The impact of internationalization of education on women’s empowerment : a comparative study of Finland and Azerbaijan

Abstract

This thesis explores the transformative role of international education on women’s empowerment in two distinct socio-cultural and national contexts, Finland and Azerbaijan. The theoretical framework is built around De Wit’s and Knight’s internationalization of higher education theories and feminist educational theory. Through these theories, the study investigates the influence of participation in international educational programmes on women’s personal, professional and social empowerment.

Using a qualitative comparative case study design, this work takes a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm and adopts a relativist ontological position. Qualitative data collected through semistructured interviews and focus group discussions with female participants engaged in international education is analysed through thematic analysis. There are identified themes: (1) international education as a tool for transformation, (2) challenges faced by women in accessing international education, and (3) empowerment as a result of international education.

The findings suggest that international education contributes to leadership development and creation of agency of women for women to support individuals in different societies. However, empowerment in Finland and Azerbaijan is contextually shaped by the existing cultural, social and institutional factors. Participants from Azerbaijan often benefited from international education to gain resistance against patriarchal norms and traditional values, while in Finland the emphasis was on professional advancement and personal development. Despite these contextual differences, both national perspectives agreed on the gendered barriers of women and lead to need for systemic reforms and specific attention to equal access to international education.

This work argues that international education has a positive effect on transformative potential for women, however, emphasizes the challenges from social and personal expectations, especially for females. The thesis contributes to the growing trend of feminist internationalisation and provides a comparative overview of the impact of international educational programmes on women’s transformation in Azerbaijan and Finland.