International Students in Higher Education

Résumé

This book addresses the gulf between the idealized vision of internationalization in higher education and the realities experienced by international students studying in western countries. At the heart of the book is a case of study of the experience of 18 international students, from Middle and Far Eastern countries, studying at a middle- to high-ranking British university. The lives and experiences of these students are explored as they attempt to negotiate a path through their university studies in what they see as a sometimes threatening and often bewildering experience.

An important feature of this study is that is takes place against the background post-9/11 Islamaphobia. This context is seen to have a profound impact on the lives of the students, who are seen battling with racism as well as an alien pedagogy in an institution which appears to take little heed of their cultural and personal needs. The book concludes with an examination of the implications of the experiences of these and other international students for the future development of more culturally sensitive and responsive universities, in the complex and challenging post 9/11 world.

Contenu

1. Introduction and Overview Part I. Background Issues
   2. The Evolution of the Internationalization of Higher Education 3. Internationalization and Geopolitics: the Post-9/11 world 4. Studies of International Student Experience Part II. The International Student Experience: A Case Study
      5. Introducing Midland University 6. Introducing 18 International Students 7. Initial Encounters outside the Classroom 8. Initial Encounters inside the Classroom 9. Ongoing Encounters outside the Classroom 10. Ongoing Encounters inside the Classroom 11. Accommodation and Resolution 12. Reflections on International Students' Experience Part III. Implications
         13. Improving Conditions for International Students; Moving Beyond Integration 14. Improving the Social and Emotional Experience of International Students 15. Improving the Academic Experience of International Students 16. Conclusion