The Essay
Symbolic Membership to Strategic Impact:
Rethinking International Networks in Higher Education
Are the current types of international university networks fit for modern day challenges, or do they need to change to benefit universities and society?
By Ignacio Sánchez MD. Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine. Former Rector, and
Lilian Ferrer PhD. Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine. Former Vice-president for International Affairs, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Santiago, Chile
"A more holistic understanding of international collaboration should prioritise glocal impact; that is, the capacity to address local needs through globally informed strategies."
“International networks must be seen not as instruments of globalisation but as catalysts for ethical, inclusive and future-oriented higher education.”
University networks consist of associations of universities to collaborate with each other to achieve common objectives. These initiatives respond to the concern of academics to collaborate and basically to learn about new realities and compare them to grow and develop.
There are regional and global, with an emphasis on teaching, research, management, linkage with the environment, among others. There are also very interesting networks that promote economic inclusion; special educational needs; exchange in situations of vulnerability; interculturalism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among others.
Rethinking the Role of Networks in a Changing World
Higher education institutions today operate within a landscape defined by global interdependence and complexity. The effects of pandemics, climate change, armed conflicts, demographic transitions and technological disruptions—including artificial intelligence—require institutions not only to generate knowledge, but also to act as agents of social transformation.
In this context, international networks become a strategic tool, not merely for academic prestige or mobility, but for advancing a mission-oriented vision that integrates education, research, and public engagement.
Internationalisation: Beyond Student Exchange
Traditionally in our institution, the common concept of internationalisation referred to the development of international student exchange, usually for an academic period, to which was added the joint work of professors and researchers. However, because of the development of the higher education system, over the years it became evident that there were other challenges to be met.
Currently, this has been modified to give way to a vision of integral or “in-house” internationalisation. Today, in addition to promoting student and academic mobility, it is essential to develop COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) programmes; the synergy and evaluation of the comparative reality of a series of management indicators, the incorporation of global content in the curricula and progress in promoting cultural diversity on campus, which is done through cultural weeks, fairs and other activities. These activities are enhanced when they are structured from formal strategic networks.
All these advances and joint activities have made it possible to learn more about the reality of the different institutions, together with the establishment of international measurements, which, although imperfect, in general allow us to have a look at the quality of the higher education system at an international level.
Beyond Rankings: Critiquing Narrow Measures of International Collaboration
Global university rankings tend to frame internationalisation primarily through bibliometric indicators, particularly co-authored publications with researchers from diverse countries. While co-authored publications remain a common metric for international collaboration, they offer a narrow view of what universities can achieve though global partnerships. It overlooks the broader and more impactful dimensions of networked higher education—curricular innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, inclusive mobility, ethical leadership development, and community-based partnerships that promote sustainable and equitable progress.
A more holistic understanding of international collaboration should prioritise glocal impact; that is, the capacity to address local needs through globally informed strategies. This involves promoting collaborative learning environments, embedding global themes in curricula, and engaging in joint initiatives that respond to societal challenges across contexts.

Strategic Networks as Platforms for Educational Innovation and Knowledge Transfer
Strategic networks offer higher education institutions a structured space for cooperation, co-creation and continuous learning. They enable shared curriculum design, mutual capacity-building and interdisciplinary research on pressing global issues. Through such alliances, institutions can leverage collective strengths to design new educational programmes, implement faculty and student exchanges—including those targeting underserved populations—and expand access to funding and innovation ecosystems.
These networks also support the diffusion of best practices in governance, inclusion and institutional management. They allow for comparative benchmarking, joint policy development, and integrated responses to emerging risks. Importantly, they facilitate knowledge transfer to society, bridging academic research with public needs through partnerships in health, sustainability, social equity, and democratic resilience.
Leadership and Intentionality in Network Participation
Effective participation in international networks requires institutional intentionality. Active engagement must be aligned with a university's development plan and mission. Leadership plays a central role in moving beyond symbolic membership toward collaborative action. Universities must adopt distributed management models, invest in high-performing teams, and foster a culture of trust, co-responsibility, and shared vision.
Key principles for successful network engagement include horizontal coordination, democratic dialogue, and transparency in goal setting and evaluation. These elements create the foundation for meaningful partnerships that are mutually reinforcing and sustainable over time.

Networks as Agents for Peace, Ethics, and Global Citizenship
Universities are increasingly expected to address complex ethical challenges: protecting academic freedom, fostering intercultural dialogue, ensuring inclusive governance, and preparing graduates for responsible global citizenship. Strategic international networks offer a platform to reflect on and respond to these imperatives collaboratively.
In the same way, we believe it is important to postulate that by working in networks, universities become institutions that can become builders of peace and promoters of intercultural understanding, which is a contribution and a major responsibility in the times we live in. At present, there are a significant number of topics on which these networks can collaborate in a joint reflection, providing regional and comparative views that can allow the evaluation of different angles and perspectives and thus facilitate decision-making.
These include topics of great international relevance and validity, such as attempts to cancel opinions in universities; attacks on academic freedom and university autonomy; the ethical challenges to be considered in the training of students and in the areas of teaching, research, creation and links with the environment; the ethical behaviour of our graduates; interculturality in the composition of our university communities and the opportunities they represent for higher education institutions.
In times of crisis, whether related to political instability, public health emergencies, or social fragmentation, university networks have demonstrated their capacity for rapid mobilisation, mutual support and global solidarity. In doing so, they underscore the university's potential as a builder of peace and a defender of the public good.
Criteria for Strategic Engagement in Networks
While international networking is valuable, not all networks contribute equally to institutional growth. Strategic engagement should be guided by criteria such as:
· Mission alignment and values coherence
· Geographic diversity and regional relevance
· Potential for joint evaluation, innovation, and curricular development
· Capacity complementarities and reciprocal benefits
· Clear mechanisms for collaboration, funding and impact assessment
Ultimately, universities should transition from a model based on the proliferation of agreements to one that emphasises shared impact and lasting partnerships. Prioritising depth over breadth in network participation enables institutions to maximise their contribution to the global higher education landscape.

Conclusion: Toward a Glocal Future in Higher Education
International networks must be seen not as instruments of globalisation but as catalysts for ethical, inclusive and future-oriented higher education. They serve as platforms for academic excellence, social responsibility and global solidarity. As global challenges intensify, the university’s roles a convening force for peace, knowledge and human development becomes more vital than ever.
By embracing intentional inclusive, and mission-driven networks, universities can educate the next generation of globally competent leaders and help build more justice and sustainable world. The future of higher education will depend not on institutional isolation, but on our collective ability to act together, across borders, toward a more just and sustainable global society.