Profound cracks are emerging in the social and political orders of many liberal democracies today, notably in the United States and Europe. This is placing internationalization in higher education under unprecedented pressure. Strengthening the foundation of research on internationalization’s societal impact and sharpening the approach to dissemination of research findings are key responses to this watershed moment.

As the first quarter of the twenty-first century draws to a close, profound cracks are emerging in the social and political orders of countries long considered to be vibrant democracies and well-regarded examples of functional civil society. The United States under a second Trump administration may offer the clearest example of these disturbing developments, but similar trends are playing out across Europe and elsewhere. Closed borders and closed minds have typically led to poor outcomes for individuals and societies, and examples of the folly and destruction wrought by unbridled nationalism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism have long served as important reference points for how not to ensure social progress. Yet, here we are—again. Against this backdrop, proponents of internationalization in higher education—whose raison d’être can be encapsulated in a desire to facilitate international engagement in order to enhance individual and collective well-being—are left wondering: where did things go so wrong, and what will it take to right this ship?

In addressing these core questions, two (longstanding) issues loom large.

Internationalization Research Today: Fragmented and under the Radar

The first is that, despite an explosion of interest in and research around internationalization in higher education, serious gaps in our knowledge persist. We continue to suffer from a lack of high-quality, large-scale, and (importantly) longitudinal data that shed objective and unambiguous light on the impact (positive, negative, and neutral) of internationalization. The data we do have are tantalizing in their indications of positive effect but are decidedly piecemeal in nature and tend to lack the “bottom line” kinds of insights that resonate with policy makers and concerned citizens alike.

The second problem is that internationalization in higher education—what it is and how it makes a difference in the lives of individuals and communities—is largely invisible or under-/unappreciated by those not directly engaged in it, which is the vast majority of our fellow citizens. Widespread lack of exposure to internationalization, or outright disinterest in this issue, may be explained by several factors. First, high percentages of people worldwide simply do not participate in higher education, so conversations about this level of education may be considered largely irrelevant. Additionally, local and national interests often take precedence over matters considered to be external or tangential to those contexts, even in the higher education sector. Indeed, despite exponential growth in the field of international education in recent decades—from academic mobility programs to internationalization of the curriculum, university partnerships, multinational research projects, and more—the fact remains that most members of our academic communities, let alone society at large, are not actively involved in internationalization.

In sum, most of our fellow citizens are either unaware or relatively unmoved by internationalization’s potential to deliver important individual and societal dividends. At the same time, our knowledge base continues to need significant shoring up.

These are daunting realities. Luckily, previous research and analysis have offered clear signals for a way forward.

Getting Serious about Documenting and Disseminating Societal Impact

Ten years ago, the authors of the European Parliament study “Internationalisation of Higher Education” offered a definition of internationalization that made explicit reference to internationalization’s role in making “a meaningful contribution to society.” And in 2019, the Internationalisation in Higher Education for Society (IHES) initiative took the call to action embedded in that definition one step further and began to expand our understanding of good practice in terms of engaging internationalization stakeholders beyond higher education institutions. Now in 2025, however—despite many important developments in the interim—internationalization is under serious threat. The need to provide policy makers and the public at large with clear information about how internationalization can strengthen our ability to serve our societies’ interests has reached a new, critical level.

To address this, a key stream of research should receive high and sustained levels of attention. Specifically, fundamental questions of societal impact that matter to policy makers and citizens at large deserve urgent attention. Researchers around the world must develop clear(er) indications (and endeavor to keep this data up-to-date) about the effects of internationalization in higher education on our economies, our social welfare, our safety and security, and our quality of life.

In tandem, collaboration with experts on information dissemination and public awareness campaigns is urgently required. The research community must commit to public discourse in new and dynamic ways in order to engage policy makers and average citizens in constructive conversation about the facts related to internationalization.

Thoughtful scholars have long emphasized that internationalization is not an inherently good or bad phenomenon. However, the international education landscape is currently being buffeted by social and political forces that lack comprehensive, credible data for decision-making. Strengthening the foundation of research on internationalization’s societal impact and sharpening the approach to dissemination of research findings are vital priorities for the years ahead.

Laura E. Rumbley is director for knowledge development and research at the European Association for International Education (EAIE). E-mail: [email protected].