Presence Of International Students Research Articles

Embracing Internationalization in Gearing Malaysian Higher Education Towards Global Education

Abstract: Embracing internationalization is the reality in Malaysian tertiary education in this century. Various endeavors and research collaborations have been and are still carried out to achieve the government’s vision to position Malaysia as a tertiary education hub in the region. Using phenomenological approach, this study attempts to highlight challenges and strategies towards achieving internationalization of Malaysian higher education. Twelve lecturers from public and private universities were purposively sampled to discuss issues on internationalization of Malaysian tertiary education. Focus Group Discussions using semi structured interview protocol were undertaken. Data analysis and interpretation were carried out through thematic development. The findings revealed all participants are aware of the pedagogical approaches to be in practice to embrace the dynamics of global cultures convening in Malaysian lecture rooms. They highlighted the advantages of having international students from academic and social perspectives. Also included are ways how local students benefit with the presence of international students. These benefits emerged as participants discussed the consequences of Malaysian campus bereft of international students. In-class challenges and strategies to overcome them were deliberated. The findings also informed lecturers, administrators, and policy makers of relevant aspects to consider when dealing with international students at the tertiary level in Malaysia.
 
 Keywords: global education, internationalization, international students, tertiary education, phenomenology

LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE IN A MULTILINGUAL CONTEXT: A CASE OF KENYAN UNIVERSITIES

The linguistic landscape of a place constitutes a clear representation of its language ideology, culture, users’ identity and language practice. These are depicted in verbal language used in public signs including business names, street signs, advertisements and graffiti. The aim of this paper is to examine the language distribution, purpose and authorship of public signage in the multilingual context in Kenyan universities. The paper also examines the students’ attitudes towards the public signs in the sampled institutions. A sample of 185 photos taken from notices, advertisements, building names and posters are analyzed. The analysis reveals that English is the most dominant language used in Universities for both top-down and bottom-up signs, with 77% prevalence. This is attributed to the acceptance of English as a global language and presence of international students and lecturers. A high incidence of informative signs is also noted at 42% of all signage linked with the academic nature of the paper context. The findings also reveal that Kiswahili as an African language with Bantu and Arabic roots is barely utilized in public signs despite its official status. This has implications on language policy and its implementation as it indicates a mismatch between policy and practice.

Experiences of and preparedness for Intercultural Teacherhood in Higher Education: non-specialist English teachers’ positioning, agency and sense of legitimacy in China

ABSTRACT This article focuses on a case study of English language teachers, who are asked to teach intercultural communication to mixed classes of local and international students in Chinese Higher Education, although they do not specialize in this complex field. They were interviewed to find out about their experiences and perceptions of this ‘improvised’ Intercultural Teacherhood. The study shows that their engagement with intercultural communication differs while the presence of international students has a major impact on all the teachers’ identity and sense of legitimacy. The paper ends on recommendations for (research on) preparing teachers to teach IC.

SWOT Analysis of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Medical Educationists’ Preparations to Make a Regional Medical Education Hub: A Qualitative Study

The aim of this study was to analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that describe the current circumstances of medical educationists in the School of Medical Sciences in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), particularly towards preparing themselves for becoming a regional hub in medical education. A total of 21 documents, including nine strategic management records, three department meeting documents and nine researchers’ observation journals were engaged in this study. The gained data were clustered by themes for each of the four categories which were strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats regarding medical educationists in the USM. High motivation and interest of the lecturers, interest in writing, presence of medical background, experienced in clinicals, experienced in management, presence of good health status, presence of postgraduate medical education and the presence of international students were designated as strengths of medical educationists. Presence of personal challenges, a majority of young lecturers and a majority with no PhD were stated as weaknesses of medical educationists. Positive support from family, strong support from the top administration to the medical education department, positive attention to individual instructors, two instructors having a PhD, supportive cadre, positive international perception to the department of medical education and large opportunities for research and school-provided grants were indicated as opportunities for medical educationists. Financial issues and facilities were expressed as threats to medical educationists. Consistent with the positive mode to move forward, there is a good chance for the USM medical faculty to become a medical education hub.

Do international classes pay off? A cost-benefit analysis of the internationalisation of higher education in Flanders

Internationalisation is a major trend in higher education worldwide. Yet, little evidence is given on the net impact of international students on national economies. This study addresses this gap by estimating the benefits against the costs driven by international students in Belgium and its Flemish region in particular. Using a unique combination of various sources of micro-data, the results show net positive benefits that exceed costs by a factor ranging between 2.4 (lower bound) and 3.1 (upper bound) times. The results vary highly with the level of education, as the ratio is the lowest for doctoral students (1.2–1.6) and highest for master students (5.1–6.3). The effect is mainly driven by a high stay rate of international students, who are likely to work in the country after graduation. When considering indirect effects, our results show that there are no significant peer effects due to the presence of international students in the classroom.

