Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences, Vol. 2 No. 4, October 2015(Part II) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 38 P-ISSN 2362-8022 | E-ISSN 2362-8030 | www.apjeas.apjmr.com Selected Philippine Higher Education Institutions‟ Perspectives on Internationalization of Education: Initiatives and Guidelines Rufina C. Rosaroso 1 , Irish Dakay 2 , Raymund Sarmiento 3 1 Cebu Normal University, 2,3 University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines raffycoronel@yahoo.com 1 , itdakay@gmail.com 2 , rcsarmiento@gmail.coml 3 ,acvalendez@yahoo.coml 4 Date Received: August 6, 2015; Date Revised: September 10, 2015 Abstract –This is a qualitative study where grounded theory was used as a research method. The generative questions guided the researchers in the identification of relationships between core theoretical concepts and data. The key analytic strategies used were coding for categorizing data in providing the implications and details of the identified themes/patterns and integrative diagram to inductively collect all the data which helped in “making sense of data” with respect to the emerging theory. Further, in-depth interviews were conducted to the key informants such as university presidents, deans, department chairs for pertinent data collection. Aside from in-depth interviews, documents such as articles and newspaper clips served as additional sources of data. The transcribed data were based from identified theoretical concepts where Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) Strategy Formulation Framework emerged. This model is composed of three key factors that serve as mechanism for internationalization of education namely; reformed organizational programs (policies, mission-vision), responsiveness to global needs (accreditation to international standards), and active/strong linkages (student and faculty exchange, visiting professors). Since the three factors are within the control of HEIs, change can emanate from within themselves. Thus, they can strategize to aim for change in research, instruction and extension while the stakeholders in government agencies are working on reforms and policies at the national level. Keywords – global needs, grounded theory, internationalization of education, linkages, organizational programs INTRODUCTION In response to globalization, a renewed focus on higher education is noted. Such era of globalization has led formidable transformation of the world‟s economy from labour-oriented manufacturing-based to knowledge-based society. Kritz [1] contends that the overwhelming growth of information economy steered not only on worldwide employers‟ competition for the highly intellectuals but also among higher education institutions (HEIs) which train and specialize the “best brains”. He further affirms that the increasing demand for higher education exceeds the capacity of many countries to supply their local counterparts. Consequently, many students have gone to other countries to obtain higher education degrees and such academic endeavour increases in number. This international academic mobility, as posited by Altbach and Knight [2], is geared towards quality education systems where students‟ south to north movement is evident. Another response to this global issue as pointed out by Mokis [3] societal transformation to regional education hubs and cross-border or transnationalization of higher education (TNHE). Examples of this endeavor is Singapore‟s engagement in the “global school project,” and Malaysia‟s development of two mega education cities [3,4]. Singapore offers joint-degree programs for local universities and their overseas counterparts. Local Singapore universities collaborate with peer universities internationally with regard to academic programs. Students are allowed to study at both campuses with faculty supervision and monitoring. In addition, Cheng contends that Singapore also offers financial assistance to international students such as scholarships, 10% above the local rate for tuition fees and tuition grants with a condition of working for Singaporean companiesfor a minimum of three years after graduation[5]. According to Mok, transnationalization of higher education (TNHE) in Singapore has several achievements, namely; 1) at least 86,000 international students from 120 countries were enrolled in 2007