Over the last two decades, Australian higher education has undergone dramatic changes in purpose and orientation. Changes in public funding arrangements and concomitant policy statements have contributed to the reconceptualisation of Australian higher education, and internationalisation has become a core goal for Australian universities. In light of these dynamics, this study examined understandings of internationalisation within two Australian universities. The study examined the ways in which internationalisation was understood by university staff working in either a teaching capacity and/or a managerial position. Situated within the broad field of critical sociology, the study drew on critical realism (Bhaskar, 1979, 1989), critical epistemology (Carspecken, 1996) and reflexive sociology (Bourdieu, 1972, 1990) to analyse how the universities and their staff positioned themselves in relation to the goal of internationalisation. Furthermore, the study examined how this goal served to reposition the institution and/or various forms of university work. The insights of critical social theory were used to examine the contested power relations associated with the growing importance attributed to the goal of internationalisation in Australian higher education. The significance of the study resides in its recognition of the ways in which academic and non-academic subcultures within the university contribute to the goal of internationalisation. Whereas previous research viewed divergence of understandings as weakening the commitment given to internationalisation as an institutional goal, this study has shown that such diversity stems from the differential encounters with and experiences of internationalisation. Moreover, in previous research, the pre-determined objectives for internationalisation resulted in the compartmentalisation of this goal, as in economic objectives and academic objectives. In contrast, this study focused on the dynamic and evolving nature of internationalisation in higher education. Consequently, the study's contribution lies in its explanation of the long term benefits to be derived from viewing internationalisation as a dynamic and generative phenomenon, rather than simply as a pre-determined goal. A case study approach was used in this research with two contrasting onshore Australian universities selected as the case sites. One institution had a reputation as an elite, research intensive university. The other was a post-Dawkins university with a strong vocational orientation. At each site, semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff from across the university's hierarchy. Interviewees included the Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Office of Internationalisation, the Chair of the Academic Board, the Director of the Teaching and Learning Support Unit, Faculty Deans, Heads of Departments, as well as departmental staff concerned with first year teaching. Departmental staff were drawn from two disciplinary areas, Australian History and Marketing. Interviews engaged participants in discussion about the processes by which internationalisation was enacted. Furthermore, university documents, such as the Strategic Plan, were analysed in terms of how the given institution constructed the need for internationalisation and the means by which this goal was to be achieved. The study found that internationalisation involves and promotes constant adaptability. The two institutions used whatever resources they had to develop and promote their international aspirations. The international visions of the institutions were influenced by both their historical and intended relationship with the broader higher education world. The elite, research intensive institution viewed internationalisation with becoming a university of international standing. This institution used its bureaucratic and hierarchical nature to advance its objectives for internationalisation. The vocationally oriented university had developed an internationalisation policy with a view to maximising the revenue to be derived from its diverse international activities and to gaining greater prestige within the higher education field. Staff involved with managerial and/or teaching work were found to develop their ideas about internationalisation through a combination of personal and professional experiences. The study confirmed the growing trend for academics to assume managerial roles in addition to their teaching and research. Consequently, accounts of internationalisation were not necessarily confined to a purely managerial or an academic perspective. Furthermore, the accounts of internationalisation differed between and within the two selected disciplines. On the one hand, specific disciplinary attributes could be seen by the academics interviewed as inherently international, even though they may not assist in realising institutional objectives for internationalisation. On the other, academics spoke of the perceived need for the frames of reference used in undergraduate education to be broadened, given the globalised nature of contemporary society and/or the increasing international enrolments. The study concluded that internationalisation is an important means by which the localised priorities of an institution, an academic department, and/or of individuals can engage with forms of global mobility. Moreover, the study argued the need for all staff and students in Australian higher education to see themselves as part of the processes of internationalisation. This latter point raises questions about the personal and professional attributes required of academics when working within internationalised Australian universities.

