From Local to Global: The Human Side of Internationalizing a Local College

Abstract

This descriptive phenomenological study explored how local college administrators in the Philippines experience and respond to the demands of higher education internationalization under constrained fiscal, regulatory, and organizational conditions. The authors interviewed nine administrators directly involved in internationalization using a semi-structured guide. The authors analyzed the data using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Analysis yielded 127 significant statements and four interrelated themes: the Reality Gap, Policy-Practicality Paralysis, Creative Survival, and the Human Toll. Participants described pressure to meet global expectations despite limited budgets, delayed approvals, and restricted mobility. In response, they relied on Internationalization at Home, virtual collaboration, shared learning, and what they described as "echo leadership." These strategies widened access but also transferred a heavy burden to administrators, eight of whom described exhaustion or burnout. Member checking produced 85% agreement with the thematic interpretation. The findings suggest that sustainable internationalization in resource-constrained local colleges requires policy flexibility, realistic financing, institutionalized low-cost internationalization pathways, and explicit attention to administrator well-being.