ACADEMIC INTERNATIONALISATION AS CULTURAL LIAISON
ACADEMIC INTERNATIONALISATION AS CULTURAL LIAISON

Summary/Abstract: This article reconceptualises academic internationalisation as a form of cultural liaison within contemporary international relations. Moving beyond policy-oriented and mobility-based interpretations, it argues that universities in post-socialist contexts function as intermediary actors that mediate between national identity, European integration, and global academic networks. Drawing on theories of cultural diplomacy, soft power, and knowledge diplomacy, the study proposes “cultural liaison” as a conceptual framework for understanding how higher education institutions facilitate structured cultural, intellectual, and diplomatic exchange.Focusing on Romania as a post-socialist case, the article analyses the transformation of academic cooperation from the ideologically framed structures of the Cold War period to the multilateral and network-based architecture of European and global higher education after 1990. Particular attention is given to the strategic role of academic leadership in shaping international partnerships, negotiating institutional visibility, and positioning universities within transnational knowledge systems.The article contends that academic internationalisation in Romania is not merely an administrative modernisation process, but a strategic practice of cultural mediation that contributes to national repositioning within European and global arenas. By introducing the concept of cultural liaison, the study offers a refined analytical lens for examining the diplomatic agency of universities in post-socialist states and expands current debates in international relations and higher education studies.

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