scholarly journals Loving Neighbor as Self: Translating the Study Abroad Experience into Intercultural Friendships on the Home Campus

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1108-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly A. Pengelly
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
International Student ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Intercultural Competencies ◽  
Friendship Needs ◽  
Significant Attention ◽  
Study Abroad Students

Universities focus significant attention on internationalization to prepare empathyglobally minded graduates by engaging students in study abroad programs and expanding international student enrollment. However, scholarship has not yet considered the role returned study abroad students play in meeting friendship needs of international students. This research aimed to determine if such experiences impact friendships between participants and internationals. Four basic themes emerged: isolated application of intercultural competencies, differences in empathy experiences, friendships between study abroad and international students, and institutional contributions. Key findings revealed institutions do not teach study abroad students to utilize their experience in fostering empathetic friendships withinternational students and should consider how the experience can more effectively impact intercultural friendships rather than focusing solely on domestic students’ reverse culture shock.

scholarly journals Does an International Academic Environment Promote Study Abroad?

2020 ◽  
pp. 102831532091326
Author(s):  
Giorgio Di Pietro
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
International Student ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
Academic Environment ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Empirical Estimates ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Although many studies on international student mobility have examined the impact of individual factors (e.g., gender, age, family background) on students’ decision to study abroad, much less attention has been devoted to the role played by the institutional climate and characteristics of one’s home university. Using data from an Italian survey containing information on a large number of university students, this research investigated the extent to which a more international academic environment incentivizes students to participate in study abroad programs. A logit model was developed to estimate the effect that the degree of internationalization of one’s home university has on the probability that its students will study abroad, while controlling for several student-level factors. The empirical estimates indicate that this effect is significant, suggesting that being part of an international academic environment, where domestic students can interact more frequently with international students, helps motivate them to undertake study abroad. This result stresses the importance of engaging domestic students in the internationalization process of their universities.

scholarly journals The Ebb and Flow of Study Abroad: A Comparative Analysis of PRC and International Students in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5844
Author(s):  
Amy Roberts ◽  
Gregory S. Ching
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Cross Tabulation ◽  
Pacific Community

The dialogue about study abroad is a contemporary trend. Since 2011, enrolments from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have gradually increased and PRC students have now become one of the largest groups of incoming study abroad participants in Taiwan. In this study, investigators explored the characteristics of PRC students in comparison with other international students studying in Taiwan universities. Data were collected from 1870 study abroad students. Data collected include the various study abroad goals, prior study abroad experiences, the Short-term Study Abroad Situational Change Survey, the revised East Asian Acculturation Measures, the Study Abroad Acculturative Hassles, and their overall study abroad satisfaction. Data analyses included computation of the mean, frequency, cross-tabulation of respondents’ responses for identified questions, and various group comparisons. Implications suggest that the characteristics of PRC students are valuable and potentially transformative markers for sustainable cross-strait ties. Study abroad programs in Taiwan are noted as one piece of the emerging discourse for sustainable co-existence between Taiwan and the PRC. As such, PRC study abroad participants along with faculty and students in Taiwan universities have an opportunity to play a role in reshaping future exchanges as well as transforming themselves into stewards of a trans-Pacific community.

Picture This: A Photovoice Study Of International Students’ Food Experience in Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Amos ◽  
Daphne Lordly
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
International Student ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Traditional Foods ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
Food Experience ◽  
International University

Purpose: International student enrolment in Canadian universities is increasing. As international university students acculturate, they experience a culture shock in which food plays a major role. International university students’ Canadian food experiences therefore were explored. Methods: A Photovoice methodology was used with 15 international undergraduate and graduate university students, who were recruited to take pictures of their food experiences. They also participated in two focus group discussions that included an analysis of their photos. Results: Seven themes related to the significance of food in acculturation were revealed: the paradox of Canadian convenience, the equation of traditional foods with health, traditional food quality and accessibility, support networks, food consumption for comfort, ethnic restaurants, and the exploration of non-traditional foods. Maintaining cultural identity with traditional foods was an overarching theme related to acculturation. Conclusions: International students acculturating to Canada have emotional and physical needs, which can be met through food. Opportunities exist to improve their acculturation experiences. Canadian universities can incorporate food acculturation strategies into campus events and menus. Nutrition professionals on campus can facilitate a positive food environment and nurture culture identity formation.

scholarly journals The role of international student interactions in English as a lingua franca in L2 acquisition, L2 motivational development and intercultural learning during study abroad

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-517
Author(s):  
Gianna Hessel
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
International Student ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Intercultural Learning ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Intercultural Interactions ◽  
The Uk

