bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Buddy Programme - Integration and social support for international students
Authors: Nilsson Per A.
Published: February 2021

Students studying abroad must adjust to a new culture and adapt to new surroundings different from home, and to other challenging life events during their sojourn in a foreign country. Previous research has shown that social life outside academic studies has a strong influence on one’s academic integration. This paper describes a buddy programme, operated by Umeå University (Sweden), which aims at the integration of international students through social support. The programme has been running for approximately 20 years, and over time its content and qualities have been improved. It has developed through a bottom-up approach, learning from the experiences of participating students, and has slowly developed into what it is today. Using data from the International Student Barometer, in this paper I show that the programme is highly appreciated and is an important part of international students’ life and experience in Umeå. However, the results also indicate variability across different dimensions of integration: there seems to be more success in integrating international students in social activities within the programme, whereas integration with domestic students proves to be somewhat more difficult.
Integrating international students in local (student) communities. A theory-to-practice perspective
Authors: Van Mol Christof
Published: February 2021

Over the past decade, the study of international student mobility and migration in higher education has become increasingly popular among scientists from different disciplines (see e.g. Pisarevskaya et al. 2019). As a consequence, studies from a range of different scientific fields have now covered a wide array of aspects related to the decision to go abroad, international students’ experiences abroad as well as the outcomes of students’ mobility experiences. This special issue particularly aims to contribute to our knowledge on the experiences of international students abroad, and more specifically their academic and social integration at the host institution and in the surrounding community.
Translation as Charitable Currency: Internationalization Through International Alumni Giving
Authors: Taylor Zachary
Published: February 2021

As higher education continues to internationalize, the United States higher education system remains a predominantly English-speaking entity. This research-in-progress will examine how United States institutions of higher education engage with English-language learning international alumni to explore how these alumni are asked to give back to their alma mater. I hypothesize that many institutions of higher educaiton may be perpetuing academic capitalism by viewing international alumni as sources of financial support and not as sources of rich linguistic capital that could be leveraged to further diversify the institution and facilitate equitable access to higher education.
Engaging with higher education back home: Experiences of African academic diaspora in the US
Authors: Woldegiyorgis Ayenachew
Published: February 2021

The research examines the transnational engagement of African born academics in the US. It explores the various dimensions of their multiple and complex constituencies as immigrant academics on one hand, and as academic diaspora on the other.
Post-Degree Completion Plan of Chinese and Korean Graduate Students in STEM
Authors: Lee Crystal Sujung
Published: February 2021

Despite the increasing trend of international students’ mobility, the growing number of graduate students is returning to their home countries. This phenomenon raises concerns as the majority of international students major in the STEM fields, which heavily tied to countries’ economic innovation and global competitiveness. Thus, this research studies factors contributing to Chinese and Korean graduate students in the STEM fields’ return/stay decision after completing their studies. Two specific groups are selected due to their large population, both in the STEM and the international population. The mixed methodological approaches will be utilized to study the patterns of their decision-making choices with an in-depth understanding of their narratives. This study will contribute to explore the unique ways and strategies these international students use to negotiate and navigate the path even with the structural difficulties and barriers in the neoliberal university.
Integrating International Graduate Students on Campus: The Perspectives of Student Affairs Professionals
Authors: ETSHIM RACHAL
Published: February 2021

Higher education institutions in the United States (U.S.) recruit international students as part of their internationalization strategies. The overall number of international students enrolled in American universities and colleges between 2017 and 2018 increased by 1.5% compared to the previous year, totaling over 1 million international students (Institute of International Education 2018). Of this total, 382,983 are international graduate students.

International graduate students are good resources for the internationalization and economy of higher education institutions in the U.S. (Urban and Palmer, 2014) and, despite the reduction in the number of visas approved and job prospects, their numbers continue to grow (Almurideef 2016; Killick 2015). These students come from different countries, have different cultural backgrounds and needs, and face different challenges that student affairs professionals at host institutions must address to integrate them into campus (Harper and Hurtado, 2007; Lee and Rice 2007). Moreover, the needs and challenges of international students differ depending on their level of studies, undergraduate vs. graduate (Rai 2002). While student affairs professionals are often the first contacts for all international students, and they play a key role in the integration and development of international graduate students on campus (Brandenburg 2016), most higher education institutions and their student affairs units today are not yet prepared to serve international graduate students (Arokiasamy 2011; Burdzinski 2014; Castellanos et al., 2007; Di Maria 2012; Moswela and Mukhopadhyay 2011; Yakaboski and Perozzi 2018).

The purpose of this study is to understand the perspectives of student affairs professional about their role in integrating international graduate students into campus and the policies, services, programs, and other elements they consider most helpful in integrating these students.
U.S. Social Justice Spaces and Global Justice: Integrating International Students for the Engagement of All
Authors: Hou Yuqing , Pojar Amy
Published: February 2021

This qualitative study explores the extent to which international students integrate when they encounter social justice discussions inside or outside a U.S. class environment. Focusing on diversity courses at a west coast university, the study investigates international students’ learning experiences as well as their contributions to these U.S. educational spaces when drawing from their perspectives and experiences from communities around the world. Because international students are both agents and objects of bias, the study hypothesizes that more integration leads to more engagement and better outcomes for both international and domestic participants. By interviewing and surveying students from varied national and social backgrounds, the study seeks to understand outcomes for a diverse group of both international and domestic students.  The study’s findings will advance policy, pedagogy, and practice conversations around internationalization, social justice education, and global citizenship education at institutions of higher education in the U.S.
Liberal Education in Nigeria
Authors: Cermak Robert
Published: February 2021

Liberal education is a product of the Western academy and is today most prominent in the USA, but in recent years has been described in various national contexts where it has seldom existed before. However, the spread of liberal education has been underexplored in some regions, such as sub-Sharan Africa, and empirical research is limited on how liberal education curricula are adapted in African contexts. In this qualitative case study, I explore the global, national, and local forces that have influenced an African liberal education program—the General Studies curriculum at the University of Nigeria Nsukka—over time. Analysis of primary and secondary textual sources indicates that at the global level the legacies of colonialism, dynamics of globalization, and agency of transnational partners and actors have influenced the character and evolution of General Studies in Nigeria since its inception.
Understanding Employment Opportunities and Challenges Facing Lao Graduates from Chinese Universities
Authors: Sisavath Soubin
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore the employment opportunities and challenges facing Lao graduates who studied abroad in China and returned home after graduation. A qualitative method was employed by utilizing semi-structured interviews with 17 Chinese-educated Lao graduates who now live in Laos. The findings revealed that although returning graduates were sought after in the local labor market, they seemed more employable in certain market segments in which China has been economically involved. Yet possessing a foreign degree alone was not sufficient to attain jobs unless it was complemented with foreign language fluency and employability skills such as communication skills and learning skills. The study also found that returning graduates tended to experience job mismatch and reverse culture shock in the process of their career development. With these findings, universities should sufficiently equip students with skills that can be effectively applied in different labor markets and contexts.
Pride and Prejudice
Authors: Le Thuy Trang , Le Nguyen Hoang Giang , Tran Hoang Vuong
Published: February 2021

The concept of graduate employability has gained great prominence in international education. However, there still exists a gap in sexual orientation discrimination in graduate employability among transgender and queer (TQ) international students. In our qualitative study investigating graduate employability of transgender and queer students graduating from Australian and Canadian institutions, we have interviewed 14 international graduates with transgender and queer identity regarding their perceptions of sexual orientation and recruitment discrimination at the workplaces. Utilizing intersectionality as a conceptual framework, we have studied employability-related problems that these marginalized students with their foreigner identities have experienced in the labor market. The findings will be around the social, cultural, and political impacts of Canadian and Australian working and recruitment environments on the varying extent of discrimination, namely local attitudes toward queer and transgender international graduates, the manifestation of antidiscrimination laws, and the extent to which employers value stereotypically male heterosexual personality traits.
Factors Influence the Pre-service Teachers’ Learning in the Practicum
Authors: Nguyen Tien
Published: February 2021

The practicum in teacher education is considered as the application of the theory into practice. (Zeichner, 2009). However, the disconnection between the academic learning and practicum (Alen & Wright, 2014; Kwenda et al.2017) has been a barrier for pre-service teachers’ learning. My research introduces a new approach to bridge this gap by comparing an on-campus and an off-campus practicums. In the on-campus practicum, the lecturers in academic learning stage also mentor the pre-service teachers in the practicum. Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and Activity Theory (Engeström 2015) are used as the tool for data analysis. The participants, included the university leaders, lecturers, mentors and pre-service teachers of two English language faculties in Vietnam were interviewed, the pre-service teachers were observed and formal documents were analysed. The findings indicated that the systematic change in the on-campus practicum facilitates the translation between theory and practice. In addition, the long-term relationship resulted in the devotion of the mentors to their mentees. In the meanwhile, the pre-service teachers in the off-campus practicum bounced between the two separated systems and suffered more tensions.
Disability Policy Representation in African Higher Education Research
Authors: Maruza Fadzayi Marcia , Langa Patricio , Augusto Geri , Nkhoma Nelson
Published: February 2021

This paper sets out to critically explore the way disability policies are framed in African higher education. Presented in this paper is a review of published studies that detail the dominant framing perspectives that have influenced disability policies in African Higher Education (HE). Review of literature was done using the Yair Levy and Timothy J. Ellis (2006) systems approach to conducting an effective literature review. The paper has three sections and these include (a) an introduction (b) dominant policy framing perspectives (c) and a discussion on exploring possibilities for an expansive disability policy framing for Higher Education in Africa.This paper argues for nuanced ways to expand our understanding of the current and emerging issues pertaining to the study of policies on disability in the field of HE in Africa.
Averting the Crisis in Trainee Teacher Well-being – Learning Lessons across European Contexts: A Comparative Study
Authors: Thompson Shaun , Clarke Emma , Quickfall Aimee , Glazzard Jonathan
Published: February 2021

Teacher well-being is frequently high-lighted as a significant contributor to poor retention rates. Whilst there remains a focus on the well-being of serving teachers and pupils, there is a paucity of research directly focusing on the well-being of trainee teachers. This pilot study sought to compare the experiences of trainee teachers from three European countries, in an attempt to identify the resources and challenges faced by teachers during their training. Through the use of interviews and visual approaches, key factors, which appeared to influence trainee teachers’ well-being, were identified. Through shifting the focus of training onto the development of communities of practice, the development of interpersonal skills, and supporting the development of strong relationships, it is hoped that Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programmes in England can draw on some best practice from other European contexts to better support trainee teachers’ well-being.
Making a Case for an Integrated Faculty-Designed and Faculty Operated Study Abroad Center
Authors: Rai Sarita
Published: February 2021

This essay argues that the most effective Study Abroad Centers have the active and committed participation of faculty from across their institutions. However, the structures of of these institutions do not always make this possible in all aspects of programming and implementation.  This essay demonstrates that the most important characterizes of a thriving Study Abroad Center are high faculty involvement and shared governance.
Thriving in the face of adversity: Mapping experiences of international students in a South African higher education institution.
Authors: NWOKEDI PEACE     GINIKA
Published: February 2021

Despite the diverse experiences, knowledge, skills, values, potentials, and abilities that international students studying in South African universities possess, their voices still remain unheard or silent. Therefore, this article presents a qualitative case study research approach of twelve international students in their postgraduate and undergraduate level of study critical dialogue concerning their experiences and wellbeing in South Africa. Meanwhile, this study was conducted with the purpose of exploring international students’ experiences in a South African institution of higher learning. As a result of the photovoice method and the focus group, discussion method was utilised for the data generation method. In addition, the purposive and convenience sampling method was used to select a specific group of students and the research context. However, this study was framed using the Bandura agentic capability theory in order to explore and understand the international student experiences in a South African higher educational institution. The findings of the study indicate that international students’ experiences of their host environment were diverse and mostly constraining. They identified several elements within the meso, micro, macro environment that inhibited their learning, growth, and development which needs to be addressed. The study highlights that addressing these inhibiting elements will help to improve the international student’s wellbeing within their learning environment. This article also concludes that by enhancing international student’s wellbeing and addressing the challenges they are experiencing will help in promoting and providing an enabling learning environment to assist them learn better, attain and achieve their academic goals as well as develop holistically in their host environment.
No Longer out of Reach: Blended Competency-Based College Models for Accelerating Higher Education for Refugee Students
Authors: Hoff Meagan , Shreet Khaleel
Published: February 2021

Higher education offers a pathway to gain or recuperate professional credentials, particularly after experiencing forced displacement. Yet only 1% of refugees pursue postsecondary studies due, in part, to numerous obstacles on that path to college. The purpose of this study was to understand how a competency-based college program facilitates access to college for students from refugee backgrounds. This paper details the findings from a qualitative case study with refugee-background students enrolled in a college program that combines a competency-based model with in-person support. Using the ecological model of college readiness, we found that refugee students benefited from a combination of the project-based program format coupled with in-person support.
Role of Emotional Entropy and Ethnocentric Paradigms in International Service-Learning
Authors: Cress Christine , Van Cleave Thomas
Published: February 2021

