Purpose: The converging global trends for countries and educational institutions is to push the boundaries of science and develop new technologies through the application of internationalization strategies. However, the extent to which higher education institutions (HEIs) participate and apply internationalization strategies in higher education (IOHE) varies by institution and region. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed the multi-level ordinal regression to estimate how various factors influence the rationales to internationalize higher education. Findings: The study revealed that the salience of HEIs choice of a specific rationale for the IOHE stems from either the academic, administrative and socio-cultural levels. Research limitations/implications: This article posits, particularly for Kenyan universities, that proper identification of their needs and wants for their higher education is key to successfully engage in IOHE. This recognition of needs and wants places them in the right position to identify appropriate rationales to engage in this complex process. Originality/value: The novelty of this study is based on the fact that in Sub-Saharan Africa, research on the rationales for the IOHE in universities is highly lacking. A focus on more localized contexts is a critical starting point for these institutions to own and situate the internationalization process in a way that meets their needs.