The concept of the internationalisation of university curricula is being developed with more complex and critical views emphasising the cultural and social aspects of globalisation as well as its economic and political aspects. Putting these ideas into practice however, is a challenge to institutions, since that requires fundamental educational change. This study examines the internationalisation of undergraduate curricula from the viewpoint of institution-wide initiatives drawing on case studies of national and private universities in Japan that are active in this process. Particular attention will be paid to an exploration of the potential gap between the ideas and the practice, and the reasons behind the gap. (Contains 1 note.)