International Student Population Research Articles

“I Have Been a Sojourner in a Foreign Land”: A Qualitative Inquiry on the Psychological Experiences of International Students Enrolled in a Christian University

International students make up 5.5% of all university students in the United States. In addition, international students consist of approximately 4% of the student population in Christian higher education. Although there is a significant number of international students enrolled in faith-based institutions, this population remains underrepresented in multicultural psychological literature. Thus, applying the intrapersonal-interpersonal-spiritual framework, we interviewed 15 international students from a Christian university to investigate their unique and shared experiences with the general international student population in the United States. The Consensual Qualitative Research method (CQR) was employed, and seven principal domains were identified: (a) religiousness, (b) reactions toward international students, (c) social support and acceptance, (d) hopes and expectations, (e) cultural adaptation, (f) cultural differences, and (g) international student identity. Similar themes to those present in the existing international student literature were established, but differential themes related to religiousness were discovered as well. Implications for Christian campuses are discussed.

Current Trends and Realities of International Students in East and Southeast Asia: The Cases of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia

By reviewing regulative documents and extant literature, this paper explores the realities and trends of international students in East and Southeast Asia (ESA). It also shows motivation and strategies of four new players in the international higher education sector in East and Southeast Asia i.e., China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia. Apart from showing that intraregional students have not predominated the overall international student population in the region anymore, the paper highlights that ESA region has become an established hub of international students rather than a new emerging destination as it was in previous years. The overall net flow of international students in this region was still deficit prior to 2010s, but the deficit in 2017 is still less than that of 2010’s. This is probably the first study of its kind to examine the trends of international students as well as of higher education policies of countries in the ESA region. The findings of this study shall provide an insight into international higher education trends among the ESA countries for stakeholders, including policymakers, university managers, faculty, students, and parents.

International Students and COVID-19: The Initial Response from the Penn State Libraries

This article describes how the Penn State University Libraries have responded to the unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presents to international student populations Additionally, the authors discuss support and service programs for international students that may ease the disruptions expected in upcoming semesters A collaborative approach is emphasized as the libraries work in coordination with stakeholders across the institution to address COVID-19 issues © 2021, Johns Hopkins University Press All rights reserved

Internationalization of U.S. High Schools

Although the internationalization of the U.S. education sector is perhaps the most salient at the postsecondary level, U.S. secondary schools have increasingly experienced the effects of globalization. In recent years, these schools have witnessed a surge in their population of international students. However, there is relatively little scholarship focused on this student population. This Research in Brief article first highlights recent research on nonimmigrant, international high school students in the United States. Using Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological systems theory as a framework, the article then identifies areas where future research is needed to more fully explicate the unique experiences of these students and their effects on the U.S. secondary education sector.

COVID-19 Impact on Medical Education: Evidence of International Students

The study explores higher medical education transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and Ukraine. It also highlights the current trends – coronavirus quarantine and digitalization of medical education. The article also aims to study international medical students’ needs and perspectives on the eve of quarantine and their attitude to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. The research is based on surveys of first-year international medical students, chosen at random. It allowed students to provide feedback on their country of origin, satisfaction, ways of financing the study, and future career plans, as well as their attitude to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualitative data analysis lets advocate that coronavirus has determined a deep transformation in higher medical education and affected international medical student population. First, coronavirus has changed the role of medical students and internship. Second, it has fastened transition from traditional to digitally-based education and brought distance learning and exams worldwide. On the eve of the quarantine, Ukraine is becoming a host country for international students primarily from Asia and Africa. Among the reasons for international students’ choice of Ukraine as a place for study are their country preference, high-quality education, friends’ advice and geographical location. The international medical students consider Ukraine not only as a high-quality medical education provider but as the perspective country for postgraduate employment. Besides, the majority of first-year international medical students find remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic supporting, effective but tiring. The research creates a paradigm for future studies of the international medical students’ phenomenon.