Transformational learning in international service-learning experiences can by stymied by cultural ignorance and culture shock. Cognitive dissonance and emotional entropy are especially salient in American student encounters in India. Based upon three program years of data a pedagogical model for dismantling ethnocentric paradigms supports students’ development of culturally-contextualized global agency development.
Bridging the Gap Between Secondary and Tertiary Education for Students with Refugee Backgrounds with Bourdieu
Authors: Birtwell Jonathan , Duncan Robin , Carson Jennifer , Chapman Jessica
Published: February 2021

Although progress has been made in increasing access at the primary and secondary level, only 1% of youth with refugee backgrounds are enrolled in tertiary education compared to 36% globally. Recent research suggests that tertiary education is fundamental in restoring dignity, security and hope for students with refugee backgrounds as well as preventing engagement with harmful fundamentalist ideologies. Given these potential benefits it is essential to better understand the barriers and develop initiatives to improve participation of students with refugee backgrounds in tertiary education. The main challenges faced by such students in Malaysia are a lack of information about existing opportunities, poor knowledge of the application process and insufficient soft skills required to gain access. This paper presents a case study of the CERTE Bridge Course in Malaysia, which was designed to address the above challenges and ‘bridge’ the gap between secondary and tertiary education for students with refugee backgrounds. Bourdieu’s theory of capital, habitus and field is used to explore the impact of the CERTE Bridge Course on participant’s success in achieving access to higher education. The research used pre- and post-surveys with each cohort to understand educational attainment, goals and interests and allow participants to self-assess development in soft skills. It is argued that the CERTE Bridge Course helped students navigate access to higher education by providing ways for them to develop social capital through improved communication skills and access to a network of sympathetic higher education admissions officers. Students also developed cultural capital and developed their habitus in a way that allowed them to negotiate access by presenting their skills in more recognisable ways in the field of higher education in Malaysia. Finally, the research highlights several immovable barriers in the field and identifies lesser discussed forms of capital, such as aspirational and resilience, as playing an important role in facilitating access.
Reflections on Migration, Resilience, and Graduate Education
Authors: Obradović-Ratković Snežana , Woloshyn Vera , Sethi Bharati
Published: February 2021

In response to the refugee crisis, it is important to invest in and support refugee education especially at the tertiary level. As displaced individuals rebuild their life upon resettlement, education opportunities are vital to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to gain meaningful employment, especially since displacement often puts refugee’s education and careers on hold. Displaced girls and women, who might be unaccompanied, pregnant, or disabled, are especially vulnerable in the process of forced migration, education, and resettlement. In this chapter, we explore our personal and pedagogical narratives of migration and resilience as they relate to learning, teaching and mentoring in graduate education. Consistent with the principles of reflexive ethnography and cultural humility, we examine our experiences, beliefs, and cultural identities using semi-structured reflective processes to share and deconstruct our individual and familial experiences as displaced persons, graduate students, instructors, and mentors in the era of heightened economic and political uncertainty, global environmental crises, and the worldwide forced displacement of people. We highlight the importance of honouring the strengths and capacities of female graduate students with refugee backgrounds while creating safe spaces for listening to the women’s learning needs and desires. Finally, we discuss our engagements in labour intensive and time consuming mentorship that afforded academic coaching, skill training, and professional capacity building while supporting women’s sense of agency and socialization into academia and Canada.
How Funding Sources Affect Academic Experiences and Involvement
Authors: Mayne Dorothy
Published: February 2021

Graduate students from Arab Gulf countries earning degrees abroad are often funded by their governments, employers, or private institutions in their home countries, often making this funding sources different from their peers.  This qualitative case study of female international students from Arab Gulf countries in the US explores participants’ academic experiences in their graduate programs and focuses on how it was affected by their funding sources.  Data was collected with participants during spring and summer semester in 2018 at a land-grant university in the Midwest US. Findings show that the interactions that participants had based on their funding (or lack thereof) affected their overall experience and involvement with campus and the extent to which they had access to campus involvement.  The research finds that having an assistantship or not has some positive effects for some, has some negative effects for others, is a double-edged sword for some and quite unimportant to others. The degree to which participants’ funding affected their experience was affected by how much experience through assistantships was common in their programs, options for gaining experience in their fields and integration on campus outside of assistantships, departmental contexts, and their long-term goals. Additionally, the role of discrimination in the campus involvement of students from marginalized identities is discussed. Recommendations are made for considering funding sources when supporting students in order to promote their involvement in their departments and with the wider campus community while considering potential discrimination that increased involvement can have.
Dual Roles of Higher Education Institutions in the Knowledge Economy
Authors: Barrett Beverly
Published: February 2021

