International Academic Mobility Research Articles

How Do Transnational Distance Education Graduate Students Perceive Quality?

Driven by competition amongst higher education institutions, increasing recognition of the benefits of international academic mobility, and the global pandemic, transnational distance education has accelerated in recent years. Despite its many advantages, quality assurance issues can pose significant obstacles to success. Using a collaborative autoethnography approach, this study aimed to conceptualize quality dimensions from the perspectives of three Greek graduate students shaped by their collective experience at an open university in Canada. The findings suggest that quality encompasses accessibility, learner-centred instructional design, social-emotional support, and applying acquired knowledge and skills in local contexts.

Navigating educational trajectories and transitions: A qualitative systematic literature review on international STEM doctoral students

AbstractTo date, much of the research on international science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) doctoral students has focused either on international academic mobility or on students' acculturation and adjustment challenges and coping mechanisms in foreign academic contexts. In comparison, very little attention has been paid to Asian doctoral students and their personal experiences from a life course perspective.Based on a qualitative literature review, this article sheds light on the experiences of Asian doctoral students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines within a life-course theoretical approach, paying particular attention to their agency, socialisation, and educational trajectories and transitions. The process of migration/mobility and transition between academic institutions requires a reassessment of cognitive patterns, behaviours, learning mechanisms, and the exercise of agency and response. The findings highlight how the complex dynamics between agency, socialisation, cultural norms and values, economic factors, academic performance, and institutional parameters influence the educational trajectories and transitions of Asian STEM doctoral students abroad. The result contributes to a synthesis of research findings that could inform doctoral education policy.

International Mobility and Knowledge Exchange Between China and the West: A Study of Chinese Humanities and Social Sciences Scholars

Purpose This study examines the impact of international academic mobility on knowledge exchange between China and the West, including its potential benefits and risks, specifically in the humanities and social sciences (HSS) fields. Design/Approach/Methods This study employed qualitative research methods; specifically, data were collected through interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings With increasing knowledge flows in global academia, Chinese HSS scholars are benefiting from international academic mobility. They engage in various activities, such as international visits, conferences, and research collaborations, and praise the role of mobility in building an understanding of Western culture and knowledge, including research dynamics, embodied and encultured knowledge, and location-specific textual materials. However, international mobility has inadvertently exacerbated global knowledge asymmetries, with some Chinese scholars uncritically adopting Western paradigms. Nonetheless, pioneering Chinese HSS scholars aim to promote a two-way knowledge exchange between China and the West by fostering cultural reflexivity and enhancing their global visibility. Originality/Value Chinese HSS scholars serve as an illuminating example in the context of global knowledge asymmetries dominated by the Anglo-American West. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for fostering equitable and inclusive knowledge exchange between Western and non-Western societies through international academic mobility.

The Impact of the Cold War on the Afghan Society

The article is devoted to the policies of the global players of the Cold War using the example of Afghanistan. Noting the features of the Afghan policy of the Cold War, the author highlighted the key content of the very concept of the Cold War, political events in Afghanistan, internal and external challenges, ethnic problems and the problem of women during the Cold War. The influence of geopolitical processes on the development, internal and external interests of Afghan society in the 20th century, the social, economic and political consequences of the Cold War, features of the development of the political system and political culture of Afghanistan, ethnic problems in Afghan public discourse, etc. are considered. The author concludes that “The Cold War of the superpowers had a direct impact on internal political developments in Afghanistan, where parties and public organizations emerged as political structures with secular or Islamic ideology. The author comes to the conclusion that the internal political unity of Afghan society was not ensured for the reason that the Afghan elite was unable to form an ideology expressing national unity, and its individual parts preferred to serve the interests of one or another player without supporting the national interests of Afghanistan.The article was prepared according to the International Academic Mobility Program, organized by the National Research Institute of the Communications Development (Moscow) for young scientists from foreign countries.

