Internationalization policies of European open and distance teaching universities

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the role and effects of internationalization on the strategic management and quality assurance of open and distance higher education, and to compare the internationalization policies and practices of European open and distance higher education institutions. Within the scope of the research, a document analysis of the internationalization policy documents and strategic plans published on universities' websites was carried out, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with field experts from universities that are members of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). With a qualitative multiple case study design, the research was structured around a systems approach as its conceptual framework, and the interview questions were prepared considering the theoretical foundations of liberal institutionalism and neo-institutionalism. The findings indicate that internationalization policies and practices vary according to managerial and cultural factors, as well as the inherent nature of open and distance learning. The results reveal that the internationalization policies of the institutions concerned do not rely on a single model; although they share common goals such as quality assurance and network-based collaboration, their internationalization orientations differ depending on their strategic management approaches and cultural contexts. Keywords: Internationalization in higher education, Strategic management in universities, Open and distance teaching, Transnational education, European Higher Education Area.