Shifting the discourse of plagiarism and ethics: a cultural opportunity in higher education

Plagiarism is a pervasive challenge throughout academia perpetuated by the advent of technology, lack of ethical education, and the ambiguity in its definition. Plagiarism in the United States’ higher education settings has gained more attention over the years as international student population has increased. Considering how higher education institutions are growing as international spaces due to globalization, it is crucial to closely examine ethical issues concerning the diverse and multicultural student population. A prevailing view of plagiarism asserts that international students’ plagiarized texts are influenced by their ethical judgment and cultural backgrounds. This invites the question of whether ethical decision-making processes and cross-cultural perspectives are taken into consideration when instructors encounter instances of plagiarism committed by international or multicultural students. This paper intends to expand on the concept of culture in regard to the ethical dilemmas of plagiarism. Extending the discussions of cross-cultural influences surrounding plagiarism and ethical judgments in higher education, we position ourselves as viewing culture through the expanded lenses of macro- and micro-level cultural practices. In response to the internationalization of higher education, we advocate for changes in higher education curricula and instruction towards more cultural responsiveness and inclusivity. Instead of questioning or criminalizing ethics based on cultural background, especially in the cases of plagiarism committed by international students, we suggest approaching culture using the expanded perspectives of macro- and micro-cultural practices. The paper also provides recommendations for higher education instructors when tackling ethical dilemmas while preventing and managing situations of plagiarism.

Why Japanese? Why Not Japanese?

As Chinese students have become a larger share of the international student population at U.S. universities, their participation in Japanese language classes has increased. However, Chinese student enrollment significantly decreases after the completion of the first Japanese class, and consequently, fewer Chinese students take intermediate or advanced level classes. This study examined the experiences of Chinese international students enrolled in Japanese classes as well as those who stopped taking Japanese after the first quarter or first-year class in a private university in the United States. We used semistructured interviews to investigate the reasons and goals of Chinese international students for studying the Japanese language, the successes or challenges both inside and outside of the Japanese classroom, and the reasons students continue or discontinue learning Japanese.

Studying English both in the ASEAN region and the West: Japanese multiple sojourners’ self-identity, privilege, and global isolation

ABSTRACT Many people involved in international education, including students and parents, engage in a stepping-stone discourse that identifies English-medium learning in non-Western countries as a preparatory stage for postsecondary education in Western destinations, with the ultimate goal to secure competitive employment. The present study examines how this hierarchical model applies to Japanese English learners who are positioned in an ambivalent Japanese context where conflicting and emerging English study values and practices coexist with one another: the limited societal need for practical English in employment, the entrenched ideological idealisation of ‘native’ English speakers from/in the West, and the growing profile of English study with ASEAN teachers online or in ASEAN countries. Analyses of numerical and written data from 85 Japanese who have studied English both in ASEAN countries and in the West reveal that a flexible, two-way mobility derives from their privileged status as persistently novice English learners on the one hand and their divided self-identity – either as an Asian non-native or an advanced Westernised citizen – on the other. This study provides both pedagogical and research implications regarding Japanese students’ divergence from the degree-seeking international student population.

R-SEECKA MODEL FOR RESEARCH SUPERVISION AND THE EFFECT ON ACADEMIC AND CAREER GROWTH OF INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA

Malaysia is committed to growing its research universities and its reputation as one of the world's largest educational service providers. Malaysia has sizable population of international students, and the country is recalibrating its strategy and planning to increase the number of international students to 200,000 by 2020. However, neither the Malaysian government nor the universities have created the synergy to increase the wellbeing of international students, their research progress and, most critically, academic supervision. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the direct effect of research supervision, that is, the supervisor’s encouragement, content knowledge, and availability, and campus environment and facilities on international students’ academic and career growth. This study proposes a model, called R-SEECKA (relationships, supervision, environment; encouragement; content knowledge and availability) for effective research supervision and practice in Malaysian public universities. The sample size consists of 450 international graduate students from different countries studying at six Malaysian public universities. It uses quantitative methods and SmartPLS for data analysis. Findings of this study reported the effect of encouragement, environment, relationship, availability and content knowledge on international graduate students’ academic and career growth. It is also reported that encouragement and motivation from the supervisor was the strongest predictor of academic and career growth, followed by campus environment/facilities. The paper offers recommendations and suggestions for future research to see how much research supervision has improved and international students have progressed in research in Malaysia. The authors note that the R-SEECKA model may be applied at universities in other countries and to other student populations to assess the impact of research supervision on their academic and career growth.