Popularity of Social Networks Among Armenian Users

Now there is active debate about the influence of virtual (online) communication on real (offline) communication. Do online and offline communications complement each other, or will online communication gradually completely replace real (offline) communication, including in the professional and personal life of a modern person? If people stay at home and go about their daily activities without interacting with other members of society and this suit them, then they will not make efforts to create social connections outside the online sphere, and the field of real (offline) relationships is completely or significantly transformed. The article discusses: the spread of social networks among Armenian users, online and/or offline communication preferences of Armenian users in one or another area of life, depending on age, gender and the subject of communication. As a result of the study, conducted by questionnaire, preferences were identified on the basis of which users build online communication, which determines the purposes of using social networks in Armenia.The research was carried out with the financial support of Yerevan State University according to the scientific project “Mechanisms of dissemination and consumption of fake news in social networks”, 2022-2024. The article was prepared according to the International Academic Mobility Program, organized by the National Research Institute of the Communications Development for young scientists from foreign countries.

Features of Socio-Political Processes in Abkhazia (Abkhaz ASSR) in the 1930–1940s

The article examines Stalin’s repressions in Abkhazia in the 1930s and 1940s. The author revealed the specifics of socio-political processes that took place under the influence of Stalinism. As a result of the study, the main directions of Stalin’s repressive policies in Abkhazia were identified. Attempts to destroy the political and cultural elite, infringe on the rights of Abkhazians and other peoples living in Abkhazia are described in detail. Official data on the forced change of the ethnic composition of the population and the persecution of representatives of the political elite are provided, as well as the conditions of Georgian-Abkhazian interaction during this period are analyzed. The author drew a conclusion about the tragic impact of Stalin’s repressions on the development of the Abkhazian statehood, the preservation of national identity, as well as the construction of Georgian-Abkhazian relations.The article was prepared according to the International Academic Mobility Program, organized by the National Research Institute of the Communications Development (Moscow) for young scientists from foreign countries.

The Effects of Participating in International Mobility for Russian Scientists

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening of borders, numerous measures have been taken to internationalize Russian science. In particular, publications in journals that are listed in international scientific citation databases have become a point of closer focus. Universities and scientific organizations began inviting foreign professors and sending their own staff and students abroad on international internships. After the start of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine in 2022, Russian science faced numerous sanctions that entailed a reduction in international cooperation. However Russian scientists have accumulated 30 years of experience in active participation in international cooperation and academic mobility. Nevertheless, there is still a significant lack of understanding of how this experience will impact the scientific careers of Russian scientists going forward. In this article, the authors present the results of a study dedicated to exploring this issue. The theoretical framework for the analysis is based on such a concept as “the Three Careers of an Academic” (organizational, cognitive, and community careers) proposed by German experts in sociology of science Johan Gläser and Grit Laudel. The empirical data used in the study include materials from in-depth interviews with young scientists under the age of 39, collected in 2020–2021 as part of a project known as “International Mobility of Russian Young Researchers”, as well as the results of a sociological survey of 7,255 highly productive scientists conducted under the “Monitoring of education markets and organizations” in 2022. All respondents had spent more than three months abroad. The study revealed that international mobility has a comprehensive impact, noticeable in all three components of a scientific career. Acquired knowledge and skills, as well as involvement in international projects contribute to the development of a researcher’s cognitive career, while new professional connections promote advancement in the international scientific community. As for the “organizational dimension” of a career, mobility does not have a direct influence on career advancement. However, mobility often leads to personal changes, particularly influencing one’s determination to switch jobs and seek better conditions. These assessments are presented for the first time and can be useful in developing recommendations for science and technology policies regarding the revision of mobility support programs in light of the new geopolitical reality.

Travelling in time, between places, and jobs: exploring temporal dimensions of academics’ international trajectories

ABSTRACT Based on the assumption that mobility has both spatial and temporal dimensions, the aim of this paper is to bring forth the often-neglected temporal dimensions of international academic mobility. We explore how time and temporality plays a role in the decisions and lived lives of international academics by analysing their experiences and mobility trajectories. We do so by drawing on qualitative interviews with 21 international academics differing in age, nationality, and career level employed at three Danish universities. The analysis shows that for many of our participants, mobility had little to do with internationalisation of higher education rationales. Rather their mobility rationales were embedded in personal needs and wants, often related to securing permanence for the less privileged and related to experiences and adventure for the privileged. By unfolding the stories about which decisions, coincidence, and sacrifices are part of academic mobile life, we show how citizenship-based hierarchies lead to spatial and temporal inequalities. The paper concludes that for the international academics, places are positioned not only geographically but also temporally in hierarchical ways and that the individual mobility trajectories are differently entangled in a global-temporal orientation.

