Imagining the Future of Internationalisation in Higher Education: A Discourse Analysis of the Key Reports

ABSTRACT As the internationalisation of higher education (IHE) evolves, there is a growing need to critically assess its guiding discourses and future directions. The study analyses two major internationalisation reports using categorical and critical discourse analysis to identify prevailing narratives and their alignment with both mainstream/neoliberal and critical frameworks. The findings reveal a continued emphasis on student mobility, business and industry demand and rankings, suggesting the enduring influence of the market‐driven mainstream paradigm alongside emerging, though still secondary, themes of equity, inclusion and sustainability in alignment with critical internationalisation frameworks. These coexisting discourses and observed trends reflect a field in flux, marked by the dynamic interplay between established priorities and emerging critical agendas aimed at fostering a more equitable and sustainable future for internationalisation.