How COVID ‐19 changed the internationalization of higher education: A scoping review of the literature and the field

Abstract

Despite a growing literature on COVID‐19 and higher education, there has been limited systematic study of how the pandemic affected universities' internationalization activities. This article addresses that gap by systematically examining how the pandemic reshaped the internationalization of higher education. The study presents a multilingual scoping review of 368 peer‐reviewed articles published between March 2020 and October 2022 across four languages and multiple regional and national contexts. Using an iterative thematic synthesis and co‐occurrence analysis, the review maps the scope of the literature and identifies six overarching patterns in how internationalization was affected. The findings show that COVID‐19 disrupted cross‐border mobility and catalysed shifts towards more digital and ‘at‐home’ forms of internationalization, while also increasing attention to student well‐being. At the same time, the review finds that literature on the topic remains centred on specific countries and continues to frame internationalization primarily through student mobility. The study's multilingual design offers a more globally inclusive perspective than prior studies, revealing important cross‐national differences in both experiences and scholarly focus. These findings have implications for research and practice: they highlight the need to broaden conceptualizations of internationalization beyond mobility, address persistent regional and methodological gaps and examine the longer term institutionalization of pandemic‐driven innovations.

Rationale for this study: This review synthesizes literature on COVID‐19's immediate impacts on universities' internationalization activities. Through a multilingual review, it identifies the major impacts of the pandemic and cross‐national variation.

Why the new findings matter: The review documents how COVID‐19 reshaped internationalization practices beyond short‐term mobility disruptions while revealing uneven coverage of topics and regions and significant gaps in the research base.

Implications for PhD students, researchers and higher education institutions: The review provides a synthesis of how internationalization practices changed during COVID‐19, highlighting areas where evidence remains limited. For researchers, the review identifies methodological and geographic gaps that require further study, particularly beyond major English‐speaking destinations. For higher education institutions, the findings highlight how institutions adapted internationalization practices during the pandemic and point to supportive approaches, such as expanded student services, financial support and virtual exchange, which may serve as inspiration for future internationalization strategies.