WG 2 held three working sessions at the Valletta Campus of the University of Malta on 26 January and 27 January  2017 during the ProSEPS meeting.

The twofold objective of this WG is to analyze:

1. the expansion and benefits of mobility in European Political Science
2. to assess the capability of European scholars to divulge and publicize their work at the international level.

Conceptualization: internationalization & mobility

RQ: Who & What, With what aim & How, and to what effect(s)?

Mobility: geographical/physical mobility within- and across country

Internationalization: implies exposure to the international

• Exposure of the mind, the brain, the body, the professional space
• Internationalization possible without mobility?

What actors?: Individuals, universities, national associations, governments, supranational organizations

4 Types of internationalization

1) Internationalization of the mind: exposure to international scholarship

Reading of international scholarship, citations, appearance in international/non-national academic outlets, reference to non-national/regional body of scholarship

2) Internationalization of the brain: internationalization of research activity

• “Impromptu“:  international conferences, workshops, meetings
• “Sustained“: collaboration, series of meetings, international short stays (less than 3 months)
• “Institutionalized“: international research grant, national scheme for international research, international exchange, intermediate/long term stay (above 3 months/above 6 months)

3) Internalization of the body: exposure to international mobility

• “Hop on-Hop off” mobility: non-permanent, short term, with intention to return and institutionalized path to return to the country of departure. Ex: sabbatical, fellowship, Erasmus teaching exchange
• “Until Further Notice” mobility: non permanent, mid term, with no         institutionalized path to return to the country of departure, with vague intention or lack of clear plan for returning to the country of departure
• “Pioneer” mobility: long-term, with no intention to return in the following 10 years.

4) Internationalization of the professional space/workplace:

Institutional collaboration for teaching (Erasmus, Erasmus +, institutional partnership); Institutional collaboration research; Institutional collaboration for impact/outreach

WG2 also discussed the typology of internationalized academics.

1 The Regional/National: regional/national-focused activities

2 The Academic Tourist:

• No international mobility, no short/intermediate international stay
• No/limited intellectual exposure: Some international contacts, “fancy” international conferences
• No substantial impact on output

3 The Traveler: The  international mind and brain

• Little long-term international mobility
• Track-record of international conferences, International & national network
• Intellectual exposure

4 The Adventurer/No Frontier Academic: the “international” beast

• International mobility ad infinitum
• Barely remembers the name of “their” national political association, International network is dominant
• Maximum intellectual exposure

5 The Transplant/Binational: “back to square 1”

• International mobility with an end point