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economic benefits allegedly represented by the term globalization. Alas, this

constructed antagonism between internationalization and globalization ignores

the fact that activities more related to the concept of globalization (higher

education as a tradeable commodity) are increasingly executed under the flag of

internationalization, as the increasing commercialization illustrated at the

conferences of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Asia Pacific

Association for International Education, and the European Association for

International Education.

INTERNATIONALIZATION: FROM INNOVATION TO TRADITION

Effectively, this attitude exacerbated the devaluation of internationalization and

the inflation of defensive measures. Nowadays, with the tendency of becoming

advocates rather than pioneers of internationalization, we are no longer the

spearhead of innovation but, rather, defenders of traditions. This creates the

danger of self-depreciation and defensive self-perception—holding firmly onto

traditional concepts and acting on them while the world around moves forward.

We—and the authors explicitly add themselves to the group of “we”—lament

about the loss of real mobility and the commercialization of higher education in

general and its international component in particular. Yet, we lose sight of

innovative developments such as the emergence of the digital citizen for whom

mobility can be at least as virtual as real.

A NEW DAWN? THE POSTINTERNATIONALIZATION AGE

But how can we resume the active role and gain ownership of our own fate? The

main points are the following: