Negotiating Different Assumptions

Abstract

Growing diversity among international students requires analysis of the experience of particular groups of international students, which would provide implications to understand other groups of students. Changes in the society encouraged the Japanese to seek professional training on postgraduate courses in Japan as well as overseas. Employing a qualitative approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with mature Japanese students and staff to illustrate how these students negotiate their experiences. Among several findings identified in the research are the gaps in assumptions among stakeholders of international higher education. The stakeholders appear not to appreciate fully that these students learn from their experience and improve in four competencies: knowledge, communication, academic expectation, and learning from experience. The research reveals the potential of training courses on the awareness of these assumptions, and the crucial role of institutional leadership of universities to implement these training courses for staff and students.