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Societās Internationalization Assessment

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prepares your university for global engagement.

In the modern university, internationalization is a fundamental driver of institutional excellence. When strategically integrated, it elevates research impact, enriches the educational experience for all students, and enhances the institution's capacity to solve complex global challenges.

Yet, many institutions remain trapped in a cycle of activity rather than impact. The pressure to 'be global' often leads to transactional partnerships and fragmented initiatives that drain resources without advancing the core academic mission. This gap between aspiration and impact is the central challenge facing university leadership today.

The Societās Internationalization Assessment is designed to close this gap. This research-based evaluation uncovers the 'hidden forces’— the cultural, structural, and strategic barriers—preventing your university from reaching its full potential. We provide the evidence and clarity required for true institutional transformation.

Strategic Outcomes

At the conclusion of this assessment, university leadership will possess:

  • Strategic Alignment: A clear roadmap demonstrating how international engagement directly supports and enhances the core academic mission and research goals.

  • Evidence-Based Prioritization: Clarity on which initiatives yield the highest impact, allowing for confident, optimized resource allocation.

  • Institutional Cohesion: A framework to break down silos and foster a campus-wide commitment to comprehensive internationalization.

  • A Blueprint for Sustainable Excellence: A deep understanding of the institutional changes required to move beyond transactional activities toward transformative global engagement.

Societās Internationalization Assessment

Indicators

We rigorously examine the alignment between your international aspirations and your operational reality. This analysis assesses the strategic coherence of your portfolio, the alignment of resources, and the underlying institutional culture that defines how global engagement is navigated

  • Internationalization Activities

  • Performance and Outcomes

  • At home initiatives

  • Inclusivity

Institutional Capacity for International Engagement

  • Intercultural Training

  • Internationalized Curriculum

  • Virtual Initiatives

  • Institutional Culture

We identify the structural forces—policies, funding models, governance structures, and organizational silos—that obstruct effective collaboration. We analyze how incentives and decision-making processes impact engagement, ensuring the institution is structured to support innovation

  • Institution strengths

  • International influence

  • Government

  • Staff trained abroad

Structural Barriers and Institutional Readiness

  • Institutional Governance

  • Internal knowledge

  • Ability to deploy new initiatives

  • Calibre of international impact

We assess the extent to which internationalization is embedded within the academic heart of the institution—research, teaching, and service. Critically, we evaluate the role of leadership in championing this integration and ensuring it enhances the university's core academic priorities

  • Participation in global initiatives

  • Level on internal coordination

  • Priority for its international office

  • Reactive or Proactive Approach

Internationalization Integration and Institutional Leadership

  • Leadership vision and action

  • Leadership involvement

  • Incentive to internationalize

  • Resources and Support

Preliminary
Framework
Data Collection
Analysis
Report

A preliminary assessment design is created based on the institution's mission and international aspirations.

We develop a bespoke assessment design grounded in your institution's unique mission and culture, co-created with your leadership team

We employ a rigorous mixed-methods approach, synthesizing quantitative data with deep qualitative insights (interviews, document analysis). This allows us to understand not just the formal structures, but the underlying cultural dynamics.

A comprehensive account on the state, opportunities, challenges, narratives and other aspects that define the institution’s ability to engage globally.

The engagement culminates in a prioritized Strategic Roadmap, an Executive Workshop to build leadership consensus, and (Optional) an Internal Symposium to catalyze campus-wide engagement

Our Methodology: Rigorous Inquiry, Actionable Strategy

Grounded in academic expertise, this is not off-the-shelf consulting. It is a personalized, peer-to-peer strategic engagement. Every assessment is personally led by our founder, ensuring depth, consistency, and dedicated counsel. When specialized knowledge is required, we leverage a trusted network of expert associates, providing bespoke expertise tailored to the project.

Our focus is on the process and the required institutional transformation necessary to make internationalization sustainable and impactful.

We reject standardized models. Our evaluation is highly contextualized and carried out collaboratively with your institutional team, promoting knowledge dissemination and ensuring the resulting strategy is authentically yours.

The Societās Approach: Expertise and Transformation

About the Internationalization Assessor

Carlos Vargas founded Societās Partnership to provide universities with the rigorous, nuanced guidance required for meaningful internationalization. With over 13 years of strategic and operational experience at leading institutions (University of Toronto, University of Calgary, Carleton University), Carlos brings a profound understanding of academic culture, governance, and the realities of global engagement. His expertise, reinforced by an MEd in Leadership in Higher Education focusing on Internationalization, ensures this assessment is a strategic engagement designed to catalyze institutional improvement.

Consultation

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