Higher education internationalization as a factor of improving university competitiveness

Abstract

The paper dwells on estimation of the relationship between internationalization and competitive advantages of higher education institutions on the example of three European universities (University of York, University of Tartu, Vytautas Magnus University), and determining to what extent internationalization impacts university competitiveness. It is stated that the rank and the score of the university in world universities rankings can be considered as the most generalizing and comprehensive indicators of the university competitiveness level. It is found out that most of the world universities rankings take into account indicators that characterize university’s international activity. Analysis of the overall score of three European universities and the indicators of their internationalization shows that an increase in internationalization indicators entails an increase in the overall score of the university and its improved positions in the corresponding rankings. Comparing universities’ data on international students and international staff demonstrates that these indicators matter for the overall score of the university by QS World University Rankings and consequently for its competitiveness. The comparative analysis of internationalization profile of the universities made it possible to identify the specific constituents of the universities’ success in the field of internationalization progress and obtaining competitive advantages.