There are dual roles of higher education institutions as recipients of higher education policy and as agents for change in the knowledge economy in their regions and in the world. In the case of academic institutions within the European Union, they are primarily the recipients of policy change influenced by the European level. Secondarily, they are agents of policy change in the knowledge-based economy, which is of increasing importance in the 21st century. This is a new kind of regional integration, influenced by Europeanization and intergovernmentalism in higher education policy, with the ultimate objectives for economic competitiveness and social cohesion attained by recognition of qualifications. The success of the European Commission’s study abroad program, Erasmus, is provided as background to the development of the Bologna Process, for which there have been mobility objectives in higher education. The opportunity for greater mobility in international education corresponds with ongoing trends in globalization.
Multicultural Education as a Framework for Educating English Language Learners
Authors: Parker Jerry
Published: February 2021

This article discusses the value of multicultural education as a framework for guiding the teaching and learning process in post-secondary education. The focus centers on English Language Learners in the United States throughout all disciplines. An analysis of the five dimensions of Critical Multicultural Education (Banks, 2019) is given along with further commentary on key areas of focus to best guide both English Language Learners and native-born students to a better understanding of the course content and each other. The ideas from this article serve as a starting place for faculty members and higher education administrators  from all over the world and across disciplines who seek to re-conceptualize their classrooms and/or the college or university experience  to accommodate the ever-diversifying population of students via research in multicultural education.
Transforming Education Outcomes in Africa: Learning from Togo
Authors: Grubb Derrick
Published: February 2021

Book Review of Transforming Education Outcomes in Africa: Learning from Togo

Edited by Johannes Hoogeveen & Mariacristina Rossi
Who is My Professor?
Authors: Zaragoza Danielle , Taylor Z W , Huynh Jimmy , Lema Kevin
Published: February 2021

As technology has advanced, faculty members have many ways to connect with current and prospective students. Yet, no extant research has examined online faculty profiles on institutional (.edu) websites. To inform graduate student choice literature, we examined a random sample of 1,500 online faculty profiles across 500 U.S. graduate programs. Findings suggest assistant and associate professors publish the most informative online profiles, whereas private for-profit professors and lecturers publish the least informative profiles. In addition, zero faculty members self-identified their pronouns, race and ethnicity, or their first-generation college student status in their biographical statement. Implications for research and practice in U.S. and international contexts are addressed.
Traumatic Skepticism of COVID 19
Authors: Sharma Nidhi
Published: February 2021

The impact of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is not just limited to fatalities around the world in the present times. The psychosocial impact is catastrophic and will last much longer than ever anticipated. The stigma attached to the fear of an isolated and lonely death, the trauma of not being close to your loved ones, the societal economic derailment, the loss of campus experiences by freshmen at any level across the globe, and above all the mass hysteria of staying caged behind closed doors until all is well demands the restructuring of both the physical and psychological aspects of the society. Even the stress and pressure on the medics and scientists across the globe is immense. The lurking fear of uncertainty, the pain of losing jobs, livelihood, businesses, and homes along with exposure to contradicting information has taken its toll on people’s peace of mind. The masses are struggling to adapt to the new world in the hope that everything will go back to the usual ‘normal’ soon. Only long-lasting and effective measures for physical and mental well-being, astute direction, and the planned steps can help heal the trauma of skeptical life ahead.
The Lesson to be Learnerd
Authors: Moutsios Stavros
Published: February 2021

Considering the fact that, according to official agencies and epidemiologists, the COVID-19 pandemic was preventable, the text points to the current research regime in universities. It argues that the state and business control of universities, which in Europe has been particularly promoted by the EU, as well as the overwhelming emphasis on the inventions of the so-called ‘fourth industrial revolution’, have displaced research that addresses to the common good.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): What Next?
Authors: Bhattarai Prakash C
Published: February 2021