CURRENT PRACTICES OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF TEACHERS IN FINNISH UNIVERSITIES

The work is devoted to the study of the issue of the peculiarities of the higher education system of Finland from the point of view of professional training of teaching staff in Finnish universities. It is noted that becoming a teacher in Finland is a very competitive process. It is shown that the concept of professional training of teachers in Finland is comprehensive and continuous, covering all stages of the teaching career. It is highlighted that there is no detailed “curriculum of teacher education” in Finnish universities, however, there are principles and general features that all universities follow in the field of education. It is also highlighted that Finnish universities offer opportunities for individual course selection, allowing students to adapt their studies to their interests and career goals. It is shown the main methods, on which current system of professional training of teaching staff in Finland is based. Our recommendations, which are important from our point of view to become the aspects for the implementation of the successful Finnish experience in training teaching staff in the activities of higher education institutions of Ukraine, are presented. Some results of the empirical research of the peculiarities of the training of teaching staff in the higher education system of Finland through the prism of the experience of students of Ivan Franko Lviv National University – participants of international academic mobility in the University of Turku and the University of Jyväskylä under the Erasmus+ program as well as the experience of students of the University of Turku and the University of Jyväskylä are also presented.

The Role of English Language Support Programs on International Academic Mobility of University Students in Shandong College of Economics and Business, China

This paper explores the pivotal role of English language support programs in shaping the international academic mobility experiences of university students at Shandong College of Economics and Business, China. Conducting a quantitative study involving 150 participants engaged in international academic mobility, the research investigates the impact of language support initiatives, identifies challenges faced by students, and gathers suggestions for program improvement. Results reveal significant improvements in English language proficiency, academic performance, and overall satisfaction among participants. Challenges encountered, including language barriers, cultural adjustment, academic rigor, and social integration, underscore the complexities of global academic experiences. Participants' suggestions for program improvement, emphasizing increased language practice opportunities, enhanced cultural preparation, additional academic support, and more social events, provide actionable insights for program refinement. This study contributes to the broader discourse on the internationalization of higher education, emphasizing the transformative potential of language support programs in fostering successful global academic mobility experiences. The findings hold implications for institutions globally seeking to optimize language support initiatives for an increasingly diverse student body and nurture globally competent citizens.

Avionska karta ili Zoom sastanak? Mobilnost akademskog osoblja u “staroj” i “novoj normalnosti”

International mobility has become an integral part of academic staff activities at higher education institutions (HEIs). In the context of globalisation and internationalisation, it plays a key role in both individual academic career and HEI performance. However, research on the motivation of academic staff to engage in international mobility, especially short-term mobility, remains modest. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced significant changes in international academic mobility organisation, with virtual mobility becoming the new normal. Research on academic staff responses to this form of mobility is nascent, but no less relevant given the current spread of blended international mobility. Drawing from self-determination theory, this paper aims to identify what motivates academic staff to engage in short-term international academic mobility in the pre-pandemic (“old normality”) and pandemic (“new normality”) periods. The study builds on the findings of a longitudinal research during which 13 academic staff members from 12 different countries were interviewed twice: before and during the pandemic. Findings suggest that academic staff is primarily driven to engage in short-term international mobility by intrinsic motivation, namely the need for competence development during both physical (pre-pandemic) and virtual (pandemic) mobility, while the need for relatedness plays a more significant role in the international physical mobility. Organisational support is an equally important extrinsic motivator for both mobility types. This empirical study provides implications for the international academic mobility literature and HEI management on the enhancement of academic staff involvement in international academic staff mobility.

Linguistic domination or discrimination?

Abstract This article analyses some of the linguistic tensions derived from international academic mobility in English-medium instruction multilingual university contexts, focusing on local and international academic staff’s interests from a linguistic justice viewpoint. Firstly, we develop a normative argument to explore whether international academic mobility and increased use of English can become a source of linguistic domination for local staff, or if suggested countermeasures, such as requiring international scholars to learn the local language, might lead to linguistic discrimination against the latter group. Secondly, via a qualitative analysis of survey data, we ask local and international scholars at the University of Tartu about their views on the language policy regime at the university. Protective language policies that encourage locals to use Estonian more and require internationals to learn some Estonian could help enhance linguistic justice, according to local staff. However, international scholars may perceive such requests as discriminatory. Linguistic domination and discrimination play a key role in the clashing interests of stakeholders, creating tension. The study highlights the complexity of the dilemmas faced by many university officials today in their attempt to balance institutional goals with on-the-ground realities.

