Abstract
An integrative systematic review of empirical research literature was employed to argue that the internationalisation of higher education has disrupted the decolonisation policies and processes central to the development agendas of Southern and Eastern Africa. Drawing on decolonial ideas, the article examines the extent to which empirical peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023 address decolonisation while engaging with internationalisation in the higher education discourse. From an initial record of 203, 46 empirical journal articles published in English were included in the final analysis. The paper contributes to Global South concerns about representation and recognition in comparative and international higher education. The findings indicate that decolonisation is not a prominent theme, as neoliberal-informed initiatives dominate internationalisation practices. Internationalisation has ensnared and overshadowed the decolonisation agenda in higher education.