Internationalization of Higher Education and Adult and Lifelong Learning: A Case Study of the University of Delhi’s Academic Mobility with the Adult Education Academy, Germany (2015–2026).
Keywords:
Academic Mobility, Adult Education, lifelong learning, InternationalizationAbstract
International academic collaboration can strengthen higher education, promote intercultural learning and enhance mobility. This research focuses on academic mobility trends generating from the collaboration between the University of Delhi, India, and Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany, with the participation in the Adult Education Academy. The Academy, initiated in 2014 by Professor Dr. Regina Egetenmeyer at the University of Würzburg, provides an international platform for comparative learning in Adult and Lifelong Learning. The initiative brings together master’s students, doctoral scholars, practitioners, and faculty members from different countries, thereby contributing to international networking, professional development, and capacity building.
The research work utilizes year-wise mobility data from 2015 to 2026, and analyses patterns of participation, funding phases, and participant composition. The findings corroborates that mobility is highest during the early DAAD-funded phase, with participation peaking in 2016 and 2017. A gradual decline is observed after 2018, followed by decline during the COVID-19 period and a partial revival under Erasmus KA171 funding from 2023 onwards. The analysis further reflects that master’s students formed the largest participant group during the initial phase, while the later years reflected a growing involvement of doctoral scholars and faculty members. Funding support is one of the key factors influencing the scale and continuity of mobility. The study highlights that sustained international funding, institutional commitment, and structured academic programmes are essential for strengthening long-term internationalization in higher education, academic mobility, professional competencies, intercultural understanding, and global engagement in the field of adult and lifelong learning.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Prof Rajesh, Neha (Author)
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