Abstract
In today’s world, many international students from other countries arriving at the host nation are exposed to a wide range of local cultures and values. Malaysia, being a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural country, is put in a unique position that attracts many international students and foreigners alike. Regardless, many international students experience a clash of cultures between their own and the host’s culture, which if not dealt with could have detrimental effects on areas such as studies, social-circles, and self-esteem. Therefore, this study explored the challenges that both undergraduate and postgraduate international students of IIUM encounter when arriving in Malaysia. This study employed a quantitative research design, using the survey method with a questionnaire as the research instrument for data collection. In this study, students aged 21 years old and above were surveyed. This study was based on the theory of cross-cultural adaptation, using the U-curve model that displays each stage of adaptation every student goes through. The findings demonstrated that the cultural stage of adaptation had a positive relationship with the cultural stage of euphoria, the cultural stage of culture shock, and the cultural stage of adjustment. Based on the theory of cross-cultural adaptation as a guide, all the hypotheses were supported in which all relationships were found to be positive and significant.
Highlights
Background of The Study In this modern era, education is the steppingstone for success
The findings demonstrated that the cultural stage of adaptation had a positive relationship with the cultural stage of euphoria, the cultural stage of culture shock, and the cultural stage of adjustment
Cultural Stage of Euphoria The results show that many international students went through the phase of euphoria during their initial stages of arrival in Malaysia (Table 3)
Summary
Background of The Study In this modern era, education is the steppingstone for success. People who are educated tend to have a higher chance of succeeding in life. It is not surprising that higher education has been steadily increasing in terms of its popularity due to the demand of knowledge seekers who seek to study in countries that differ from their own in terms of language, culture, and standard of living (Tahir & Ismail, 2001). Expatriates are in constant search for opportunities to pursue their dreams in hopes of finding a better life. Mohamed (2014) believes that business enterprises are not the only entities responsible for creating a cross-cultural exchange, but academic institutions, too, play a massive role in introducing many international students from different countries and offering a wide range of knowledge and skills
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