The Journey and Experience of International Students: an Insight From a UK University

Authors

  • Abeer Hassan University of the West of Scotland
  • Yvonne Bamurange University of the West of Scotland
  • Monika Foster University of the West of Scotland
  • Kieran James University of the West of Scotland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jesr.v2i2.427

Abstract

This research is an explanatory study of the learning experience of international students when they come to study at UK. Survey collected from both undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying at the University of The West of Scotland (UWS).  The survey consisted on many dimensions such as selection and admission, pre arrival activities, induction, orientation, teaching and learning and engagement. Our results provide some recommendations for academic staff and for international office at UWS. For academic staff, they should integrate the international dimension while they are designing their courses. They should implement interactive lectures and involve the international students into discussions. For staff who are working in the international office, they should attend training on how to deal with international students to be able to offer good service for them. They might ask for current international students to help in recruiting international students. Our study has a number of limitations that should be taken into account in future research. The focus on this study was on one university only. Future research should collet data from different universities to allow for comparisons. This is the first study to explore the whole experience of the international students. More research is needed to focus on each of the dimensions separately i.e induction, engagement, etc…

Keywords:

International students, Induction, Teaching and learning, Engagement

References

[1] Al-Quhen, K.Y. Cultural diversity in university requirements and among international students at Alal-Bay University in Jordan. European Journal of Social Science, 2012, 28(4): 489–501.

[2] Amaechi A, Bennett C, Kafilatu G. Laying down the foundations for international student journeys. Students as academic partners project report. Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, 2013, 8: 24–35.

[3] Andrade, M.S. International students in English speaking universities. Journal of Research in International Education 2006, 5(2): 131–154.

[4] Bartram, B. Supporting international students in higher education: constructions, culture and clashes. Teaching in Higher Education 2008, 13(6): 657–668.

[5] Bell, I. International Students’ Transitions into Scottish Higher Education: A scoping study. Higher Education Academy Enhancement themes, 2016:

[6] https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/docs/ethemes/student-transitions/international-students---transitions-into-scottish-higher-education-a-scoping-study.pdf?sfvrsn=58faf681_8.

[7] Brown L and Holloway I. The initial stage of the international sojourn: excitement or culture shock? British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 2008, 36(1): 33–49.

[8] Bohman, E. Headed for the heartland: Decision making process of community college bound international students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 2009, 34: 64-77.

[9] Campbell, A. Developing generic skills and attributes of international students: the (ir)relevance of the Australian university experience. Journal of Higher Education, Policy and Management, 2010, 32(5): 487–497.

[10] Challis, H. The provision of Induction Activities for Imperial College London’s Collaborative PhD Students. Enhancing the Learner Experience in Higher Education, 2011, 3 (1):20-29.

[11] Chalungsoth, P. and Schneller, G.R. Development of translation materials to assess international students’ mental health concerns. Journal of Multicultural Counselling and Development, 2011, 39: 180–189.

[12] Charles-Toussaint, G.C. and Crowson, H. M. Prejudice against international students the role of threat perceptions and authoritarian dispositions in US students. The Journal of Psychology, 2010, 144(5): 415–428.

[13] Chan, M., Have you been Oriented? An analysis of the New Student Orientation and E-orientation programmes at US community Colleges. Education Source, 2017. 92(2): 12-25.

[14] Cleopatra, V., John W. L. and Robert A.P. University Selection: Information requirements and importance. International Journal of Educational Management, 2004, 18(3):160-171.

[15] Coles, R. and Swami, V. The sociocultural adjustment trajectory of international university students and the role of university structures: a qualitative investigation. Journal of Research in International Education 11(1): 2012, 87–100.

[16] Darby, M.G. Understanding why International Student Applicants chose A Public Four-Year Institution, California State University, San Bernardino, 2015:

[17] https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.co.uk/&httpsredir=1&article=1552&context=etd, (accessed on 20 January, 2019).

[18] Doyle, S. Gendall, P., Meyer, L., An investigation of factors associated with student participation in study abroad. Journal of Studies in International Education, 2010, 14(5): 471–490.

[19] Dunne, C. Host students’ perspectives of intercultural contact in an Irish University. Journal of Studies in International Education, 2009, 13(2): 222–239.

[20] Dyson, S. Life history and Zimbabwean nursing students: ‘Global boarder’. Management in Education, 2005, 19(1): 8–11.

[21] Edwards, J.S. A., Hartwell, H.L. and Brown, L. Changes in food neophobia and dietary habits of international students. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 2010, 23: 301–311.

[22] Eseonu, K., Wedderburn, C. and Maurice, J. Clinical communication for international students in the UK undergraduate curriculum. The Clinical Teacher, 2011, 8: 186–191.

[23] Evans, C. and Stevenson, K. The experience of international nursing students studying for a PhD in the UK: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 2011, 10: 11: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/10/11.

