Journal of Studies in International Education recent issues

Editorial

de Wit, H., Adams, T. — 2008-08-19

Global Perspectives in Higher Education: Taking the Agenda Forward in the United Kingdom

Lunn, J. — 2008-08-19

The economic, social, and cultural interests of the nation demand that graduates have sound knowledge of global issues, the skills for working in an international context, and the values of a "global citizen." Research funded by the British government's Department for International Development sought to assess how such "global perspectives" are currently integrated into undergraduate learning and teaching across a variety of disciplines, departments, and institutions in the United Kingdom. The findings suggest that there are a wide variety of opportunities for students to develop global perspectives, and there are some excellent examples of innovative approaches; however, the extent to which global perspectives are embedded in departmental and institutional practice largely depends on individual enthusiasm and discretion. For global perspectives to become an integral part of higher education, there needs to be a coordinated strategy for developing activities that foster global perspectives and resources to implement the strategy, as well as ensuring that there is sufficient recognition and rewards for doing so.

What Do We Really Know About the Outcomes of Australian International Education? A Critical Review and Prospectus for Future Research

Cuthbert, D., Smith, W., Boey, J. — 2008-08-19

Australia has been a significant provider of international education in the Asia-Pacific region since 1950 with the inception of the Colombo Plan. Thus, graduates from these early days would by now be mature professionals in a variety of fields, with several decades of professional and academic attainment enabled by their Australian education. Yet we actually know very little about the outcomes over time of the graduates of Australian international higher education. In this article, the authors review the scholarly literature on the outcomes of international education, education provided by Australian universities and by others, and critically consider some of the limitations of the data and the methodologies that have dominated this area of research. Finally, in an effort to put current debates on international education on a more informed basis, the authors outline a prospectus for future research to redress some of these shortcomings.

A Foundation for the Internationalization of the Academic Self

Sanderson, G. — 2008-08-19

This article identifies the limitations of contemporary organizational theory on the internationalization of higher education in guiding and supporting internationalization activities at the level of the academic Self. A way forward is provided through Cranton's notion of authenticity in teaching in higher education, which presents a platform for understanding the academic Self through critically reflective and self-reflective processes. Cranton's work is then expanded using the concept of cosmopolitanism to enhance the potential for individual teachers to internationalize their personal and professional outlooks. In sum, this article highlights the importance of the exhortation from Socrates to know thyself as a precondition to better understand Others. Furthermore, the article provides the fundamental underpinnings of a conceptual framework for the internationalization of the academic Self.

Beyond Borders: International Student Pathways to the United States

Lee, J. J. — 2008-08-19

This study investigates college access in the United States and within the larger context of the global marketplace as a way to extend current views of college access to the international realm. Using surveys and interviews among international students in a case U.S. institution, this study finds that information sources and reasons for studying at the U.S. institution differ by international student background characteristics. This study then further elaborates on the diverse pathways based on international students' backgrounds as a way to expand current conceptions of college access.

Editorial

Adams, T., de Wit, H. — 2008-05-13

Does Higher Education Attained Abroad Lead to International Jobs?

Wiers-Jenssen, J. — 2008-05-13

This article investigates the early career of graduates who have studied abroad (mobile students) compared to graduates who have undertaken the entire education at domestic higher education institutions (nonmobile students). The main question is to what extent mobile students get jobs with international assignments compared to nonmobile students. Results show that mobile students—particularly those who graduated abroad— more often than nonmobile students search for and gain work experience abroad. The vast majority of mobile students return from abroad after graduation. In the domestic labour market, mobile students hold jobs with more international assignments than nonmobile students.