Culture learning theory and globalization: Reconceptualizing culture shock for modern cross-cultural sojourners

Culture shock has long been of great concern regarding the wellbeing and mental-health of international sojourners. Over the last three decades, the world has experienced rapid globalization and the introduction of various technologies which have been found to ‘buffer’ the effects of culture shock, yet the conceptualizations concerning the nature, prevalence, and effects of this phenomenon have not been explicitly modernized to suit such a contemporary social landscape. Based on an extensive literature review, particularly concerning the research conducted with international student populations, this paper offers conceptual insight on how the experience of culture shock has evolved in the present information age, and argues modern sojourner experiences are increasingly reflective of culture learning. Specifically, this paper considers exactly how technological advancements have facilitated change in the subjective experience of the psychosocial processes during a cross-cultural immersion. A foundation for future research to explore the mechanisms of culture learning theory is also contributed.

Geographic versus institutional drivers of nitrogen footprints: a comparison of two urban universities

Excess reactive nitrogen (N) is linked to a myriad of environmental problems that carry large social costs. Nitrogen footprint tools can help institutions understand how their direct and indirect activities are associated with N release to the environment through energy use, food, and transportation. However, little is known about how geographic context shapes the environmental footprints of institutions. Defining the system boundaries over which institutions are responsible and able to control individual drivers of N footprints is also a challenge. Here, we compare and contrast the circa 2017 N footprints for two research intensive universities located in Montréal, Canada, with a combined full-time equivalent campus population of ∼83 000. Our estimate of McGill University’s N footprint (121.2 t N yr−1) is 48% greater than Université de Montréal’s (74.1 t N yr−1), which is also reflected on a per capita basis (3.3 and 1.6 kg N capita−1 yr−1, respectively). Key institutional factors that explain the differences include McGill’s larger residential and international student populations, research farm, and characteristics of its on-campus fuel use. We use a series of counterfactual scenarios to test how shared urban geographic context factors lead to an effective reduction of the N footprints at both universities: the relatively small direct role of both institutions in food intake on campus (29%–68% reduction compared to a counterfactual scenario), energy from hydroelectricity (17%–21% reduction), and minimal car commuting by students (2%–3% reduction). In contrast, the near-zero N removal from the municipal wastewater system effectively increases the N footprints (11%–13% increase compared to a modest N removal and offset scenario). Our findings suggest that a shared geographic context of a dense city with plentiful off-campus housing, food options, and access to hydroelectricity shapes the absolute N footprints of Montréal’s two main universities more than the divergent institutional characteristics that influence their relative N footprints.

Qualitative Examination of International Graduate Students’ Experiences With Campus Recreation Services

International college students have become an important subgroup in U.S. higher education. However, their campus recreation participation rate is relatively low. Previous studies indicate significant factors preventing international students from campus recreation participation were lack of time, lack of workout partners, and lack of recreation information. Relatively little research has been undertaken on understanding and explaining campus recreation experiences among the international graduate student population. This study utilized semistructured interviews with 14 students who used campus recreation services at a 4-year major U.S. public university. Results indicated three primary constraints emerged: time, transportation, and information. However, these students recognized the benefits of using campus recreation services regularly because it helps improve physical health, personal well-being, and social engagement. The findings of this study will provide campus recreation service administrators with a better understanding of international graduate students’ needs in terms of campus recreation services.

