A Systematic Review and Conceptual Model of International Student Mobility Decision-Making

Anouk J. Albien,Ngoako J. Mashatola

doi:10.17645/si.v9i1.3769

Abstract

This research synthesizes the most recent studies on the international student mobility of higher education students. Our aim is to begin to conceptualise and predict the barriers, enablers and determinants from an organisational psychology perspective that may contribute to the limited decision making of higher education students to become internationally mobile. Previous studies were used to examine the uncertainties and difficulties documented in other international student groups to try to understand the determinants of internationally mobile versus non internationally mobile students, and make transferrable conceptual links to South African higher education students. These conceptual links are framed in an organizational psychology perspective. This article uses a systematic review methodology and began by framing review objectives, identifying relevant publications, establishing criteria for selecting the studies that were analyzed, summarizing the evidence found, and drawing relevant conclusions. A conceptual model is proposed as an extension of the current international student mobility literature and merged with organizational psychology theory to develop a new future research line. Research limitations are addressed, and practical implications are discussed to assess whether interventions can be created to support international mobility decision-making amongst international students in general, and South African higher education students in particular, to create a globally competitive workforce and sustainable employment paths.

Highlights

International student mobility is one of the career transitions fraught with uncertainties
Our two more direct objectives are the following: (1) To examine the uncertainties or difficulties documented in international student groups to understand the decision-making processes and determinants of internationally mobile versus non-internationally mobile students; and (2) to make transferrable conceptual links to South African higher education students that extend beyond socioeconomic conditions and other relevant determinants to present a conceptual model that can be used
In the second step we extended the findings to a South African university student group, due to limited of research studies on international student mobility in a Global South context

Summary

Introduction

International student mobility is one of the career transitions fraught with uncertainties. International student mobility has been linked to increases of transferrable skills that would facilitate graduates’ employability in a world-wide market (Souto-Otero, Huisman, De Beerkens, Wit, & Vujic, 2013). International student mobility has taken precedence to develop a future workforce that aims to increase the level of acquired skills, allow students to be able to compete in the global marketplace, enhance the interaction between citizens of different countries, and stimulate labor markets (Institute of International Education, 2011). The present study aims to examine the decision-making processes of higher education students’ migrant aspirations or migration motivations, which answers the call for research that aims to enhance student employability in a local and global world-of-work from an organizational psychology perspective

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion