Internationalization of Curriculum in Omani Higher Education: Perceptions of Academic Staff in UTAS

Abstract

The internationalization of the curriculum (IoC) has been a significant trend in higher education across the globe. However, there is a dearth of literature on this area of research in the Arab countries, including the Omani higher education context. As the key definition and conceptual frameworks of IoC have not been adopted in Omani higher education institutions (HEI), this qualitative study examined lecturers’ understanding of IoC in the Omani higher education context. This was carried out through the employment of the typology of IoC which was proposed by Edwards et al. (2003). To collect data, eight lecturers in an Omani university were interviewed and the thematic analysis of the data revealed that academic staff perceived IoC as important to the institution. Further, the study reported that there are fragmented IoC practices that are primarily based on the ad hoc practices of academic staff. Initiatives should be taken to develop a shared understanding of IoC at the institutional level and in all degree programs in the Omani higher education context. Some suggestions are brought forward for stakeholders to support IoC and help to ensure the quality of degree programs offered.