The Future of Internationalization Partnership (FIP) was a three-year project, begun in May 2021, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) that brings together The Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) at Boston College, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, and the IAU.

The outcome of the first year of the project, the report "The Internationalization of Higher Education in the Wake of COVID-19: A Rigorous Review of the Literature on Short-Term Impacts"  was published in September 2022.

In early 2025, the article "Im/mobility in a disruptive time: the impact of Covid-19 on the size and directional flow of international student mobility” was published in Comparative Migration Studies and is available on open access here. This article is based upon the work from COST Action CA20115 ‘European Network on International Student Mobility: Connecting Research and Practice’, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

IAU and Boston College collaborated on a research project about the role of English language instruction in higher education institutions(HEIs) around the world. IAU and the Boston College Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) co-supervised research undertaken by Xinyan (Sissi) Liu, a student in CIHE’s Master of Arts program in International Higher Education. This program requires that all students participate in a course titled “Field Experience in International Higher Education.” The course combines practical experience at higher education organizations, such as the IAU, with an in-depth research project.

Sissi’s report explores the national policies and role of English language instruction at HEIs in Brazil, France, Malaysia, South Africa and Spain. This is a particularly timely topic at the time when English language has become dominant in many fields, including in highly cited research and scholarship more broadly.

The first and second IAU Global Surveys on the Covid-19 Pandemic identified significant interruptions to both Teaching & Learning(T&L) and internationalization activities. The innovative responses from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) around the world noted in the Global Survey reports generated interest in investigating the particular reasons behind these changes. This qualitative research project focusing on specific aspects of transformations in T&L and internationalization was developed as a result. It was carried out in the aftermath of a particularly turbulent period, but at the same time a period that saw a high level of innovation and resilience as institutions sought to continue their mission despite the challenging context. The results of this qualitative research project allow us to understand how and to what extent the experiences of HEIs during the pandemic have generated changes and transformations that go beyond the pandemic, as the project was conducted at a time where HEIs were no longer forced to rely on digital technologies to continue operating.

Read the report here.

The IAU contributed insights from the 6th Global Survey on Internationalization to a new collaborative study by the DAAD German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst), exploring how digital transformation is reshaping international strategies in universities, with a focus on Germany. The study combines data from the IAU Global Survey and the INDISTRA project (funded by the German Federal Foreign Office) and highlights emerging trends and practical recommendations for policymakers, higher education leaders, and stakeholders to support virtual internationalisation.

Abstract: How are German universities coping with internationalisation in the course of digital transformation? This article addresses this question on the basis of selected findings from the INDISTRA project, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, and survey data from the International Association of Universities (IAU). The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital adoption, fostering change in internationalisation practices. Internal drivers include international office leaders and academic leadership, while external factors involve funding agencies like the EU and DAAD. The study highlights increasing roles for IT staff and collaboration between administrative and academic personnel to enhance online delivery and partnerships. Post-pandemic, digital tool usage declined, but strategic focus shifted towards Internationalisation of the Curriculum (IoC) and Internationalisation at Home (IaH), emphasising inclusion and widening participation. Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) merge online and face-to-face exchanges, appealing to both sceptics and enthusiasts. Digitalisation offers potential but requires strategic integration, organisational support, digital literacy, and a holistic approach that promotes access, inclusion, diversity, and sustainable outcomes.

DAAD-studies: Studien - DAAD 
Forschung Kompakt (DE): Forschung kompakt - DAAD 
Forschung Kompakt (EN): DAAD Research Brief - DAAD