Speaking of Internationalisation: An Analysis Policy of Discourses on Internationalisation of Higher Education in Post-Apartheid South Africa

McLellan, C. E. — 2008-05-13

This article explores the policy implications of internationalisation of higher education in post-apartheid South Africa. It uses several of the country's policy documents and analyses what they infer about the process of internationalisation and its role in the transformation of South African higher education and society. The particular policy documents used as points of analysis have been chosen because they are crucial policy documents in South Africa that continue to guide higher education in that country and have particular relevance for the process of internationalisation. Two key interrelated arguments are made in this article. One argument is that internationalisation, as it is defined herein, is a policy issue that has failed to gain significant recognition in higher education policy circles in South Africa; the second is that its policy importance is evidenced implicitly in at least three of the country's transformational policy priorities.

Loneliness and International Students: An Australian Study

Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., Ramia, G. — 2008-05-13

In a study of international student security, consisting of 200 intensive interviews with students, resident onshore in Australia, it was found that two thirds of the group had experienced problems of loneliness and/or isolation, especially in the early months. According to Weiss, students experience both personal loneliness because of the loss of contact with families and social loneliness because of the loss of networks. Both forms of loneliness are at times exacerbated by their experiences in institutional sites. The article discusses the coping mechanisms that students use. It identifies a third kind of loneliness experienced by international students, cultural loneliness, triggered by the absence of the preferred cultural and/or linguistic environment. This can affect even students with adequate personal and social support. Thus, same-culture networks are often crucial for international students. Yet same-culture networks are not a universal panacea: They cannot substitute for adequate pastoral care by universities or ensure satisfactory engagement with local cultures, so some causes of cultural loneliness often remain. The article concludes that the creation of stronger bonds between international and local students in the educational setting, helping international students to remake their own cultural maps on their own terms, is key to a forward move on loneliness.

Cultural Diversity, Relocation, and the Security of International Students at an Internationalised University

Forbes-Mewett, H., Nyland, C. — 2008-05-13

The notion of security is an elusive concept that attracts varying interpretations. In this article, the authors adopt a definition that views security as a broadly applicable term that encompasses physical, social, and economic dimensions that relate to human rights, cultural difference, and relocation. The approach embraces the complexities of the security needs of international students in the context of a competitive and volatile education market. As Australia's largest international education provider, Monash University is an ideal setting within which to explore the security issues that arise for international students. Fifty-five interviewees including student representatives, frontline staff, and senior management share their experiences of working closely with Monash international students. The data is used to show that there are complex cultural differences in the notion of security and that being in an unfamiliar culture affects students' sense and level of security. Understanding these influences usefully translates into reflections on how well and by whom students' security needs are met.

Bridging the Gap in Expectations Between International Students and Academic Staff

Kingston, E., Forland, H. — 2008-05-13

This article is concerned with the transition into higher education in the United Kingdom of students with an East Asian background. Such a fusion of cultures (the Western individualist culture and East Asian collectivist culture) often creates a clash of traditions. The tensions that arise between the expectations of the most rapidly growing group of students (namely East Asian students) and the implicit rules that govern the academic and social environments of UK higher education can no longer be overlooked. The authors aim to resolve some of the issues that arise when cultures based on differing philosophies meet within a London University by narrowing the gap between the expectations of international students and academic staff. The ultimate goal, therefore, lies in working toward a synergy of educational cultures.

Editorial

de Wit, H. — 2008-01-30

The Incidence of Study-Related Stress in International Students in the Initial Stage of the International Sojourn

Brown, L. — 2008-01-30

This article explores the incidence of stress in international students in relation to the requirements of an international master's programme. The data presented here were taken from a doctoral ethnographic study of the adaptation of international postgraduate students to life in the United Kingdom, involving individual interviews with 13 students during the academic year 2003-2004 as well as participant observation of the entire cohort of 150 masters students. It is suggested that stress related to the academic task is caused by academic cultural differences, particularly in regard to critical evaluation and participation in discussion in class, and by language ability. This study shows that stress is intense at the beginning of the academic programme and declines gradually as a function of a reduction in the academic workload rather than as a function of time.