Azerbaijani Higher Education to implement mass English Medium Instruction (EMI) Policies

In the last decade, Azerbaijani universities’ upward implementation of English-medium instruction (EMI) policy has spread among most of the country's universities, public and private. Students are no longer enthusiastic about getting an education in their native language, neither they see Russian as a medium of instruction that used to be a vehicle for a brighter future. Research suggests that the rapid implementation of EMI policy is primarily motivated by the pursuit of internationalization (Williams, 2023), participation in international projects (Mammadova, 2020), and international academic mobility (Mammadova, 2023). As a result, attributed to the mass abandoning of the country by young early career specialists who have recently graduated from Higher Educational Institutions (HEI), the country annually loses a high number of qualified personnel (see Figure 1) who heavily resort to their linguistic competencies and go after a ‘better life’. Figure 1 demonstrates the average value for Azerbaijan to leave the country during the period between 2015 and 2022. With an average of 4.74 points out of 10, the minimum 4 index point was observed in 2016 and a maximum of 4.4 index points in 2022. In turn, the UN Migrant Stocks (2021) reports that by mid-2020 Azerbaijan had an emigration rate of 10.6 percent of its entire population. According to Chaikhana Media (2022), ‘there's a brain drain in Azerbaijan, highly-skilled people do leave their country even though they have had a high salary in Azerbaijan.’

ACADEMIC MOBILITY OF SCIENTIFIC AND TEACHING EMPLOYEES AS A MEANS OF ENSURING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

The article characterizes the international academic mobility of scientific and pedagogical workers as a means of ensuring the quality of educational programs based on the analysis of the practical experience at the Poltava State Medical University. Relevant local regulations are outlined; advantages and forms of academic mobility for participants in the educational process; examples of foreign institutions of higher education, international projects and programs under which cooperation is carried out are given; respondents' answers to questions about the possibility of academic mobility are highlighted. Academic mobility has the following advantages for the participants of the educational process: experience of staying in other educational institutions/scientific institutions; development of intercultural competence; mastering modern methods, teaching approaches and scientific research used by the world's leading countries; providing opportunities for career development in Ukraine and abroad.

Transformation of higher education in Ukraine: Impact of the war and objectives for post‐war recovery

AbstractProcesses of globalisation, sustainable development, the Covid‐19 pandemic, and other current circumstances influence the development of higher education. Higher education institutions in Ukraine also face challenges related to the military aggression by the Russian Federation since 2014, martial law since February 2022 and efforts to prepare for a post‐war recovery. The article outlines key areas that merit closer attention including an analysis of changes occurring in higher education in Ukraine before and during the war; the network of higher education institutions in Ukraine; admissions processes; trends in higher education quality assurance and enhancement; and international aid for the support and development of higher education in Ukraine. The analysis outlines changes that have taken place in higher education in Ukraine as a result of the destruction of infrastructure and a decrease in institutional capability of universities in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, as well as massive migration. We identify main innovations and specific features of the admissions process in 2022 compared to admissions processes in 2021. The government of Ukraine, following martial law, introduced restrictions that affected international academic mobility, which is carried out online, or to the extent possible as blended learning. Finally, we outline tasks for post‐war higher education recovery and development and underline the key role of universities in the post‐war recovery of Ukraine.

Education in the conditions of war: advantages and disadvantages

The research aims to study the peculiarities of education in wartime. Despite many challenges that have arisen as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the modern higher education system has development opportunities. The first of these is international academic mobility, which provides opportunities for teachers and students to attend leading European universities. The second is the intensive introduction of information technology into the educational process and the professionalization of teachers. The third is the use of flexible learning technologies, and the fourth is a cooperation between Ukrainian and foreign higher education institutions. The fifth possibility is the introduction of the "lifelong learning" model, and the sixth is distance learning, which can be a full-fledged form of education in some specialties. For students, this form of education allows them to study and gain practical experience at the same time, and for teachers to work in education and other fields, passing on practical experience to students. The seventh possibility is to improve the territorial organization of higher education in Ukraine, in particular, to relocate higher education institutions from areas where active hostilities are taking place to large cities. Improving the territorial organization of higher education in Ukraine (relocation of higher education institutions to large cities from areas where active hostilities are taking place) is worthy of attention. Finally, the ability to identify hidden problems in the higher education system and work on solving their causes. The key is to identify threats timely and develop mechanisms to mitigate their impact. Each opportunity should be realized to the fullest extent possible. All these points should be considered in the operational plans for the implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in Ukraine for 2022-2032. It is concluded that technological influences are used in modern life to achieve various goals, including obtaining confidential information. User training and increased technical protection are the best defenses against social engineering attacks. To reduce the occurrence of social engineering attacks, technical protection is needed to help prevent such attacks.

