Philip G. Altbach, a research professor and the founding director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College (USA), as well as a member of the Council of the Russian Government Program for Competitiveness Enhancement of Leading Russian Universities among Global Research and Education Centers (Project
According to Professor Altbach, commercialization, competition, and cooperation are the main elements of strategic development for leading universities. International education has an amazing ability to play the role of a “soft power”: students who studied abroad return with a better understanding of a different culture, which positively influences the political situation in the world.
Globalization will continue in the form of an increase of students studying abroad around the world and the subsequent emergence of a global “economy of knowledge” in higher education.
“I believe it is extremely important that universities like NUST MISIS—top universities—are internationally engaged and involved. There is so much the university can learn from leading universities overseas. And those universities, in turn, can learn a lot from NUST MISIS. I am always happy to come to NUST MISIS, because I can feel the spirit of innovation and the idea that the university is really trying to achieve its goals and improve itself”, said Professor Altbach.
According to Professor Altbach’s forecast, from year to year, the number of international students will increase and the necessity for universities to have international branches will simply disappear. The Professor believes that the popularity of double-degree programs will also increase.