Effect of Slow Breathing on Normal and Overweight Prehypertensives

One of the pathological conditions employing the heart rate variability analysis is a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system that leads to the development of hypertension. It was shown that slow breathing can reduce blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients but not in normotensives. Very little is known if it reduces blood pressure in prehypertensives and if body weight influences the effect of slow breathing.A total of 194 men were recruited from the international student population of the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The cohort was subdivided into four groups with systolic blood pressure (SBP) 114.8±0.7 mm Hg referred as normotensive and 129.0±0.5 mm Hg as prehypertensive, with BMI 21.3±0.2kg/m2 labelled as normal weigh and 27.7±0.3 kg/m2 as overweight. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.After 5 minutes resting stage breathing rate was slowed to 6 breaths per minute (CardioLab CS, XAI‐Medica, Ukraine) for 5 minutes.The ECG was continually recorded, LF and HF HRV power was expressed in absolute units. The HF power was interpreted as a measure of cardiovagal outflow, LF power as an index of baroreflex activity and possibly as a sympathoinhibitory arm of baroreflex according to our hypothesis described previously. Measurements of SBP and DBP were conducted using an automatic digital sphygmomanometer (Nissei WS‐1011, Japan). Blood pressure was measured at 4.5 minute of each stage. MANOVA with Bonferroni correction was used to test for effects of slow breathing, prehypertension, and body weight on cardiovascular and HRV variables. All analyses were conducted using SPSS 22.The resting SBP was higher in overweight than in normal weight prehypertensives at rest and at the end of slow breathing stage. Slow breathing reduced significantly SBP in prehypertensives with normal weight and overweight but not in normotensive participants (Fig. 1).The prehypertensives with normal weight had higher resting LnLF and LnHF than normotensives with normal weight (7.1±0.1 vs. 6.7±0.1 and 7.4±0.1 vs. 7.0±0.1 Lnms2, P=0.004 and P=0.002, respectively). Possibly young men with normal weight only developing hypertension used their resources of baroreflex (or sympathoinhibitory) and cardiovagal activity for the controlling of blood pressure. No difference in LnLF and LnHF were found between overweights.The LnLF and LnHF power increased more in normal weight normotensives than in prehypertensives indicating higher reserves of baroreflex (or sympathoinhibitory) and cardiovagal activities (Fig. 2).Overweight normotensives had the increment of LnLF power significantly lower compared with normal weight normotensives (Fig. 2). This finding may be explained by exhausted function of baroreflex or by depletion of resources inhibiting sympathetic nervous system activity.In conclusion, slowing the respiratory rate to 6 breaths per minute led to the significant reduction of SBP in prehypertensives with normal weight and overweight. The resting cardiovagal and baroreflex (or sympathoinhibitory) activities were more in prehypertensives than in normotensives with normal weight, but during breathing these differences were no longer significant. Between overweight normotensives and prehypertensives, no difference in HRV was found.Effect of slow breathing and body weight on SBP in normotensive (A) and prehypertensive (B) young men. *P<0.05, ** P<0.01, *** P<0.001. Data are expressed as means±SE.Figure 1Effect of slow breathing, prehypertension, and body weight on LnLF (A) and LnHF power (B).* P<0.05, ** P<0.01. Data are expressed as means±SE.Figure 2

Co-constructing a Liberated / Decolonised Arts Curriculum

This article presents a case study of liberating reading lists through a staff-student collaboration in a UK arts university. It characterizes reading lists as a familiar but under researched feature of academic life and discusses their practical and symbolic role in maintaining Western / Eurocentric / White disciplinary canons, and how they inform what it means to be ‘well read’ in a discipline. The collaborative project, which was initiated as Liberate the Curriculum work, brought together students, academic staff and librarians to audit and review reading lists, and reimagine them to represent multiple narratives, reflecting the diverse and international student population of the university. The article explores the challenges of auditing reading lists and identifying more diverse resources, and the complex relationships between identity and knowledge production. The authors use Critical Race Theory to comment on the relationship between race, colonialism and the arts, and how racism is reproduced within the academic environment. The project methodology is described, with an evaluation of the project as a student staff collaboration, and the learning and impact within the institution.

Co-constructing a Liberated / Decolonised Arts Curriculum

This article presents a case study of liberating reading lists through a staff-student collaboration in a UK arts university. It characterizes reading lists as a familiar but under researched feature of academic life and discusses their practical and symbolic role in maintaining Western / Eurocentric / White disciplinary canons, and how they inform what it means to be ‘well read’ in a discipline. The collaborative project, which was initiated as Liberate the Curriculum work, brought together students, academic staff and librarians to audit and review reading lists, and reimagine them to represent multiple narratives, reflecting the diverse and international student population of the university. The article explores the challenges of auditing reading lists and identifying more diverse resources, and the complex relationships between identity and knowledge production. The authors use Critical Race Theory to comment on the relationship between race, colonialism and the arts, and how racism is reproduced within the academic environment. The project methodology is described, with an evaluation of the project as a student staff collaboration, and the learning and impact within the institution.