Employment sector has been invariably affected in the current crisis resulted from the global pandemic of COVID-19. This demands a paradigm shift in the present way of intervention in the TVET sector of Nepal through short- and long-term strategies.
Teaching and Learning for this Moment: How a Trauma Informed Lens Can Guide Our Praxis
Authors: Pica-Smith Cinzia , Scannell Christian
Published: February 2021

In this time of COVID-19, continued and relentless violence against BIPOC, organized resistance by many young people, and violent institutionalized attempts to suppress resistance, demonstrations and social change movements, what should educators be thinking about as we return to our college classrooms? In this short piece, we share our thinking and experience about our students’ psycho-social needs and our belief that faculty must be focused both on students’ and faculty’s socio-political context and students’ and faculty’s emotional wellbeing as we think about teaching and learning for this moment.
Moving Beyond the Statements: The Need for Action to Address Structural Racism at Predominantly White Institutions
Authors: Burke Monica
Published: February 2021

Higher education may once again be at a crossroad with the racial climate in the United States and what that means for college campuses. Consequently, institutions of higher education must commit to ensuring a supportive organizational structure for the social and psychosocial well-being of Black students and guaranteeing support resources for the psychological well-being of Black students. Such efforts require significant and enduring structural changes within institutions of higher education that should be ongoing and consistent.
Are they paying attention, or are they shoe-shopping? Evidence from online learning
Authors: Smith Jo , Schreder Karen
Published: February 2021

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, schools across the nation made an abrupt transition to teaching online as states instituted stay-at-home measures. This mixed methods study examines the attentiveness of adult learners in an online Doctorate of Education program. Three main findings emerged: 1) online courses where the students and instructor all are logged on to Zoom synchronously had higher average attentiveness compared to hybrid format courses where some students are physically in the classroom and some are on zoom; 2) average attentiveness was higher during the synchronous portion of classes with an asynchronous portion compared to fully synchronous online classes; and 3) average attentiveness was lower for class segments of over 30 minutes than class segments under 30 minutes.
Global Perspectives on International Student Experiences in Higher Education
Authors: Tozini Kelber
Published: February 2021

In Global Perspectives on International Student Experiences in Higher Education, Dr. Krishna Bista selected 18 studies that present important findings to the field, in which the authors provide examples of how the quality of the international student experience deserves the utmost attention of administrators, faculty, student affairs professionals, and policymakers. The book is divided into four main units, which are described separately in this review.
What Do International Students Need?
Authors: Chai Dae Seok , Van Huyen Thi Minh , Wang Chih-Wei , Lee Jin , Wang Jia
Published: February 2021

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between perceived family support and community support and the organizational citizenship behavior of international students in U.S. higher education institutions. It also examined the mediating effects of cross-cultural adjustment and engagement on the relationships. Data were collected from 1,436 international students in one university located in the southwestern United States. Building on previous studies that have used a top-down managerial approach, this study used a noninstitutional/person-based approach to validate two guiding theories (spillover theory and job demands–resources model) and related former empirical studies. The results help stakeholders visualize a holistic picture of the international student experience. Such knowledge enables higher education institutions to make data-driven decisions about how to strategically prioritize resources to assist international students.
Are International Students Getting a Bang for their Buck?
Authors: Schmidt Anthony
Published: February 2021

An increasing number of US universities are recognizing the importance of international students. As state subsidies for public higher education institutions remain low, the reliance on out-of-state tuition from international students underscore their importance. Because international students often pay such high tuition fees, it is worth studying how such fees impact their education. This study investigated to what extent institutional expenditures affect undergraduate international student graduation rates. Using OLS regression with robust standard errors, the results indicated that academic support expenditures are significantly related to international student graduation rates, but may have a minimal effect. In addition, out-of-state tuition was also found to be significant, suggesting tuition affects students in ways not captured by expenditure data.
Russian Students' Use of Social Network Sites for Selecting University Abroad
Authors: Rekhter Natalia , Hossler Donald
Published: February 2021

This qualitative case study explores how undergraduate students from the Russian State University for Humanities used social network sites (SNSs) for their decision to transfer to higher education institutions (HEIs) abroad. Participants reported using specific SNS features, such as likes and shares, for measuring HEI rating and indicated that ability to use native language was among motivating factors for membership in a specific SNS. The reported benefits of SNSs included instantaneous connections with likeminded individuals, realistic visualization of campuses, and unbiased and multidimensional views presented by SNS members. One of the emerging findings was that participants with no connections abroad relied exclusively on SNSs for their college choice. Participants with connections abroad relied on the advice of international contacts, and SNSs played a complementary role. HEI professionals may consider hiring and training international students to maintain consistent and meaningful content on different SNS platforms, particularly in their countries’ specific SNSs.
“I Was New and I Was Afraid”
Authors: Krsmanovic Masha
Published: February 2021

