Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion from the Perspective of International Community College Students

Abstract

With changing demographics, Canadian institutions of higher education are under pressure to address the challenges of student, faculty, and staff diversity. Despite growing numbers of international students at Canada’s community colleges, this group has historically been underrepresented. The intersectionality of their minority-status characteristics makes their experience complex. This qualitative study of 35 international students and graduates from 15 countries uses critical theory to explore their experiences through the lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Despite a high degree of cultural diversity, some of them experienced stereotyping. Moreover, they tended to engage less in classroom discussions, and many of them were unaware of college resources and services. Consequently, they had difficulty adjusting to life at college and life in Canada.