Faculty Engagement in Internationalization: The Role of Personal Agency Beliefs

Abstract

As higher education in the United States has experienced a proliferation of internationalization activities, there has been a steady stream of studies directed at understanding institutional rationales for internationalization.  Further, an emerging body of research seeks to understand faculty motivations of international involvement.  However, scant attention has been devoted to understanding the role of personal agency beliefs in facilitating faculty international engagement.  This study, part of a larger project, draws on in-depth interviews with fifteen faculty to address this topic.  The findings show that strong efficacy beliefs and positive perceptions about organizational context are strong influences on faculty behavior relative to international engagement.