Speaker: Damtew Teferra, University of Kwazulu-Natal (South Africa)

The internationalization of higher education in the Global South is entering a critical phase shaped by what may be termed a moment of “global rupture.” This rupture reflects the fragmentation of the global order, marked by geopolitical tensions, shifting alliances, the erosion of multilateralism, and heightened restrictions on mobility, knowledge exchange, and academic collaboration. As a result, long-standing assumptions underpinning internationalization—such as openness, reciprocity, and the production and free flow of knowledge—are being fundamentally challenged. For institutions in the Global South, which have historically engaged with internationalization as a pathway to capacity building, visibility, and global integration, these disruptions raise urgent questions about strategy, agency, and sustainability. This presentation intends to interrogate how the Global South can navigate and redefine internationalization amid these uncertainties as it examines dominant models of internationalization that have often privileged North–South flows of knowledge, resources, and influence, and considers the implications of their potential reconfiguration. At the same time, the presentation explores emerging opportunities, including the strengthening of South–South and South–South–North collaborations, the rise of new knowledge hubs, and the increasing relevance of regional and context-responsive partnerships.