Academic Diplomacy and the Internationalization of Higher Education: Theory, Policy, and Practice

Higher Education has become an increasingly influential actor in addressing global challenges through international collaboration, research partnerships, knowledge exchange, and educational mobility, among other internationalization efforts. As universities operate within a highly interconnected yet geopolitically complex environment, they are assuming expanded roles as facilitators of international dialogue, innovation, and cross-cultural understanding. Within this evolving landscape, academic diplomacy has emerged as an important framework for understanding how higher education institutions foster international engagement, build trust-based partnerships, and contribute to sustainable development through education, research, and institutional cooperation. While internationalization has become a defining feature of higher education worldwide, the diplomatic role of universities in promoting collaboration, mutual understanding, and shared solutions across national, cultural, and political boundaries remains an emerging area of scholarship. This research topic seeks to advance scholarly understanding of the relationship between academic diplomacy and the internationalization of higher education.The research topic examines the theoretical foundations, policy frameworks, and practical applications of academic diplomacy while exploring their implications for higher education institutions, governments, international organizations, and society. It seeks to advance understanding of academic diplomacy as a strategic and relational approach to international engagement that fosters trust, knowledge exchange, collaboration, and mutual understanding across borders. By bringing together scholarship from diverse geographic, cultural, and disciplinary contexts, the collection positions academic diplomacy as a dynamic and evolving field situated at the intersection of theory, policy, and practice. Contributions will critically examine emerging opportunities and challenges, including shifting geopolitical landscapes, global uncertainty, evolving models of academic mobility, and the transformation of international partnerships in response to changing global conditions. The research topic aims to stimulate scholarly dialogue, inform evidence-based policymaking, and advance innovative approaches to internationalization that strengthen institutional capacity, resilience, and global cooperation. It further seeks to illuminate how universities can leverage their educational, research, and collaborative missions to serve as bridges across cultures and nations. Ultimately, this collection highlights the vital role of higher education in addressing complex twenty-first-century challenges through diplomacy, collaboration, and the creation of shared knowledge ecosystems that promote sustainable and inclusive global engagement.This research topic invites original theoretical, empirical, and interdisciplinary contributions examining the intersections of academic diplomacy and internationalization. Submissions may develop conceptual frameworks, critically analyze policies, or explore innovative practices, highlighting how governance, leadership, and emerging approaches to global engagement enable higher education institutions to foster international collaboration and address complex global challenges. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Academic, science, educational, and knowledge diplomacy; • International partnerships; • Transnational education; • Research collaboration; • Global knowledge ecosystems;• The role of universities in public diplomacy and international cooperation.Contributions addressing geopolitical change, global uncertainty, communities of practice, professional networks, and collaborative leadership are especially welcome. The collection also highlights emerging approaches such as virtual exchange, COIL, digital mobility, artificial intelligence, internationalization at home, intercultural competence, global citizenship, equity, inclusion, sustainability, and institutional resilience. Comparative, cross-national, and multi-institutional studies using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods are particularly encouraged for their potential to inform research, policy, and practice. Topic editors: Elizabeth Trejos-Castillo, Ph.D., Cristina Alfaro, Fiorella Mercedes Spinelli Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84494/academic-diplomacy-and-the-internationalization-of-higher-education-theory-policy-and-practice