Internationalization and Network Collaboration in Community Institutions of the ACAFE System: Evaluation by CAPES Maturity Levels

Abstract

This paper examines internationalization and network collaboration in community-based higher education institutions (ICES) within the Acafe system (Santa Catarina, Brazil), using Capes (2020) internationalization maturity levels as an analytical lens. Internationalization is approached as an institutional process that integrates international, intercultural and global dimensions into the purposes and core functions of higher education, shifting the emphasis from physical mobility to learning outcomes, curriculum internationalization and Internationalization at Home. Regarding the methodology, the study adopts a documentary and exploratory design based on a structured scan of public information available on the official websites of the 14 member institutions (international offices, calls, news and program descriptions), collected in October 2025. Evidence was recorded in an analytical matrix and coded through markers of presence/absence, specificity and activity, linked to four dimensions: institutional commitment, governance, curricular integration and evaluation. Findings depict a system moving towards consolidation: nine institutions were classified at Level 3 (Consolidation) and five at Level 2 (Implementation), with no cases at Levels 1 or 4. Publicly documented strategies include COIL/VE initiatives (Collaborative Online International Learning/virtual exchange) and network-based virtual mobility programs such as e‑Movies, suggesting pathways for scaling inclusive internationalization for non-mobile students. The paper argues that reaching Level 4 requires cross-cutting integration, targets and indicators, transparent data and mechanisms to disseminate and replicate good practices at institutional and system levels.