[24] Evans, S. and Morrison, B. The first term at university: implications for EP. ELT Journal, 2010, 65(4): 387–397.

[25] Nambiar, R.M.K., Ibrahim, N. and Meerah, T.S.M. Literacy encounters in a non- Anglophone context: Korean study abroad students in a Malaysian classroom. Asian Social Science: 2012, 8(7): 110–118.

[26] Findlay, A.M.. An assessment of supply and demand side theorizations of international student mobility. International Migration, 2010, 49(2): 162–190.

[27] Findlay, A.M., King, R., Smith, F.M., Geddes, A., and Skeldon, R. World class? An investigation of globalization, difference and international student mobility. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 2011, 37:118-131.

[28] Foster, M. Exploring the impact of international student mobility on cross-cultural learning adaptation. Empowering 21st Century Learners Through Holistic and Enterprising Learning, 2017, Springer ISBN 978-981-10-4241-6 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-4241-6_16.

[29] Foster, M. Carver, M. Explicit and implicit internationalisation: Exploring perspectives on internationalisation in a business school with a revised Internationalisation of the Curriculum Toolkit. Journal of Management Education, 2018, 16(2): 143-153.

[30] Foster, M. Student destination choices: Brazilian students’ attitudes to study in the UK. Journal of Research in International Education, 2014, 13(2):149-162.

[31] Foster, M. Student destination choices in higher education: Exploring Brazilian students’ attitudes to study abroad, Practice and Evidence of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in HE (PESTLHE), 2013, 8, 3. ISSN 1750-8428

[32] Furnham, A. Foreign students’ education and culture shock. Psychologist, 2004, 17(1): 16–19.

[33] Goldbart J, Marshall, I.J. and Evans, I.R. International students of speech and language therapy in the UK: choices about where to study and whether to return. Higher Education, 2005, 50: 89–109.

[34] Gray, B.J., Fam, S. K. and Llanes, V.A. Branding universities in Asian markets. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 2003, 12(2): 108–120.

[35] Gribble C. Policy options for managing international student migration: the sending country’s perspective. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2008, 30(1): 25–39.

[36] Higher Education Academy, Induction, 2014. https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/resources/induction.pdf

[37] Higher Education Academy. International Facts and Figures, 2017.

[38] https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/International/International_Facts_and_Figures_2017.pdf.

[39] Higher Education Students statistics, 2019. https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/17-01-2019/sb252-higher-education-student-statistics/numbers

[40] Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2017/18 - Student numbers and characteristics.

[41] Healey, N.M. Is higher education in really ‘internationalising’? Higher Education, 2008, 55(3): 333-355.

[42] Huang, Y. Transitioning challenges faced by Chinese graduate students. Adult Learning, 2012, 23: 138–147.

[43] Hwang, K.P., Wang M-K and Sodanine, S. The effect of stressors, living support and adjustment on learning performance of international students in Taiwan. Social Behaviour and Personality, 2011, 39(3): 333–344.

[44] Ippolito, K. Promoting intercultural learning in a multicultural university: ideals and realities. Teaching in Higher Education, 2007, 12(5–6): 749–763.

[45] Kelly, D. Student learning in an international setting. New Directions for Higher Education, 2010: 150: 97–107.

[46] Kettle, M. Academic practice as explanatory framework: reconceptualising international students’ academic engagement and university teaching. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 2011, 32(1): 1–14.

[47] Lee, E.J, Lee, L. and Jang, J. Internet for the internationals: effects of internet use and motivations on international students’ college adjustments. Cyberpsychology Behaviour and Social Networking, 2011, 14(7–8): 433–437.

[48] Lee, J.J. and Rice, C. Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination. Higher Education, 2007, 53: 381–409.

[49] Li, F., Qi, J., Wang, G. and Wang X., Traditional classroom VS E-learning in higher education: difference between students’ behavioural engagement. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 2014, 9(2):48-51.

[50] Lillyman, S. and Bennette, C. Providing a positive learning experience for international students studying at UK universities: A literature review. Journal of Research in International Education, 2014, 13(1):63–75.

[51] Luxon, T. and Peelo, M. Internationalisation: its implications for curriculum design and course development in UK higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2009, 46(1): 51–60.

[52] Maringe, F. and Carter, S. International students’ motivations for studying in the UK. Higher education: insights into the choice and decision making of African students. International Journal of Education Management, 2007, 21(6): 459–475.

[53] Mazzarol, T. and Soutar, G.N. “Push-pull” factors influencing international student destination choice. The International Journal of Educational Management, 2002, 16(2/3): 82-90.

[54] Mazzarol, T. W. “Critical Success Factors for International Education Marketing.” International Journal of Education Management, 1998, 12(4): 163-175.

