Emerging Geopolitical Barriers to the Realization of International Policies for Collaboration in Higher Education and Research: The Case of Scandinavia

Abstract

International collaboration in higher education and research is considered crucial for economic growth and development. The policy pursued for international research collaboration depends on conditions in other geographical regions and countries, such as trade interests, conflicts, security, and pandemics, hence the term geopolitics. These conditions can be expected to have a major impact on how relationships and cooperation patterns develop. The handling of these issues is discussed in this chapter in the framework of the European policy context as well as through empirical examples regarding the dependence of international recruitment of researchers in two Scandinavian countries, Denmark and Norway. The chapter points to the possible barriers current geopolitical challenges may have for the realization of European as well as national policies for internationalization in higher education. Inequalities depending on gender, career stage, country of birth and other factors have intensified during the pandemic and academic autonomy and freedom of individual researchers and scientific communities are at stake due to a geopolitical situation, which entails increased control with knowledge transfer and research collaboration across national borders. These developments require more complex, targeted safeguarding and policies to protect collaboration in higher education and research.

Citation

Vabø, A. and Schmidt, E.K. (2023), "Emerging Geopolitical Barriers to the Realization of International Policies for Collaboration in Higher Education and Research: The Case of Scandinavia", Wiseman, A.W. (Ed.) Annual Review of Comparative and International Education 2022 (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 46B), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 163-181. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-36792023000046B010