U.S. Heritage-Seeking Students Discover Minority Communities in Western Europe

Comp, D. — 2008-01-30

This research article examines quantitative data relevant to an increasingly multiethnic Western Europe and investigates European opportunities for U.S. minority heritage-seeking students. In addition to analyzing the demographic data of Western Europe, a review of U.S. higher education enrollment demographics derived from current national education statistics as well as a look at the racial and ethnic makeup of U.S. students studying abroad will be conducted.

The Middle Way: East Asian Master's Students' Perceptions of Critical Argumentation in U.K. Universities

Durkin, K. — 2008-01-30

This article explores the learning experiences of East Asian master's students in dealing with Western academic norms of critical thinking in classroom debate and assignment writing. The research takes a cultural approach and employs grounded theory and case study methodology. The aim is for students to explain their own perceptions of their learning journeys and tell their own stories through in-depth interviews. The data suggest that the majority of students interviewed rejected full academic acculturation into Western norms of argumentation. They instead opted for a "Middle Way" that synergizes the traditional cultural academic values held by many East Asian students with those elements of Western academic norms that are perceived to be aligned with these. This is a relatively new area of research, which represents a challenge for British lecturers and students.

A Needs Assessment of International Students' Wives

Martens, V. P., Grant, P. R. — 2008-01-30

Despite the unique adjustment challenges facing international students' spouses, little research has focused on their adjustment experiences or their programming needs. Understanding the adjustment of these individuals is important both in itself and because spouses play a key role in the adjustment and academic success of international students. Because women make up the vast majority of accompanying spouses, two needs assessments were conducted to explore their particular adjustment experiences and gather information relevant to program development. Hypotheses regarding the impact of conational group size on adjustment were tested as well. Seventy-six wives of international graduate students at a midsized Western Canadian university completed a questionnaire. Results suggest these women are highly educated professionals who face a variety of unique cultural and situational adjustment issues. Overall, their preference is for programming with a professional development focus. Unexpectedly, few differences based on conational group size were found. Research implications for service providers and researchers are discussed.

Domestic Practices in Foreign Lands: Lessons on Leadership for Diversity in American International Schools

Murakami-Ramalho, E. — 2008-01-30

One of the prevalent concerns in educational leadership practices in urban schools in the United States relates to diversity issues, especially the disengagement among students of certain ethnic groups with regard to succeeding in school. In this ethnographic study, educators who once served in U.S. public schools were invited to reflect on this issue. Their perceptions as educators in K-12 American international schools were significant because their overseas experience seemed to develop new perceptions about leadership for diversity. The questions in this study included, (a) What kind of leadership for diversity is being practiced in American international schools that can inform the U.S. social and cultural educational landscape? and (b) How can educators' knowledge of teaching and leading in multicultural settings inform schools with high demographic diversity? The educators' lessons included deep concerns in relation to public schools, especially the practice of educating for assimilation instead of educating for integration.

Editorial

Teekens, H., de Wit, H. — 2007-08-30

Ten Years of Editorial Policy of the Journal of Studies in International Education: Overview, Challenges, and Opportunities

de Wit, H. — 2007-08-30

Research on Internationalisation in Higher Education

Kehm, B. M., Teichler, U. — 2007-08-30

This contribution provides an overview of the developments of research undertaken since the mid-1990s on international higher education. The general state of research is characterised by an increase of theoretically and methodologically ambitious studies without a dominant disciplinary, conceptual, or methodological "home." The main topics of research on internationalisation in higher education reach from mobility, mutual influence of higher education systems, and internationalisation of the substance of teaching and learning to institutional strategies, knowledge transfer, cooperation and competition, and national and supranational policies. The modes of inquiry are varied but have not changed much over time. A brief localisation of the role of the Journal of Studies in International Education in the context of research about internationalisation in higher education is followed by conclusions emphasising a certain amount of continuity but also a broadening of the field with an increasing number of ambitious studies. The contribution closes with a few proposals for future research.

