A systematic literature review on Internationalisation at home from 2019–2024 – Intersections of initiatives and student skill development

This systematic literature review examines how Internationalisation at Home (IaH) initiatives contribute to student skill development in higher education. Analysing empirical studies from 2019 to 2024 published in Q1-rated journals, the review applies a deductive content analysis based on Di Pietro’s (2022) and Pellegrino and Hilton’s (2012) frameworks of 21st-century skill domains. Findings reveal that IaH activities most significantly foster skills within the intrapersonal and interpersonal domains, particularly cultural awareness and sensitivity, intercultural competence, and attitudes such as curiosity and respect. To analyse co-occurrence patterns, a heatmap was created to show areas of significant alignment between IaH interventions and targeted skill development, underscoring that these are not incidental but systematically cultivated across curricular, co-curricular, and interpersonal learning contexts. The review emphasises the need for strategic and pedagogically aligned IaH design to effectively support globally relevant student skills, reinforcing the role of internationalisation in higher education.