Digital marketing for Saudi Arabian university student recruitment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a digital marketing capability maturity model (CMM) as a guiding framework in support of increasing international student recruitment to the public universities in Saudi Arabia (SAPUs).Design/methodology/approachThe CMM was constructed by comparing the common practices of Web 2.0 usage for international student recruitment from five SAPUs and from five Scottish universities. The stages of the awareness, interest, desire and action (AIDA) marketing model were used to guide the analysis of the data and used as the business processes for the CMM.FindingsAll SAPUs use Web 2.0 for the recruitment of international students focusing on awareness and interest, but the content often lacks consistency and depth. Scottish universities use Web 2.0 across all stages of the AIDA model, and the content often has greater consistency and depth.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis draws on published content from a small sample of SAPUs and Scottish universities but did not solicit the views of the staff about the content's effectiveness.Practical implicationsThis study extends the knowledge about the strategic use of Web 2.0 in SAPUs for addressing international student recruitment marketing challenges.Social implicationsIncreasing the international student population at SAPUs is one strategy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's 2030 vision to reduce its dependency on oil exports.Originality/valueThis study applies the AIDA model to develop a CMM for the use of Web 2.0 in SAPUs explicitly for international student recruitment.

The Synthesis and Future Directions of Empirical Research on International Students in the United States

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the trends in empirical research on international students in the United States produced between 2010 and 2019. After reviewing and synthesizing the characteristics of 334 research articles published over the past decade, I identify the areas that have been overly researched and the domains that have not yet been adequately explored. The overall findings of this review indicate that recent scholarly efforts have not always been aligned with the international student representation on U.S. campuses. Consequently, I provide eight critical recommendations for future research in the field in the context of over-and underresearched institutional sites (e.g.,institutional type and control), international student populations (e.g.,academic level, field of study, and country of origin), research methods employed, and research questions examined.

In pursuing international applicants, keep goals aligned with larger mission

As Santa Clara University manages slow but steady growth in its population of international students, its leaders focus on making sure its strategic goals remain aligned with the university's values‐driven culture as a Jesuit institution. “Know thyself” is the first piece of advice Director of International Admission Becky Konowicz would share with colleagues at any other institution as they explore their own objectives in attracting and retaining international students.

ІNTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS IN UKRAINE: CURRENT STATE OF PLAY AND PROSPECTS

The present study explores current state of play of international medical student population in Ukraine. Their number in national medical universities has been constantly rising since 2006. Ukraine is a country of international medical students’ destination for higher medical or pharmaceutical education. Ukraine is not only one of the biggest suppliers of international students to the European Union in European Higher Education Area, but it is also a host country for international students primarily from Asia and Africa. The survey aimed at studying international medical students’ current needs and perspectives was conducted at Bogomolets National Medical University in 2019. The university is chosen as it is situated in the capital city. Sample was composed of 60 first-year international medical students, chosen at a random. It allowed students to provide feedback on their country of origin, educational background, preferences, satisfaction in quality of educational service in a host country, ways of financing the study and future career plans. Among the reasons of international students’ choice of Ukraine as a place for study are their preference of the country, high quality education, friends’ advice and geographical location. The research results show that international medical students consider Ukraine not only as high quality medical education provider but as perspective country for postgraduate employment. The research results allow us to hypothesise that the current needs and perspectives of international medical students at one medical university are likely to be typical for other national medical universities and for Ukraine in whole. It is concluded, that increasing international students’ population requires regular monitoring and special researches by universities and government. These measures will make benefits in international university strategy and national educational policy coordination

International Student Perceptions of American Gun Culture and School Shootings: A Public Health Examination.

A shooting in an American education institution quickly creates a global ripple effect, due to the large number of international students enrolled in American secondary schools and higher education institutions. International students studying in the United States may offer unique insight into local and global perceptions of American gun culture, highlight the transnational physical, emotional, and psychological impact of gun violence, and offer fresh understandings about the American gun violence public health problem. A qualitative research study was conducted at The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) that included focus groups and in-depth interviews of students from China and India. These nations represent the largest American international student populations. The study included a random sampling methodology. Findings show that gun violence in American schools is a major concern for prospective international students and their families. While concerns about targeted-shootings diminish, students develop behaviors that indicate a pervasive fear of indiscriminate attacks (e.g., mass shootings and petty crime), such as avoidance of large public gatherings and traveling in groups for safety. They also question university campuses' unfettered visitor access and remain perplexed by the ease of gun access in America, which they directly attribute to causing America's gun violence problem. Social and mass media play large roles in perception-building processes by supplying accurate and real-time as well as fake or misleading information. However, divergent viewpoints emerge among family members concerned for their overseas relatives' safety while international students develop more refined perspectives.