Internationalization of Higher Education in the OECD Countries: Challenges and Opportunities for the Coming Decade

van der Wende, M. — 2007-08-30

This article explores the possible development of internationalization of higher education in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, analyzing how the main driving forces may influence the internationalization process, globalization and the changing role of nation-states, regional and international bodies, and multilateral frameworks and agreements. The analysis is carried out based on four future scenarios for higher education developed by the OECD. Implications of various scenarios are analyzed in terms of their broader meaning for the main functions of higher education and issues of access, quality, and equity. Consequently, the implications for internationalization are derived. A special focus is placed on the consequences of the various scenarios for cooperation and competition as major strategic categories in the internationalization process. Finally, some further questions are raised with respect to the internationalization mission of higher education institutions in a globalized world and how the concept of internationalization may evolve.

The Internationalization of Higher Education: Motivations and Realities

Altbach, P. G., Knight, J. — 2007-08-30

Globalization and internationalization are related but not the same thing. Globalization is the context of economic and academic trends that are part of the reality of the 21st century. Internationalization includes the policies and practices undertaken by academic systems and institutions—and even individuals—to cope with the global academic environment. The motivations for internationalization include commercial advantage, knowledge and language acquisition, enhancing the curriculum with international content, and many others. Specific initiatives such as branch campuses, cross-border collaborative arrangements, programs for international students, establishing English-medium programs and degrees, and others have been put into place as part of internationalization. Efforts to monitor international initiatives and ensure quality are integral to the international higher education environment.

To Rank or To Be Ranked: The Impact of Global Rankings in Higher Education

Marginson, S., van der Wende, M. — 2007-08-30

Global university rankings have cemented the notion of a world university market arranged in a single "league table" for comparative purposes and have given a powerful impetus to intranational and international competitive pressures in the sector. Both the research rankings by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the composite rankings by the Times Higher Education Supplement have been widely publicised and already appear to have generated incentives in favour of greater system stratification and the concentration of elite researchers. However, global comparisons are possible only in relation to one model of institution, that of the comprehensive research intensive university, and for the most part are tailored to science-strong and English-speaking universities. Neither the Shanghai nor the Times rankings provide guidance on the quality of teaching. It is important to secure "clean" rankings, transparent, free of self-interest, and methodologically coherent, that create incentives to broad-based improvement.

Ranking the International Dimension of Top Research Universities in the United States

Horn, A. S., Hendel, D. D., Fry, G. W. — 2007-08-30

This study presents an analysis of the relative internationalization of 77 research universities in the United States. Institutions enrolling undergraduate students were selected from the 2003 national report, The Top American Research Universities . Data were collected from publicly available sources for 19 indicators of internationalization pertaining to student characteristics, scholar characteristics, research orientation, curricular content, and organizational support. Data were standardized, weighted by a panel of experts, and summed to yield an overall internationalization index score for each institution. Index scores were then used to rank the 77 institutions. A sensitivity analysis yielded a significant positive correlation (.97, p < .001) between the ranking based on the weighted indicators and a ranking derived from unweighted indicators.

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us: The Role of the Faculty in the Internationalization of Higher Education in the Coming Decade

Stohl, M. — 2007-08-30

This article argues that the chief challenge for developing and sustaining internationalization in the context of the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century is the engagement of the faculty. It argues that although higher education has been successful in providing mechanisms for student mobility because institutions have not successfully engaged the faculty that mobility is not as sizeable as it should be, but also, in and of itself, will not deliver the learning, discovery, and engagement that we seek through internationalization. To capture the faculty's interest in, and commitment to, internationalization, we need to move beyond the conceptualization of the internationalization or globalization of higher education in terms of how the different aspects of teaching, research, and service functions of the university are becoming more "internationalized" and examine how these activities encourage greater learning and discovery. Our challenge is to convince faculty that their scholarship and teaching will benefit from these efforts by considering the risk and reward structures within our institutions and faculty cultures.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Internationalization of Higher Education in the Coming Decade: Planned and Opportunistic Initiatives in American Institutions

Edwards, J. — 2007-08-30

In recent years, education systems around the world have shown a tendency for convergence on the American educational model. This, together with an increase in the use of English globally, places American educational institutions in a position of great importance as actors in international exchange. For potential partner institutions in other countries the process of internationalization followed by a U.S. institution has important implications. This article explores the contrasting opportunistic and planned approaches followed by Harvard University and Yale University and discusses some of the implications of these two planning models for the nature of campus internationalization and for negotiation with institutions in other countries.

