From recognition to institutionalisation: A two-year comparative study of internationalization of the curriculum in a non-mandated context

This study examines how the internationalization of the curriculum (IoC) is enacted over time in a non-mandated context, focusing on students’ longitudinal experiences. Drawing on institutional theory, a quasi-longitudinal mixed-methods design compares two cohorts of undergraduate students at a Vietnamese university (n = 95; n = 111), complemented by qualitative interviews. Findings indicate that (1) programme alignment and graduate outcomes show small-to-moderate increases, while classroom-level enactment-particularly exposure and assessment-remains largely unchanged and often lecturer-dependent; (2) students interpret IoC primarily in instrumental, employability-oriented terms; (3) coherence across IoC dimensions remains partial, with weak alignment between assessment and intended outcomes; and (4) IoC stabilises as symbolic institutionalisation characterised by loose coupling between institutional commitments and pedagogical practice. The study contributes a temporal perspective on IoC and positions student recognition as an indicator of institutional coupling in non-mandated contexts.