THE USE OF FACEBOOK IN THE FACILITATION OF INTERNATIONALIZATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION. A CASE STUDY BASED ON STUDENTS PERSPECTIVE

The landscape of internationalization in higher education is in a continuous change process. Many institutions are facing challenges to adapt their strategies, methods and tools to become more effective in achieving their internationalization goals. Until now little empirical research has addressed the perspective of using Facebook as a multipurpose tool to support internationalization strategies. The present paper explores the perceptions of local and international students regarding the use of Facebook as a catalyst for both the institutional branding process as well as for the facilitation of networking and in-campus internationalization. In this regard, a multi-method empirical study has been conducted on international and local students enrolled in a technical university (N =372). The sampling procedure was based on availability and convenience criteria. The respondents participated in in-depth interviews (N = 10) and completed a self-administered questionnaire. The research results suggest that Facebook could be used as a recruitment and branding tool, but these are not its primary attributes in the respondents' view. As the research revealed, Facebook proves its utility in developing a community of practice where international and local students could share and interact. The paper presents a detailed discussion regarding the value of Facebook as an internationalization tool.