This article utilized Berry’s acculturation model (1974, 1980, 1997) as the framework for understanding the social experiences of international first-year students in a large, public institution in the Southeast United States. Using a descriptive phenomenological research design and a sample of 10 international students, this study examined the extent to which each of the four strategies defined by the acculturation model—assimilation, integration, separation, and marginalization—emerged from the social experiences of international students during their first year of college. The results revealed that all 10 participants shared the experiences of separation, either voluntary or involuntary. For seven students in the sample, the freshman year was characterized by either willing or unwilling integration. The strategy of assimilation, both freely pursued and imposed, was reported by six students. The least evidence was recorded for the pattern of voluntary or involuntary marginalization, which emerged from the experiences of four respondents.
Phenomenological Study of Lived Experiences of International Students in Turkey
Authors: Kılınç Ali C , Arslan Kürşat , Polat Mustafa
Published: February 2021

Internationalization trends in higher education have become a significantly accentuated issue and student mobility is considered as one of the core components of internationalization in higher education. This study focuses on investigating the lived experiences of international students at a state university in Turkey using qualitative research method and phenomenological design. The research data were collected through semi-structured interviews in order to reveal the participants’ experiences and their overall insight into studying abroad. 10 international students from various countries in accordance with the maximum variation sampling technique participated in the current study. The findings provide a rich description of the lived experiences of international students regarding their perceptions of studying abroad. Results of the data analysis yielded two major themes entitled “Perceptions of being an international student: What does it mean? What have they experienced?” and “The assistance and challenges they have been through during their study”.
Examining the Role of Theory in Qualitative Research
Authors: Heng Tang Tang
Published: February 2021

Scholars argue that higher education and international student research suffer from a lack of theoretical engagement, which is epistemologically limiting. This is troubling as theory frames research design and findings and pluralizes our understanding of a phenomenon. Given the large number of Chinese international students worldwide (and related research), this article uses them as an analytic example to understand the role of theories in shaping qualitative research designs, focuses, and findings. I reviewed 43 qualitative research articles on Chinese international students’ experiences. Twenty-eight percent of the articles were found to lack theoretical engagement. When used, theories clustered around acculturation and sociocultural perspectives. Sixty percent of the articles foregrounded student challenges, as opposed to student agency or changes (40%). I discuss the consequences of a lack of theoretical engagement or diversity on how we understand and support international students.
International Students’ Reflections on Employability Development Opportunities During a One-Year Masters-level Program in the UK
Authors: Fakunle Omolabake , Pirrie Anne
Published: February 2021

This article explores reflection and reflective thinking, drawing upon qualitative research on international students’ perceptions of developing their employability while studying in the UK. It addresses a gap in the literature by making a connection between internationalization and employability, concepts that are mainly framed as separate discursive realms. The literature on internationalization is focused around international student recruitment and the benefits to the host institution; the employability discourse is oriented towards national policies on the development of human capital through home students in the domestic market. The reflective thinking demonstrated by the international students illustrates the challenges they faced in seeking opportunities to enhance their employability within and outside the university; and to (re)assess learning opportunities that are integrated with work experience. The findings suggest that there is scope for embedding employment development opportunities (EDOs) at a systemic level in order to enhance the experience of international students.
Thought, Attitude and Action
Authors: Fridani Lara , Elfiah Ulfa , Handayani Selfi , Ali Aschawir
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this narrative study was to explore how an international PhD student-mother, who has a young child, negotiated and coped with the challenges to complete her studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple semi-structured interviews were adopted to collect narrative data. Anchored in a thematic analysis, qualitative data showed that the participant encountered such challenges as the skills of managing academic time and activities, difficulty in focusing on studying, worries about family conditions in Indonesia and financial needs. We concluded that physical, mental and spiritual strengths of an individual derived from family and community support play a pivotal role in thinking of, managing, and coping with various challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reflexive Account of an Indonesian International Student’s Challenges and Opportunities in a U.K. University’s Doctoral Education Program
Authors: Samanhudi Udi
Published: February 2021

