Abstract
The rate at which most organizations and institutions of learning offer scholarship and grant to attract international students is becoming competitive among citizens of the developing nations who seek to gain international education experience for better career opportunities and educational development. At present, Malaysia is fast becoming an educational centre for international students as the country has set a target by year 2020 to attract 200,000 international students from Africa, Asia and the Middle East and other continents of the world. It then becomes imperative to investigate the readiness of the country in terms of the provisions in place for achieving this laudable goal. It is with this intent that this study investigates the academic experience of international students on scholarships in Malaysian Universities. An in-depth interview was conducted among a group of international students in Malaysia with a particular focus on Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) scholarship recipients studying at a Private University College. The study revealed that, the scholars are generally satisfied and able to cope with the classroom teaching as well as academic huddles at Linton University College (LUC) while adapting to host challenges. They are able to comply with renewal of students’ visa regulations in Malaysia. This study suggested among other things, an initiative such as recommendation to improve international student academic experience studying in Malaysian Universities with an effort to enhance their academic performance and career opportunities, when the scholars returned to their respective countries.
Highlights
Recent challenges emanating from globalization remain one of the key factors propelling most government agencies and organizations to offer scholarships to citizens both at the local and international levels for the sole purpose of empowering them to become positive agents of2013, Vol 3, No 6 change for the socio-economic development of the nation (Adekalu, Oludeyi, Genty & Wolo, 2013)
Komives (2003) further recommended that student affairs experts and consultants should increase their awareness and knowledge of international alliance and cooperation as part of their efforts to stay active in this ever changing and complex world of student academic experience. It is towards complementing this laudable goal that this study was conducted to answer the research questions of: First, to what extent do students on scholarship adjust to cope with classroom teaching, adapt to host community, comply with renewal of students’ visa regulations during their stay in Malaysia? Second, to what extent does the whole academic experience gained by students, positively or negatively, influence students’ academic and non-academic development? there are substantial empirical studies that have been done in other countries with regard to international students, most of the research were focused on a particular aspect of problems of international students, such as advising relationships or mental health issues (Aida Hafitah & Maimunah; 2007, Anh, 2010)
Research Methodology and Participants Location In this qualitative study, data were gathered through face-to-face in-depth interview with a total of 6 participants and semi-structured interview among undergraduate students who were on Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) scholarship scheme at a private university college
Summary
Recent challenges emanating from globalization remain one of the key factors propelling most government agencies and organizations to offer scholarships to citizens both at the local and international levels for the sole purpose of empowering them to become positive agents of2013, Vol 3, No 6 change for the socio-economic development of the nation (Adekalu, Oludeyi, Genty & Wolo, 2013). The growing numbers of outbound student-tourists under scholarship and self-sponsorship who are searching for educational empowerment and knowledge-boosting is striving most institutions of higher learning to strengthen their partnership and cooperation with the government, parents and international institutions/organizations and this have become the major nationwide movement in most countries’ educational sectors (Adekalu & Oludeyi, 2013; Bartram, 2007; Komives, & Woodard, et al, 2003) International students and their dependents have been confirmed to be essential citizenry in a country’s higher education in the way of bringing substantial income to host institutions and contributing extensively to the host countries’ intellectual, economic, political and socio-cultural development (Lee, 2007). With particular focus on academic experience of the international students under the sponsorship of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) at a private university college in Malaysia, it is believed that, findings of the study will add to the existing body of knowledge in academic institutions
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