will also present.

In addition to speakers, delegates will take part in workshops focusing on management at universities, planning strategic internationalisation, and measuring what universities have accomplished so far and where they want to go.

Despite having similar barriers to internationalisation as their counterparts around the world, the way Giezynska sees it, the solution for Eastern and Central European institutions must be unique.

“In a relatively short time these universities have been opened to international activities, international guests and international travel and that has to do with the political systems that we have had in this area until 1989 and 1990,” she said.

“We shouldn’t follow anyone, we have to find our own regional way.”