Dr Dina Lewis
International Higher Education
University of Hull
Dina Lewis was Dean of the Faculty of Education for 8 years, following a University restructure and faculty merger she became Head of the School of Education and Social Sciences. She is currently enjoying a period of research leave. Her research interests focus on Internationalisation in Higher Education and she recently conducted a comparative study looking at Higher Education approaches to internationalisation in China and England. She has travelled extensively in China, Hong Kong and Vietnam and is very much looking forward to building research links in Thailand.
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Summary of my research:
In my most recent research I set out to discover if comprehensive forms of internationalisation in higher education have been adopted in recent years in China and England. It is a response to calls (Yang 2014, 2016, Marginson 2014, Ryan 2011) for western researchers to develop more nuanced understanding of the cultural, historical and political forces influencing the development of internationalisation in East Asia. The study adopts a case study form of inquiry; three higher education institutions (HEIs) in China and three HEIs in England were selected as the case institutions. Respondents were all selected as internationalisation enthusiasts (Warwick 2014) with senior management responsibility for internationalisation within their institutions. Vice –presidents, Deans of Faculties of Education (or equivalent) and Mangers of International Offices (or equivalent) were interviewed in both countries. The research is located in a broad range of literature and the contested and symbiotic nature of globalisation and internationalization is acknowledged, including an examination of the dark side of internationalisation as conceptualised by Hudzik (2015) with specific reference to inequities faced by institutions in East Asia. I am particularly interested in finding ways to use my research to establish and maintain successful international research collaborations with institutions in Southeast and East Asia
Motivation for this workshop
Having spent so many years in a leadership and management role I would now like to focus on my research . I am particularly interested in higher education in South and Southeast Asia and this workshop will enable me to extend my links to Thailand and further develop research collaborations and networks. I am entering a new phase in my academic career and the opportunity to focus on research is really exciting. I will be on a year’s sabbatical leave at the time of this workshop.
Future research intentions:
I have well established links in China Honk Kong and Vietnam and this workshop will provide the opportunity to extend my comparative research in South East Asia. The timing of the workshop coincides with my sabbatical leave and presents a wonderful opportunity for me to extend and strengthen my research after so many years in a management role.