At a time when some governments are becoming more insular and hostile to immigration, it may seem as if the high-water mark of internationalisation in higher education has already been passed.

But if it has, that would be a grave mistake. As public funding for higher education tightens, international students are an ever more important sources of revenue. Even more importantly, universities¡¯ ability to connect, collaborate and innovate across borders makes them uniquely positioned to tackle many of the challenges confronting all countries ¨C climate change, global health, conflict, and inequality.

However, that ability is compromised by the tendency of many institutions in the Global North to pursue internationalisation from a position of power, rather than a commitment to respectful and equitable partnership. Some of the most creative, impactful scholarship is emerging from regions that face complex, real-world challenges every day, but researchers from those regions often find themselves marginalised in international academic structures, denied the ability to assume leadership roles, dictate research agendas or draw on more than a small fraction of awarded grants.

As it stands, many global funding bodies still require researchers from the Global South to physically relocate to the Global North to access meaningful funding. No matter how capable or accomplished a researcher may be, their location becomes a disqualifier. This brain drain not only weakens the institutions they leave behind but it hollows out local research ecosystems and limits the potential for place-based innovation.

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What we need, then, is not just more international collaboration but better, fairer collaboration. Universities in the Global North must engage with their counterparts in the Global South as equals, sharing resources, leadership, authorship and intellectual property. They must resist the urge to dominate the agenda, and instead support research that emerges from the context and priorities of southern institutions ¨C which could ultimately have global relevance.

At the University of Bath, we are actively working to model this more equitable form of internationalisation. Earlier this year, we hosted the annual Chevening Conference,?assembling?emerging leaders from across the globe, including many from the Global South, to exchange ideas and tackle shared challenges. More than a symbolic gesture, this gathering served as a forum for genuine dialogue, listening and long-term relationship-building.

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Hosting this conference at Bath was also personally meaningful. I was a Chevening scholar 24 years ago, arriving in the UK from Cuba with hopes of gaining not just academic credentials but the tools to become part of a global intellectual community. That experience shaped the course of my life and instilled in me a deep belief in the transformative power of equitable, international education.

Bath has also committed to building durable research partnerships with institutions in Africa, Latin America and Asia. We make sure to approach these collaborations not as benefactors but as colleagues, and they are starting to have a positive impact on our curricula, giving our students the opportunity to learn not only from UK-based academics but from global partners with diverse, situated knowledge.

Furthermore, while some countries may be retreating into political isolationism, the world remains deeply interconnected economically ¨C and that is the reality in which graduates will have to make their living. No matter their field, they will need to navigate cross-cultural teams, global supply chains and international regulations.

More than that, if they are to help solve global challenges, they must develop a sense of global responsibility. That is why internationalisation at Bath is not confined to study-abroad schemes. We are embedding global perspectives across our programmes, bringing diverse voices into every aspect of university life. These opportunities help foster empathy, intercultural competence and a deeper understanding of the complex systems that shape our world. When properly supported, these encounters create a richer and more critical form of learning.

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Of course, realising this vision of equitable internationalisation requires structural change. Funding mechanisms must be redesigned to support researchers wherever they are based. Institutional leaders must push back against systems that prioritise prestige over impact and recognise that some of the most important work might come from places that are not traditionally well represented in global rankings.

Universities also need to critically examine their own internal practices. Are partnerships truly reciprocal? Are colleagues in the Global South empowered to lead, publish, and innovate without barriers? Are visa and employment systems flexible enough to support cross-border engagement?

These are the kinds of questions every institution should be asking if they are serious about both making an impact on global problems and building a fairer global academy. The two inextricably go together.

is pro vice-chancellor (global engagement) at the University of Bath.

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