Catalysts for Change: The Role of Returned Overseas Faculty in Driving the Internationalization of Education from the Dual Perspectives of Human Capital Circulation and Internationalization at Home

In the context of global knowledge economy transformation and deepening vocational education reform, internationalization has emerged as a core strategy for high-quality development.The evolution of the Internationalization at Home paradigm represents a fundamental shift from cross-border mobility to systematic integration of international and intercultural dimensions into domestic learning environments for all students.Returned overseas faculty, as unique actors bridging international experience and local practice, play a crucial yet underexplored role in driving this transformative process.This discussion paper critically examines the theoretical foundations, mechanisms, and pathways through which returned faculty contribute to vocational education internationalization. Drawing on human capital theory, liminality theory, and the Internationalization at Home framework, we construct an integrated analytical model examining the role-mechanism-pathway-institutional adaptation nexus.We argue that returned faculty fulfill three key roles as theory translators, practice integrators, and knowledge circulation hubs.Their impact operates through a human capital localization cycle comprising cognitive transformation, network grafting, and identity integration, catalyzed by their liminal status.Core practical pathways include industryeducation integration models infused with international elements and digital-hybrid approaches transcending geographic constraints.Full realization of returned faculty potential depends critically on supportive institutional adaptation at individual, organizational, and national levels.This paper provides a systematic theoretical framework for understanding micro-level dynamics of returned faculty contributions and offers evidence-based guidance for career development strategies, institutional policy formulation, and national framework design.