The Global Campus: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education in North America

Brustein, W. I. — 2007-08-30

Confronted with a world that is strikingly different from what it was just a decade ago, the United States faces rapidly shifting economic, political, and national security realities and challenges. To respond to these changes it is essential that our institutions of higher education graduate globally competent students. This article addresses several major challenges confronting international educators within the United States including redesigning the curriculum, achieving faculty buy-in, financing study abroad, integrating our international students in the efforts to internationalize our campus, and rethinking how we teach foreign languages on our campuses.

Intervening in the Learning of U.S. Students Abroad

Vande Berg, M. — 2007-08-30

This article traces the outlines of a profound and ongoing change in U.S. attitudes about study abroad. In chronicling the shift from a Junior Year Abroad paradigm that governed study abroad theory and practice as recently as two decades ago, to an emerging Student Learning paradigm that increasingly informs study abroad attitudes and goals today, the author argues that there is a widening gulf between what U.S. study abroad professionals believe their students ought to learn through studying abroad and what many programs abroad aim to provide.

The Process of Internationalization of Latin American Higher Education

Avila, J. G. — 2007-08-30

The purpose of this article is to analyze the present tendencies and characteristics, as well as the present and future perspectives of the process of internationalization in Latin American universities, in light of the results yielded by studies carried out in the region by the World Bank and the European Commission. Emphasis will be placed on the extent to which the characteristics specific to the universities in the region, product of their particular sociohistorical situation, and the challenges and shortcomings they present at the beginning of the 21st century, hinder or help their response and ability to adapt to the global context.

The Development of International Education in Australia: A Framework for the Future

Adams, T. — 2007-08-30

In this essay, the author charts the development of a framework for international education in Australia and contrasts it to frameworks of Europe and elsewhere. The Australian experience is developed as a model for future trends in Europe and in terms of values that are now becoming of greater importance within Australia. The approach is a pragmatic one from the point of view of a practitioner in the field.

Internationalization of Higher Education in the Developing and Emerging Countries: A Focus on Transnational Higher Education in Asia

Futao Huang, — 2007-08-30

This article begins with an introduction to the context and general situation of transnational higher education (TNHE) in Asia, especially in East and Southeast Asia. It then examines development of TNHE in some selected Asian countries from different perspectives and provides a detailed description of TNHE in China. The article concludes by discussing challenges and opportunities for the development of TNHE in Asia.

Questing for Internationalization of Universities in Asia: Critical Reflections

Ka Ho Mok, — 2007-08-30

Globalization and the evolution of the knowledge-based economy have caused dramatic changes to the character and functions of higher education in most countries around the world. One major trend related to reforming and restructuring universities in Asia that has emerged is the adoption of strategies along the lines of the Anglo-Saxon paradigm in internationalizing universities in Asia with the intention to make the higher education systems more globally competitive. The principal goal of this article is to critically reflect on internationalization of universities in Asia. The first half of the article focuses on strategies in internationalizing universities in Asia, and the second half of the article discusses key issues related to the internationalization of universities in Asia, especially examining the implications for following the Anglo-Saxon paradigm in transforming and internationalizing the university systems in Asia.

The Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa: Progress and Challenges

Kishun, R. — 2007-08-30

South Africa needs to reexamine responses to some basic questions if it is to develop a robust push that would enable the higher education sector to maximise the benefits of internationalisation in the context of the "knowledge society" and to serve local needs while being an integral part of the global community. In responding to these questions, this article posits the view that the history and future of the internationalisation of higher education in South Africa would make a useful contribution to ongoing debates on this important topic. The article probes the internationalisation of higher education in South Africa against the backdrop of the internationalisation globally. It also investigates future scenarios and topics ranging from the "Africanization versus internationalization" debate and policies on internationalisation to student mobility, trade in educational services, and how internationalisation is being used to ease skill shortages in developed countries.