Crossing borders features prominently as a theme in study abroad, not only in terms of students’ physical border crossings but also in their intercultural interactions with second language (L2) speakers whose background (linguistic and otherwise) they may perceive as markedly different from their own. Researchers have had a long-standing interest in study abroad participants’ interactions with other L2 speakers abroad for their perceived potential to enhance L2 development, L2 motivation and intercultural learning processes. The focus of existing studies in this area has been on the interactions of study abroad participants with host national students, while their interactions with other international students who are also L2 users abroad have received far less attention, despite the ever-growing international student populations at European universities. This study examined students’ views regarding the role that lingua franca (LF) interactions with other international students played in their L2 acquisition, their L2 motivational development and their intercultural learning during study abroad. The data were derived from an empirical study that involved 81 German ERASMUS students who were studying in the UK for up to one academic year. The students’ views were elicited at the end of their stay with open-ended questionnaire items, and their verbal responses were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The analysis of the students’ reflections revealed a number of functions in each of the three areas, highlighting the potential of international student interactions as a viable source of L2 acquisition, L2 self-motivation, and intercultural learning during study abroad.

scholarly journals Study Abroad Objectives and Satisfaction of International Students in Japan

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Hennings ◽  
Shin Tanabe
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Cultural Skills

Many Japanese universities have created short-term study abroad programs with the aim of offering a satisfying study abroad experience to international students. Based on a survey of 131 international students, this paper analyzes these students’ objectives and their relation to student satisfaction. As the results show, many students regard their experience of living in Japan as more important than their academic pursuits. Furthermore, for students with prior knowledge of Japanese, improving language skills tends to result in higher satisfaction, while for students who do not speak the local language, achieving cross-cultural skills is a major factor for having a satisfying experience.

scholarly journals International Student Recruitment Strategies in Finland and China

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Suvi Jokila
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
International Students ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
International Student ◽  
Recruitment Strategies ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
International Student Recruitment ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Private Actors ◽  
Different Sources

The recruitment of international students has become a global phenomenon. Prospective candidates planning to study abroad rely on different sources of information in their decision-making processes, provided by different national, institutional and private actors. Thus, more analysis of the mediators facilitating this encounter of recruiters and students is needed. This study analyses how study choices in Finland and China are constructed by analysing the embeddedness of national recruitment strategies in websites, the construction of study choices as capitals and the trust-building devices (dispositifs) employed in the websites. Data consist of textual material from four websites representing educational offerings in Finland and China, targeted for international students searching for information in their study-abroad decision-making. This study puts forward three arguments. First, the analysed websites reflect the national strategies on the recruitment of international students; however, the approaches the websites use vary greatly. Second, websites construct expectations that build on a holistic study-abroad experience. Third, non-governmental websites employ commercially oriented dispositifs to distinguish or affirm choices.

Opening the Classroom to the World

2020 ◽  
pp. 981-1003
Author(s):  
Xingbei Ye ◽  
Inna Molitoris ◽  
David Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
International Students ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Faculty Perspectives ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Substantive Theory ◽  
Mobile Students ◽  
The World

Most curriculum internationalization studies have been focusing on international students and study abroad programs, which has excluded the majority of non-mobile students on American campuses. In addition, the existing studies have been conducted from administrator and faculty perspectives. This chapter generates a substantive theory of intercultural curriculum and teaching methods from the experiences of students who have taken intercultural classes in American classrooms. Active interview theory and grounded theory were utilized for data collection and data analysis. Based on the pure voices from both domestic and international students, this chapter has identified three core categories and eight sub-categories representing student-preferred internationalized curriculum. These categories or themes offer new angles to look at curriculum internationalization.

International Students At-Risk

2020 ◽  
pp. 238-251
Author(s):  
John Cuzzocrea
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
At Risk ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Students At Risk ◽  
International Student Recruitment ◽  
General School ◽  
Mental Well Being

International student recruitment has grown in schools across Canada and has extended into the elementary and secondary school panels. These students have specific needs and challenges, which put them at greater risk in comparison to the general school population. International students, especially at first, may struggle with risk factors such as culture shock, homesickness, loneliness, and depression. It is important to understand these challenges to ensure the mental well-being of these students.

scholarly journals Do Study Abroad Programs Enhance the Employability of Graduates?

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Di Pietro
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
International Student ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Instrumental Variable Estimation ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Using data on a large sample of recent Italian graduates, this paper investigates the extent to which participation in study abroad programs during university studies impacts subsequent employment likelihood. To address the problem of endogeneity related to participation in study abroad programs, I use a combination of fixed effects and instrumental variable estimation where the instrumental variable is exposure to international student exchange schemes. My estimates show that studying abroad has a relatively large and statistically meaningful effect on the probability of being in employment three years after graduation. This effect is mainly driven by the impact that study abroad programs have on the employment prospects of graduates from disadvantaged (but not very disadvantaged) backgrounds, though positive but imprecise effects are also found for graduates from advantaged backgrounds.

scholarly journals The Buddy Programme - Integration and social support for international students

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (Winter) ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Per A. Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
International Students ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Social Life ◽  
International Student ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
Using Data

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document