The Effects of Exchange Experience on the Professional Identity Constitution of Undergraduates from CEFET-MG

International academic mobility programs are increasingly expanding, mainly due to the process of institutionalization of Brazilian educational institutions. The exchange experience can enable greater foreign language learning, intercultural, academic, and professional development of students, and a partnership network, which can contribute to future partnerships and/or job opportunities. Thus, the objective of this work was to understand some effects of meaning in the Campus Divinópolis CEFET-MG undergraduate students’ identity constitution, due to their experience studying abroad, in addition to identifying the representations that emerge in the discourse of the subjects participating in the research in relation to international exchange. This is qualitative research and the instruments we used to form the corpus were written autobiographical narratives and semi-structured interviews with the subjects participating in this study via Google Meet. Then, this study has an interpretive nature, as it allows different interpretations of the collected material. Four students from the Mechatronics Engineering course participated in our research, who, when narrating their experiences, brought their representations to life. The importance of exchange for personal, academic, and professional growth reverberated in the participants' statements, allowing constant identity transformation. Finally, this study can contribute to a better understanding of the need for the internationalization process of our institution, allowing an evaluation of international academic mobility programs, in addition to encouraging other students to seek these opportunities offered by the institution.

FEATURES OF CONDUCTING PRESENTATIONS IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION CONDITIONS

The article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of the development of communicative competence and intercultural abilities and skills of students of higher educational institutions of Ukraine in the conditions of international academic mobility and cross-cultural communication. Emphasis is placed on the need to introduce intercultural communication courses in the curriculum at the tertiary level in Ukraine, in particular, on the peculiarities of conducting presentations using modern multimedia tools. The urgency of this issue is due to the need for Ukrainian students to be aware of the values, traditions and norms of verbal and nonverbal cross-cultural communication in order to be successful in their academic and professional environment. The aim of the article was to highlight the specifics of intercultural aspects in the classroom using modern multimedia technologies. In our research we used interdisciplinary approaches, as well as theoretical and empirical methods: observation and generalization, and methods of deduction and systematization. Modern students represent a generation characterized by openness to the outside world and academic mobility. This means that awareness of differences in cultural norms, values, attitudes to the environment is absolutely necessary for effective interpersonal and cultural communication. Graduates of Ukrainian technical universities who have such skills will be especially valuable, as they will be able to use effective communication tools to present products created by Ukrainian companies and make them useful in foreign countries and vice versa. It is necessary to teach future professionals to use information technology in planning, organizing, editing materials for presentations of new products and especially when conducting them for different cultures.

Trajectories within international academic mobility: a renewed perspective on the dynamics and hierarchies of the global higher education field

With an ever-growing number of students and academics in physical or virtual circulation around the world, issues related to academic mobility have taken centre stage in interpretations of the internationalisation of higher education. This mobility and its implications have been approached from multiple perspectives, from host and home countries’ internationalisation strategies to individual experiences or the formation of transnational knowledge networks. Using the international higher education study trajectories of research active Mexican academics as a case study, this paper focuses on the under researched relationship between trajectories of South-North mobility and the stratification of the global HE field. It reveals how shifting patterns of individual study trajectories as well as overlapping sequences of study migrations from home countries contribute in no small measure to consolidating or destabilising the position of host countries within the field of global higher education, and therefore to its stratification.

ACADEMIC MOBILITY: EUROPEAN AND ORIENTAL VECTORS OF COOPERATION

The article deals with the issues related to the international academic mobility. Some key notions within the academic sphere have been specified (academic mobility, academic integration, academic normative documents). The author outlines the European and Oriental vectors of academic cooperation (involvement of the academic staff and students into the programmes of international advanced training and / or internship; joint participation in scientific grant programmes; international co-supervision of Bachelor, Master, PhD research).