本研究主要是對教育部公費留學返國人員進行調查研究，以探討教育部公費留學制度四個基本目標達成的程度、公費留學經驗與公費留學生個人發展的關係並歸納公費留學生對教育部公費留學制度的看法與建議。研究目的有六：(一)從教育部公費留學返國人員的角度來分析教育部公費留學制度四個基本目標達成的程度。(二)瞭解教育部公費留學返國人員不同的「背景變項」在「留學經驗」上的差異情形。(三)瞭解教育部公費留學返國人員同的「背景變項」在「個人發展」上的差異情形。(四)瞭解教育部公費留學返國人員的「留學經驗」與「個人發展」的關係。(五)瞭解「背景變項」對「個人發展」的預測能力。(六)瞭解教育部公費留學返國個人員對教育部公費留學制度的看法及建議。最後，本研究再根據研究結果提出建議，以作為興革教育部公費留學制度的參考。 本研究以自編之「教育部公費留學調查問卷」及 Treiman(1977)的「國際職業聲望量表」為研究工具，針對已返國並可得知其服務機關的公費留學生進行問卷調查，共發出有效問卷 789 份，回收 380 份，回收率 47.6%。統計方法係採用描述性統計分析、單因子變異數分析、薛費法事後比較、積差相關以及多元逐步迴歸分析。 研究結果如下： 一、在留學國別的限定及留學學門的規劃上，公費留學生轉換國別及學門的比例極低，公費留學生返國服務的比例上也明顯的高於自費留學生，且公費留學制度的確提供給清寒且優秀的青年學子更大向上的發展機會。所以，教育部公費留學制度可以說已達成其應有的目標。 二、26-30 歲出國的公費留學生，在語言能力的進步、個人能力、態度、觀點的改變及職業發展上顯著的高於 36 以後才出國者；而 21-35 歲間出國的留學生，在學業經驗上也顯著的優於 36 歲以後才出國的留學生。 三、取得博士學位的公費留學生在學業經驗、文化的學習經驗、回國後的留學生國語言能力、語言能力的進步上、個人能力、態度、觀點的改變及職業的發展上都顯著的高於博士後研究人員。 四、留學 3 年以上的公費留學生，其留學經驗都顯著的優於只留學 1 或 2 年的留學生。國外留學時間 5 年以上的留學生，個人能力、態度、觀點的改變及職業發展也顯著的大於只留學 1 或 2 年者。 五、在職業的取得上，「性別」及「考上的年代」造成了顯著的差異。男性及較早期出國的公費留學生認為公費留學經驗有助於在回國後取得第一份且令人滿意的職業。 六、公費留學生出國前的留學國語言能力，以讀的能力最佳，說的能力最差，且其平均數的分布偏向中低的程度，顯示出國前的語言能力待加強。 七、出國前的留學國語言能力在諸變項中最為重要，因為它是在出國時就已決定，且可以利用許多方法來加以增進，若留學生能在出國前具有較佳的語言能力，則愈容易擁有良好的留學經驗及個人發展。 八、若出國前具有良好的留學國語言能力，則回國後會有較佳的留學國語言能力。 九、公費留學生若在國外有較好的文化的學習經驗、學業經驗及語言能力的發展，則其在個人能力、態度、觀點的改變上會愈顯著。 十、公費留學生在留學其間若具有較好的文化學習經驗及學業經驗，則其回國後的職業發展會愈好。 十一、本研究回收的樣本中，有 86% 的公費留學生任教於大專院校。 根據研究結果，本研究提出以下建議： 一、改革教育部公費留學制度的建議 (一)維持提供全額補助，以取得博士學位為主的公費留學型態。 (二)公費留學年限至少三年。 (三)加強出國前的語文能力及學校教育中第二外國語的訓練。 (四)將短期進修的對象，擴及到國內博士班研究生。 (五)學門規劃透明化。 (六)可與企業界合作辦理，由雙方共同負責人才培育的工作及費用。 (七)教育部駐外單位應主動與公費留學生聯繫。 (八)設置導師制。 (九)建立公費留學生人才資料庫。 二、對未來相關研究的建議 (一)在研究樣本上：取得完整的返國公費留學生樣本，以再進行深入研究。 (二)在研究方法上：增加質的研究，以分析產生留學結果的過程及因素。 (三)在研究內容上：將取得學位的公費留學型態與短期進修性質的留學型態做一區分，釐清各自的目標和功能，並探討現有得教育部公費留學制度是否能有效的達成各自特有的目標和功能。