University of Applied Sciences, Fulda

Acknowledgement

This research could not have been written without the help of many people. I extend my deep gratitude to them all.

I would like to particularly thank my fellow classmates, who took their time to answer my questions in detail. I also appreciate the support of Dr Kotthoff, whose advice and guidance helped me in all stages of the work, and Professor Dr Nothdurft who agreed to be part of the examination board. I would also extend my thanks to Ms Spencer-Oatey who accepted to read and comment on this thesis.
My deepest thanks to my classmate and friend, Mary Batson, who returned a fully developed questionaire upon my asking for advice on a raw idea. I greatly value the helpful comments of Ms Guarino and Dr Jörg Keller. And, I thank my family, specially my sister and my son, who supported me during my studies in every form imaginable and were sources of patience and encouragement.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Globalisation influences most areas of human endeavour. It has affected the economic sphere deeply, which in turn has had its effects on social norms and values. As the obstacles to a free flow of money and trade are being removed, geographical boundaries are disappearing and competition is on the rise in all areas of life. Increased demands are being placed on the mobility of the work force, while de-regulation is progressing steadily. This multi-dimensional process, with economic, political, social and cultural effects, is also putting its mark on all institutions involved in educating the competitive work force for such a market. The young generation is being influenced through new media, new communications technologies, and the world market. Furthermore, these processes have made their effects felt across all cultural differences.
The meaning of education has also changed. The traditional aim of education was to convey a certain pre-determined body of knowledge to the students, and its success was measured by estimating how much of this body of knowledge was absorbed by the students. Today, however, education has to assume the task of supporting young people in meeting the demands arising from the enormous expansion and specialisation of knowledge and to help them develop their personal abilities through knowledge, experiment and experience. They should be capable of succeeding in the highly competitive labour market, where is it is not enough to know a lot about a certain subject alone: Learning another language, being able to understand other cultures as well as being aware of one's own cultural values have attained equal importance.
Like many other facets of social life, educational systems generally try to cope with these changes by adapting their criteria, teaching material and attitude towards education. One of the most significant changes has been the internationalisation of education throughout the world. More and more universities and educational institutions are trying to attract foreign students to their countries, by offering courses with internationally recognised degrees. This process has gained new dimensions and momentum in most countries around the world.