Internationalization at Home in Higher Education: Global Trends and Brazilian Perspectives from a Systematic Bibliometric and Integrative Review

Abstract

International academic mobility has traditionally been the most visible expression of higher education internationalization. Internationalization at Home (IaH) offers another route by incorporating international and intercultural dimensions into curricula, teaching, and campus life, including for students who do not participate in mobility programs. This study examines 54 studies published from 2020 to 2025 through descriptive bibliometrics, exploratory statistical analysis, systematic review procedures, and integrative thematic synthesis. Publication counts peaked in 2022, but neither quasi-Poisson regression nor the Mann-Kendall test detected a temporal trend. The literature was dispersed across 34 journals and 26 countries, and virtual exchange occupied the most central position in the keyword network. DOI-based bibliographic coupling identified a shared-reference structure for 21 studies. The thematic synthesis was concentrated in virtual exchange and COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), followed by intercultural learning, curriculum internationalization, and institutional implementation. Most studies were qualitative and descriptive. IaH is best understood as a curriculum- and learning-oriented approach whose results depend on pedagogical planning, staff preparation, technological access, and institutional coordination.