The American Case: The University of Minnesota

This case study will be a historical account of the internationalization of higher education at the University of Minnesota. It examines the internationalization process during a 30-year period leading up to the present. The article traces the history of the university’s internationalization efforts with reference to the specific components, including the curriculum, the co-curriculum, the role of international students and scholars, international educational exchanges and inter-university agreements, study-abroad programs, organizational/structural arrangements (e.g., central administrative support, committees), funding, and so forth. The key events will be described. The article finishes with an analysis of the lessons that the university has learned about internationalization.