[55] McMahon, M. E. “Higher Education in a World Market: An historical look at the global context of international study.” Higher Education, 1992, 24(4): 465-482.

[56] Nagro, S. A., Hooks, S. D., Fraser, D.W. and Cornelius, K.E. Whole-Group response strategies to promote student engagement in inclusive classrooms. Teaching Exceptional Children, 2016, 45(5):243-249.

[57] Nambiar, R.M.K., Ibrahim, N. and Meerah, T.S.M. Literacy encounters in a non-Anglophone context: Korean study abroad student in a Malaysian classroom. Asian Social Science, 2012, 8(7): 110–118.

[58] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Education, 2008.

[59] http:// www.oecd.org/dataoecd/31/39/41277583.pdf.

[60] Owens, A.R. and Loomes, S.L. Managing and resourcing a program of social integration initiatives for international university students: what are the benefits? Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2010, 32(3): 275–290.

[61] Pherali, T.J. Academic mobility, language and cultural capital: the experience of transnational academics in British higher education institutions. Journal of Studies in International Education, 2012, 16(4): 313–333.

[62] Pietro, G.D. and Page. L. Who studies abroad? Evidence from France and Italy. European Journal of Education, 2008, 43(3): 389–398.

[63] Rachel, S. and Sami, M. On the meaning of higher education for transition to modernity yiuth: lessons from future orientation research of Muslim girls in Israel. International Journal of Educational Research, 2016, 76(3):112-119.

[64] Roberts, D.L. International graduate student mobility in the US: What more can we be doing? Journal of College & Character, 2012, 13(1):1-7.

[65] Sawang, S., O’Connor, P. and Ali, M. Using Technology to enhance students’ engagement in a large classroom. Journal of Learning Design, 2017, 10(1):11-19.

[66] Stephen, K. Action Research as a practice-based practice. Educational Action Research, 2009, 17(3):463-474.

[67] Sobre-Denton, M. and Hart, D. Mind the gap: application-based analysis of cultural adjustment models. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2008, 32: 538–562.

[68] Teichler U. Temporary study abroad: the life of ERASMUS students. European Journal of Education, 2004, 39(4): 395–408.

[69] Wang, J. Culturally inclusive practice: a case study of an international student support initiative at an Australian university. Asian Social Science, (2012), 8(4): 68–76.

[70] Warring, S. Facilitating independence amongst Chinese international students completing a bachelor of applied business studies degree. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2010, 47(4): 379–392.

[71] Wilkins, S., Balakrishnan, M.S., Huisma n, J. Student choice in higher education: Motivations for choosing to study at an international branch campus. Journal of Studies in International Education, 2012, 16(5):413-433.

[72] Universities UK, The economic impact of international students, 2017. Universities UK. https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Pages/briefing-economic-impact-of-international-students.aspx.

[73] Vincenti, V.B. Exploration of the relationship between international experiences and the interdisciplinary work of university faculty. Journal of Studies in International Education, 2001, 23(2):33-39.

[74] Yakunina, E.S., Weigold, I.K. and McCarthy, A.S. Group counseling with international students: practical, ethical and cultural considerations. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 2011, 25(1): 67–78.

[75] Yeh, C.J. and Inose, M. International students’ reported English fluency, social support satisfaction and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 2003, 16(1): 15–28.

[76] Zhang, Y. and Hagedorn, L.S. College application with or without assistance of an education agent: experience of international Chinese undergraduates in the US. Journal College Admission, 2011, 6: 16.

[77] Zhou, Y. and Todman, J. Effectiveness of an adaptation video viewed by Chinese students before coming to study in the UK. Canadian Social Science, 2009, 5(4): 63–71.

Downloads

Issue

Vol. 2 , Iss. 2 (April 2019)

Article Type

Articles

License

Copyright and Licensing

The authors shall retain the copyright of their work but allow the Publisher to publish, copy, distribute, and convey the work.

Journal of Economic Science Research publishes accepted manuscripts under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Authors who submit their papers for publication by Journal of Economic Science Research agree to have the CC BY-NC 4.0 license applied to their work, and that anyone is allowed to reuse the article or part of it free of charge for non-commercial use. As long as you follow the license terms and original source is properly cited, anyone may copy, redistribute the material in any medium or format, remix, transform, and build upon the material.

License Policy for Reuse of Third-Party Materials

If a manuscript submitted to the journal contains the materials which are held in copyright by a third-party, authors are responsible for obtaining permissions from the copyright holder to reuse or republish any previously published figures, illustrations, charts, tables, photographs, and text excerpts, etc. When submitting a manuscript, official written proof of permission must be provided and clearly stated in the cover letter.
The editorial office of the journal has the right to reject/retract articles that reuse third-party materials without permission.

Journal Policies on Data Sharing

We encourage authors to share articles published in our journal to other data platforms, but only if it is noted that it has been published in this journal.