1. Introduction
Currently internationalization is at the top of the agenda for strategic university
development. Two streams of arguments are often given to explain why universi-
ties put an emphasis on being international: First, multinational companies want
graduates to have a sound understanding of world markets, different cultures and
world politics. Therefore, it is the university’s task to educate students for the in-
ternational labor market. Second, the market for education has become global be-
cause education itself has become an international tradable good. New sources of
university revenue are explored by exporting “on-line” courses, creating branch
campuses in foreign markets (technically a “foreign direct investment”) and by
importing foreign, full-tuition paying students. Furthermore the degree of interna-
tionalization affects where a university is placed on university ranking lists. These
rankings are very important for university marketing and so student recruitment.1
At first glance, these arguments are convincing because they reflect the observable
shift from the educational to the economic as the dominant rationale for higher
education and university development in recent years.2 However the perspective is
wrong: The primary task of the university is to impart ideas and knowledge and to
stimulate individuals to think and to reflect about both the content they are learn-
ing as well as about their own identity. Related to the idea of a university Hum-
boldt coined the expression “Bildung” which could be best translated with for-
mation or edification. “The concept of Bildung....may be construed as implying
the idea that accumulating knowledge is not an end in itself - nor is it, for that
matter, an aim to any, so to speak, worldly use or application. It is instead, in the
service of, and in favor of self-formation (Fehér: 35).” Hence in the Humboldtian
sense universities should provide a scientific environment where individuals have
the autonomy to pursue knowledge in an effort to transform themselves and
thereby become a complete human being and a worthwhile citizen of a communi-
ty. In fulfilling this task, the university meets the needs of and works for the bene-
fit of the community as a whole. Subsequently, universities are financed by the
public. This does not exclude the utility of higher education for the private, eco-
nomic sector of the society but it is not the primary function of universities. The
“leitmotiv of Bildung” is to create critical and innovative thinkers, students who learn
1 Mazzarrol et al, p. 90.
2 De Witt, 2005.