Internationalisation of South African Higher Education in the Postapartheid Era

Rouhani, S. — 2007-08-30

During the past decade, there has been significant growth in the number of international students seeking access to South African higher education institutions. Concomitant with this growth has been a need for management of the internationalisation process at higher education institutions; however, this has not always been forthcoming. This article provides a comparative analysis of internationalisation in selected South African universities during the immediate postapartheid period since the 1990s. The process of establishing international offices or the lack thereof and the ongoing internationalisation of these institutions are analysed. In addition, the article considers other issues pertinent to the internationalisation of South African higher education institutions in the 21st century. The article draws on empirical research conducted by the author at various South African higher education institutions and is based on a mixed-method research design.

The Professional Value of Temporary Study in Another European Country: Employment and Work of Former ERASMUS Students

Teichler, U., Janson, K. — 2007-08-30

Temporary study in another European country supported by the ERASMUS programmes spread from a few thousand participants in the late 1980s to about 150,000 annually in recent years. Such a study period is not only viewed as academically, culturally, and linguistically valuable but is also expected to have a positive impact on subsequent employment and work. Three major studies of former ERASMUS students underscore in many respects the professional value of temporary study in another European country. But former ERASMUS students do not believe that they excel in income and social status during their early career. Moreover, the distinct professional value of temporary study in another country is declining over time. However, temporary study in another European country has remained an exceptional and professionally highly rewarded experience for students from Central and Eastern European countries.

Impossible Things Before Breakfast: Myths in Education Abroad

Woolf, M. — 2007-08-30

In recent years, there has been a considerable development of administrative skills in study-abroad management, but much less in the educational dimension of this endeavour. The field is burdened by myths and conceptions that exist unchallenged in the uncontested climate of study abroad. An exploration of three of these prevailing myths demonstrates the degree to which the field needs to reexamine some of its assumptions: the association of immersion and integration with quality, the growth of short-term programmes, and the call to significantly expand programmes in nontraditional locations. This essay critically examines the misconceptions that have accumulated around these topics.

High Potentials: A CEO Perspective

Hermans, J. — 2007-08-30

Finding high potentials has been identified as one of the major challenges for society and for higher education. But how does one find the talented individuals who will design the future of society? Can and should universities cooperate or compete with business and industry for these talents? Three CEOs reflect on this worldwide competition for talent, providing a stakeholder perspective that may help rethinking the role of universities within the framework of the knowledge economy. Successful responses to the need of maximizing intellectual potential should not so much focus on competition for high potentials but on the nurturing and growing of talent. As a result of the changing needs of society, CEOs foresee major changes in the concept of the classical university. Whether high potentials actually develop the lifestyle fitting to the new concept of lifelong learning remains to be seen.

Creating Universities for a Multiethnic and Multicultural World: A Utopia?

Cooper, M. — 2007-08-30

The main challenge facing internationalsation of higher education is retaining roots in a cultural setting while being open to new influences. Internationalsation affects every aspect of university life. An initial issue this raises is language. Universities must decide in which languages to teach and which languages will be offered, decisions that raise questions regarding graduation requirements. It would seem a logical step to require all students to study a foreign language. Introducing language requirements into the curriculum necessitates considerable and probably continual revision of study and degree programmes. However, to meet their challenges and realise their opportunities, universities will no longer be able to go it alone. Apart from staff and student mobility, distance education, and other forms of delivery, universities will need to work together. The next decade will therefore see much close cooperation in networks, both general and disciplinary. Further development of joint study and research programmes will also characterise the period.

Erratum

2007-08-30

Index to Journal of Studies in International Education Volume 10

2007-08-30