The Effect of Internationalising the Student Community on Graduate Students' Global Citizenship:

This article examines the effect of internationalising the student community on graduate students’ demonstrated commitment to global citizenship at a university in Uganda. It arose from a sequential explanatory survey study. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from a sample of 180 graduate students, with the former analysed employing descriptive and inferential statistics, while the latter were analysed using thematic content analysis. The quantitative results revealed that an internationalised studentcommunity has a statistically significant positive effect on graduate students’ demonstrated global competence, but not on their demonstrated commitment to social responsibility. The qualitative findings produced similar results. They revealed that the presence of international students on campus coupled with graduate students’ participation in international activities such as conferences and inter-cultural activities promoted their commitment to global citizenship. These findings are in line with those of previous studies. We thus recommend that universities in Uganda and other developing countries in the Global South further internationalise their graduate student community as a strategy to promote their commitment to global citizenship.
 Key words: internationalisation, global citizenship, globalisation, higher education, student community

WITHDRAWN: SWOT analysis of medical educationists’ preparations to make their university a regional medical education hub: A qualitative study

Abstract Objective This study aimed to analyse medical educationists' perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to their university's efforts to become a regional hub in medical education. Materials and methods In this qualitative study, we employed a strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of medical educators to gather data. Focus group discussion (FGD) was utilised to gather data about the participants’ evaluations of the current situation in the four quadrants of the SWOT matrix. Nine medical educators participated in this study. The data obtained from educators at the Universiti Sains Malaysia were clustered by theme in each of the four categories of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Results The average age of the participants was 34 years, with an average length of service of seven years. The positive factors influencing the respondents in this study included high motivation and interest on the part of lecturers, interest in writing, a strong medical background, experience in clinical practice and management, good health, postgraduate medical education, and the presence of international students on campus. The negative factors affecting the respondents included personal challenges, lack of experience, and the absence of PhDs. Additionally, support from family, capable support staff, positive perceptions of top management regarding the medical education department, and the availability of research and grant opportunities were identified as positive factors affecting the respondents. Finally, we noticed financial issues and inadequate facilities as possible areas of improvement for the medical education department discussed in our study. Conclusion Based on our findings, we can report a generally positive outlook regarding medical educators’ efforts to establish the Universiti Sains Malaysia as a medical education hub in the near future.

Spanish lecturers’ beliefs about English medium instruction: STEM versus Humanities

ABSTRACT More and more European universities are implementing English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs, but such policies tend to be top-down and pay insufficient attention to contextual factors such as the degree of internationalization of the universities involved, or the actual subject taught and the perceived role of English in that subject. To understand such contexts better, it is essential to listen to the voices of the professionals actually involved in the transition to EMI, namely the lecturers themselves. This study focuses specifically on EMI lecturers’ beliefs in the Spanish context, and uses narrative frames to contrast the views of STEM and Humanities lecturers. In line with previous research, most of the 59 lecturers who completed our narrative frame indicated that they focused on content and not on language. Some differences in opinion between STEM and Humanities lecturers were found, especially with regard to changes in teaching style and L1 use. More Humanities teachers than STEM teachers felt that they had changed their teaching style. Humanities teachers also imposed stricter controls on L1 use, although overall attitudes to L1 use appeared to be determined more by other issues, such as the presence of international students, than by the actual subject in question.

The impact of choice factors on international students’ loyalty mediated by satisfaction

The presence of international students is a valuable input for Higher Education Institutions (HEI) at all levels. Thus, it is critical to understand not only how students make their decisions and what factors and sources of information provided by the HEI most influence them, but also to evaluate students’ satisfaction and loyalty with the choice made, in order to define the most suitable and competitive marketing strategies to attract and retain international students. Based on the information gathered through a questionnaire with a sample of 190 international students studying at a Portuguese HEI, a quantitative, cross-sectional and causal study was conducted using the estimation of a structural equation model calculated through PLS, in order to investigate the impact of choice factors and information sources on international students’ loyalty, mediated by satisfaction with the choice made. The findings indicate that the choice factors with the greatest impact on satisfaction of the international students were: the perception of the country, the environment and location of the HEI, and the sources of information provided by the HEI. It was also concluded that a positive global perception of the HEI influences the recommendation from significant others, and increases the satisfaction and loyalty of all the international students. Thus, HEI managers should account for these factors when making strategic marketing decisions to increase the number of international students.

From policy rhetoric to reality: the experiences of Southeast Asian science and engineering graduate students in Korea

The presence of international students on campus does not necessarily lead to meaningful interactions between domestic and international students; findings in the literature reveal that Southeast Asian students are frequently targeted by prejudice and discrimination in the context of Korean higher education. This study aims to better reveal the dynamics behind such discrimination by examining the experiences of Southeast Asian students at a case study university in Korea. Focusing on science and engineering graduate schools due to their unique context, the study triangulates the perspectives of Southeast Asian students, Korean students, and professors. It attempts to understand the interactions among these different actors as well as the various factors shaping their responses. Based on Allport’s Contact Theory, findings reveal that individual, interpersonal, institutional, and environmental factors seem to prevent positive contact among Korean and Southeast Asian students within a lab, thus leading to the latter’s academic and social marginalization. This portends that addressing the current gap between policy rhetoric and reality will be crucial in overcoming identified obstacles to meaningful intergroup interaction on campus.

Comparing International and American Students’ Challenges: A Literature Review

International student numbers have increased drastically in the past few years. International students provide benefits to universities and American students such as greater revenue, and more open-mindedness. There have been myriad studies that have examined the international student experience, but most have focused solely on international students. However, a careful examination of the current literature demonstrates that the presence of international students in the United States offers a variety of benefits to American students by improving cultural awareness, students’ self-evaluated skills, and even the American economy. This literature review highlights future research that should be performed as well as strategies that can be implemented by faculty and administration to help international students who are currently studying in the United States.

Influence of multiculturalism on the study programs in Malaysian public universities: international students' perceptions

In response to the emphasis on the benefits of enhanced multicultural educational experiences of international students in higher education, this study examined international students' perceptions of the influence of multiculturalism on the study programs in Malaysian public universities. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The respondents were 794 international students from 11 Malaysian public universities. Results show that international students perceive that the content of the courses had little consideration for including topics from countries of international students. In addition, the results reveal that the presence of international students in the study programs can be one of the factors to encourage lecturers to bring updated contents from international materials. Furthermore, the results reveal that motivation for learning, encouragement for active participation, and improvement of intellectual atmosphere in the study programs can be enhanced by the presence of international students. Practical implications for universities are provided.

Welcome and exclusion: an analysis of The Australian newspaper’s coverage of international students

For countries such as Australia exporting education is recognised as an important contributor to the nation’s economy. The embodiment of this export industry in Australia is the presence of international students in tertiary institutions across the country. Despite their considerable contribution to social, political, cultural and economic life, there have been recent examples of violence, exploitation and discrimination against international students in Australia. To understand how international students are both welcomed and excluded from Australian life, we use critical discourse analysis (CDA) to analyse news reports published in an Australian national newspaper from 2009 to 2011. Following van Dijk (Ideology: a multidisciplinary approach, Sage, Thousand Oaks, 1998) we view newspapers as ideological institutions that mobilise discursive power to polarise public opinion to support their ideological agenda(s). In the case of international students we use CDA to show how media discourses construct international students in ways that commodify their participation in higher education and marginalise them as the excluded ‘other’ in Australian society. Our conceptual and analytical approach has broader implications for national higher education policy and international student experience by exposing the social inequalities that accompany globalised international education.

Where Do New Ph.D. Economists Go? Recent Evidence from Initial Labor Market

We collect data on the 2007–2008 Ph.D. economist job market to investigate initial job placement in terms of job location, job type, and job rank. While there is little gender difference in all three dimensions, our results suggest significant source country heterogeneity in placement outcomes. In an analysis linking job location and job type, we find that, among non-U.S. candidates, foreign placements are more likely to be academic relative to U.S. placements. Our analysis contributes to the literature in two aspects: First, compared to existing studies, our sample consists of all job market candidates from 57 top U.S. economics programs and allows us to conduct an analysis more immune to selection bias. Second, with the increasing presence of international students in the U.S. doctoral programs, we examine a new and growing dimension of the labor market – the international perspective of initial job placements for new Ph.D. economists.

English and Intercultural Interaction in the Internationalisation of a Japanese University

Researchers in internationalisation of higher education have been reminding us that the presence of international students alone does not mean that the institution or the students are reaping the benefits of internationalisation. Since the number of international students is readily measurable, many have focused on increasing the number and overlooked other less quantifiable aspects, such as intercultural interaction, which is beneficial to students and prepares them for their future work environment. This study on intercultural interaction in a Japanese university is based on data from three surveys involving 250 respondents in total. The author discusses the English-medium classroom, language issues and institutional support. She found that although English-taught courses may attract more international students, few Japanese students are present, and as a result depriving international students of valuable opportunities for intercultural interaction and restricting their social networks. The discussion also includes the dominant position of the Japanese language within and outside the university and Japanese students’ anxieties about speaking English. The paper concludes that until English gains wider currency as a language of communication, international students need strong Japanese skills to lead a fulfilling life in Japan.

