37 Delhi Business Review X Vol. 12, No. 1 (January - June 2011) THE IMP THE IMP THE IMP THE IMP THE IMPACT OF GLOB CT OF GLOB CT OF GLOB CT OF GLOB CT OF GLOBALISA ALISA ALISA ALISA ALISATIO TIO TIO TIO TION O N O N O N O N ON SOUTH AFRICAN N SOUTH AFRICAN N SOUTH AFRICAN N SOUTH AFRICAN N SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCA HIGHER EDUCA HIGHER EDUCA HIGHER EDUCA HIGHER EDUCATIO TIO TIO TIO TION INSTITUTIO N INSTITUTIO N INSTITUTIO N INSTITUTIO N INSTITUTIONS NS NS NS NS PA PA PA PA PATTERNS OF ACADEMIC INFLO TERNS OF ACADEMIC INFLO TERNS OF ACADEMIC INFLO TERNS OF ACADEMIC INFLO TERNS OF ACADEMIC INFLOW INTO THE SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER W INTO THE SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER W INTO THE SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER W INTO THE SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER W INTO THE SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCA EDUCA EDUCA EDUCA EDUCATIO TIO TIO TIO TION SY N SY N SY N SY N SYSTEM STEM STEM STEM STEM Ashika Maharaj* Ashika Maharaj* Ashika Maharaj* Ashika Maharaj* Ashika Maharaj* S globalisation of the world economy continues unabated, a parallel growth of globalization of knowledge is also taking place. This latter trend is little affected by the boundaries between developed and less developed countries and is having a particular impact on the trends of edu- cation, in particular on higher education (Moloi et al., 2009). An increasing number of professionals are taking the opportunity to explore the landscape of an international career rather than waiting to be sent by an employer as part of an overseas assignment (Inkson et al., 1997; Suutari & Brewster, 2000). The new careers literature suggests that this trend reflects the increasing flexibility of many contemporary careers where they are now increasingly likely to evolve across international boundaries. Having the flexibility to pursue such a career move which might involve exploring diverse cultures and landscapes presents an inviting prospect. This paper looks at the impact of globalization on higher education within the context of South Africa. It focuses on one particular manifestation of this phenomenon namely the inflow of foreign academics into the higher education institutions of South Africa. It forms the first part of a larger study being undertaken at doctoral level, in which the researcher attempts to investigate the experiences of expatriate academics at South African universities. This first phase of the research is crucial, in order to establish the existence of this particular phenomenon, thereby establishing the importance of this trend as a manifestation of globalization and to determine whether there is a significant inflow of expatriate academics in order to warrant further research. Key Words: Globalisation, Universities, Expatriate Academics, Patterns of Inflow. Introduction Higher Education and higher education systems are becoming increasingly international. This has led to a growing need for international activity and strategic alliances between universities and other educational institutions (Altbach, 2004). The paper first introduces the impact globalization has had on academia, which has resulted in the contemporary trend towards increasing international mobility in academia. It connects that trend with the expansion of higher education, the concomitant demand for suitably qualified faculty and the putative internationalization of higher education. The deteriorating working conditions in some countries are also identified as an impetus for some faculty to seek an overseas position. The new careers literature is then introduced as a useful framework within which to understand both international academic careers and academic careers more generally. Specific mention is made of the widely accepted view that flexibility is one of the defining features of an academic career (Altbach, 2002, Arthur and Rousseau, 1996). This view provides further explanation for the increasing international mobility in academia. In addition to well documented increase in travel by the student body, academics too are experiencing growing levels of international mobility. However, very little work has been done on the experiences of expatriate academics. As a result much of what we know about expatriates and expatriation is based on managers and corporate executives who have been sent A * Lecturer, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.