This study is an autoethnography focused on providing an in-depth understanding of my personal experiences as an international doctoral student from Indonesia in a university in the United Kingdom. In this article, I share and discuss some challenging situations during my doctoral study particularly in writing a 5,000-word-essay for nine modules, which required me to explicitly perform critical thinking in my writing. I found that expressing my critical voice in writing was not easy, especially at the outset of my doctoral study period. I believe my previous education experiences neglected critical thinking pedagogy in the classroom, which is one of the most important factors causing this kind of difficulty of demonstrating critical thinking especially in writing.
Helping International Students Identify Themselves
Authors: Valdez Paez Gustavo , Hou Ning , Tan James , Wang Zhan , Hua Jing
Published: February 2021

The relationship between social media usage and personality has received increased scrutiny recently. The current study studies international students’ organizational attachment through the exploration of their personality and usage of university social media. Participants were 51 international students from a Midwest State University and 49 domestic (U.S.) students for comparison purposes. Results showed some differences in the structure of personality, level of social media usage, and level of organizational attachment comparing international students and domestic students. Results also supported the complementary purpose of using social media for international students, where agreeableness and openness to experience are negatively associated with social media usage. Moreover, the relationship was stronger when students’ English proficiency is lower. An overall model demonstrated the relationship among international students’ personalities, university social media usage, and organizational attachment.
Diversification of International Student Base
Authors: Liu Wei
Published: February 2021

Underlying the goal of diversifying the sources of international students in post-secondary education is a naive logic: The portfolio of international students is controlled by the recruitment efforts of host countries and universities. Given this logic, the host countries and universities decide on where their international students are from and how diverse their international student population is. The logic results in an overestimate of the value of recruitment efforts by host countries and universities. It tends to overlook a whole range of other macro factors that determine international student mobility more significantly than recruitment efforts. Most notably, certain macro factors are beyond the control of host countries and universities, and their diversification efforts are futile and a waste of resources.
Self-Directed Learning for Nonnative English-Speaking Graduate Students Across Disciplines
Authors: Shi Hong
Published: February 2021

The influx of international students in U.S. colleges has resulted in linguistically diverse classrooms, raising attention to translanguaging practices. The purpose of this study is to examine the self-directed translanguaging practices and perspectives of nonnative English-speaking (NNES) graduate students in the U.S. university setting by using narrative stories, individual interviews, and focus group discussion. Twelve NNES graduate students from Asian countries participated in this research. These students demonstrated their self-management, motivation and persistence, and self-monitoring in their academic learning. Although they reported the difficulties from academic English language, they identified the value of translanguaging practices, and they developed some characteristics of autonomous learning due to “teacher-directed translanguaging” and “student-directed translanguaging.” Scaffolding and collaborative learning benefited and effectively engaged NNES graduate students in self-directed learning.
Adding an International Student’s Voice to the Pandemic Discourse as Thinkers, not Subjects
Authors: Lipura Sarah Jane
Published: February 2021

As of this writing, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international higher education is continuously being documented, drawing enough, if not too much, attention towards international students. However, the voices of international students remain muted such that much of what has been said about their experience do not directly come from them but from those who claim to speak on their behalf. In this essay, I attempt to add an international student voice to the pandemic discourse by shifting attention to international students not as subjects but as thinkers and co-producers of knowledge in their own right, in hope of also contributing to the broader conversation about ethics and responsibility surrounding international education and international student mobility research and practice. I do so by sharing my own reflections on the crisis and its critical relation to power, stillness and humanness.
A Bourdieusian Analysis of the Sociocultural Capital of Chinese International Graduate Students in the United States
Authors: Wang Xinxin , Freed Rebekah
Published: February 2021

For the last decade, Chinese international graduate students (CIGS) have represented the largest portion of international graduate students in the United States. Previous research studies on language barriers and cultural differences have revealed that CIGS experience difficulties in adapting to the American educational system (Zhang-Wu, 2018). Few researchers have critically examined the experiences of CIGS on a more organizational level. In this qualitative study, we analyzed interviews with CIGS utilizing a Bourdieusian (1986a) framework to identify the social and cultural capital (SCC) that CIGS possessed. We argue that SCC concepts can help theoretically and critically examine the experiences of international students as a minority student group in the United States. The results from our in-depth semistructured interviews imply that CIGS are excluded from access to and possession of the SCC necessary to adapt to academic, cultural, and social life in the United States.