| Higher education has grown increasingly global in scope. There is an understanding that complex world events create a demand for universities to educate students to become culturally competent global citizens. Since the late 1980s, the Australian government has advocated international education, primarily for economic reasons. Universities have responded by encouraging the development of international practice and perspective for academic professionals. The objective of this study was to provide information on the strategies employed by Australian librarians in internationalizing their practice and perspective in the library, the university, and within higher education.; Post-modern frameworks for globalization and internationalization, as well as the literature on academic librarianship, were applied in this study. The research employed a mixed methodology and included a survey of thirty-six university librarians in Australia and extensive case studies at two public universities whose practice, as revealed through the survey analysis, indicated a commitment to the goal of internationalization.; The study revealed that models of internationalization at universities vary widely according to the institution's values, mission and goals. Study findings showed that internationalization is stimulated when librarians are proactive in international activities; a stable budget is established for internationalization; librarians engage in strategic planning; library leadership is consistent; and sufficient time is allotted to achieve the goal of internationalization. These patterns and strategies may be employed at any academic library to effect change for internationalization. |
