Internationalisation, over several decades of development and evolution, is now widely considered to be a mainstream phenomenon. Of course, international agendas and activities are not equally visible or uniformly implemented in higher education institutions across Europe and elsewhere. This issue of Forum is devoted to an exploration of 'unexpected' internationalisation from a variety of geographic, institutional and disciplinary perspectives. From short-term placements abroad for vocational students, to international experiences outside of higher education, to internationalisation in regions beyond sovereign jurisdiction, this issue traces the boundaries of our expectations and asks us to look beyond them.