International Students in an Indian Technical University

A qualitative inquiry into the presence of international students in an Indian Technical University, through the voices of the faculty, who are appointed as international students’ counselors. A case study methodology was employed with document analysis and interviews to perceive how technical faculty managed students from varying cultural backgrounds. International students were admitted by the Center for International Affairs, a body in the university, in the three categories, namely, foreign nationals (FN), children of nonresident Indians (NRI), and children of Indian workers in Gulf countries (CWIGC). The focus of counseling turned out to be largely on academic performance and related parameters like class attendance. Besides this, the majority of the international student population were the culturally similar students of Indian origin, with nonresident-Indian parents or relatives, living and working in Western and Middle East countries. These factors were the prime reasons that the faculty perceived themselves as well prepared to handle the role of international-students’ counselors. A limitation of the study was the low volume of international students and fact that the majority of international student population turned out to be the culturally similar students of Indian origin. Although cultural differences were few in such a case, there were inherent differences between the Indian education system and the educational systems of the origin countries, which provided the necessary focus. Perspectives on the impact of travel abroad, the reasons of internationalization in Indian universities, and the various problems international students face in a different education system were explored. The faculty counselors expressed their view that the university needed many preparatory reforms before it could confidently welcome a large number of international students from various countries.

International Doctoral Students in S&E Academic Departments: Their Impact on Cohort’s Career Prospects

With more international students flowing into science and engineering departments in American research universities, a marked shift on the demographic composition of doctoral student bodies has been witnessed. Using a dataset combining a survey of S&E department chairs with the latest program evaluation information, this study reveals the status of international doctoral students in S&E academic departments and investigates how their presence shapes the cohort’s career prospects. The results provide evidence of cohort’s career prospects stratified by international students, department prestige and academic fields. While cohort with more international students is less likely to take postdoc positions and more likely to head for less research oriented faculty appointments, such cohort, if trained in less prestigious departments, more often end up with postdoc appointments. Cohort minted out of prestigious departments demonstrates a stronger commitment to postdoc positions and lesser commitment to non-academic jobs, regardless of the presence of international students. Relative to cohorts in life science, their counterparts in engineering and physical science are presented with different job opportunities. The study concludes with a discussion of research findings and policy implications in the postdoc enterprise as well as in the science community.

Recrutement, accueil et intégration des étudiants internationaux

Avec l'avènement de la révolution du monde de l'information, l'enseignement est apparu comme un facteur déterminant d'épanouissement et de prospérité pour les sociétés et, du même fait, comme une condition d'harmonie entre les pays. Une telle conviction est appuyée par la mondialisation des économies et la création de regroupements de marchés régionaux.Sans nul doute, la présence des étudiants internationaux sur les campus universitaires est fructueuse aussi bien pour l'université d'accueil que pour les étudiants locaux, en raison de la diversité culturelle, du rayonnement institutionnel et des retombées économiques.Dês lors un vaste questionnement émerge : o๠se positionne l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi et la région du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean par rapport à la mobilité des étudiants internationaux ?L'étude s'est proposée, dans un premier temps, d'examiner le processus de recrutement, d'accueil et d'intégration des étudiants internationaux à l'université ainsi que dans la région susmentionnée et, dans un second temps, d'élaborer des stratégies dans le dessein d'augmenter l'effectif de cette catégorie d'étudiants et de faciliter leur intégration académique, sociale et professionnelle.

Dealing with diversity in internationalised higher education institutions

While the economic benefits created by international education export are well documented, few systematic and qualitative analysis studies have been conducted to examine how academic staff perceive the presence of international students in their institutions. Using interview data from 80 academic staff from different disciplines in one higher institution in Australia, this study examines whether the presence of international students has an impact on staff teaching practice. Some of the academic staff reported that they made no adjustments to their teaching. They treated all students as one student group. Other staff members said that there have been changes in their teaching in response to the presence of international students in their classroom. The paper discusses some of the underlying causes of these responses, and implications for the practice of international education. The discussion of the findings is informed by Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, which helps us understand how people respond to cultural differences.

Cultural distance, mindfulness and passive xenophobia: Using Integrated Threat Theory to explore home higher education students’ perspectives on ‘internationalisation at home’

This paper addresses the question of interaction between home and international students using qualitative data from 100 home students at two ‘teaching intensive’ universities in the southwest of England. Stephan and Stephan's Integrated Threat Theory is used to analyse the data, finding evidence for all four types of threat that they predict when outgroups interact. It is found that home students perceive threats to their academic success and group identity from the presence of international students on the campus and in the classroom. These are linked to anxieties around ‘mindful’ forms of interaction and a taboo around the discussion of difference, leading to a ‘passive xenophobia’ for the majority. The paper concludes that Integrated Threat Theory is a useful tool in critiquing the ‘internationalisation at home’ agenda, making suggestions for policies and practices that may alleviate perceived threats, thereby improving the quality and outcomes of intercultural interaction.