International education scholars (Deardorff, 2017; Deardorff & Jones, 2022; Goh, Akiba, Yonezawa, Hirai, & Horie, 2025) have critiqued the tendency of higher education institutions to prioritize quantitative metrics—such as academic mobility numbers and recruitment targets—over the qualitative development of intercultural competence (ICC) in their internationalization efforts. This focus on “numbers counting” often renders internationalization efforts performative rather than genuinely transformative, failing to equip faculty, staff, and students with the capabilities necessary for true global citizenship. While some universities have been shifting from mobility-centric models to “internationalization at home” initiatives, embedding intercultural learning into curricula for all students, these institutions still struggle with consistent assessment and moving beyond superficial engagement to foster deep, critical global competence. This paper reviews 32 case studies from institutions worldwide that have attempted to incorporate intercultural learning into their internationalization mandates. These cases are analyzed to synthesize key themes regarding operational successes and barriers that prevent ICC from being fully integrated and rigorously assessed. By examining the gap between institutional rhetoric and pedagogical practice, this study highlights where current efforts fall short. Findings include a lack of ICC definitions and theoretical foundations, aspirational goals lacking commensurate investment, inconsistent faculty buy-in, and a misalignment between stated intent and operational execution resulting in institutional rhetoric not matching with implementation realities. Finally, I offer actionable suggestions for future research and implementation strategies to move the field beyond symbolic engagement toward a model where internationalization results in measurable, meaningful intercultural growth for all campus stakeholders.

Authors:
Michael Goh, University of Minnesota, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Goh is a professor of higher education in the department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development and Endowed Campbell Leadership Chair in Education and Human Development in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, USA.

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