Page 129 - Movers, Shapers, and Everything in Between: Influencers of the International Student Experience
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Practical Implications
The research findings presented in this paper have numerous implications for the practice of international higher education. First, it is worth noting that education is an important export commodity for OECD countries, accounting for a considerable portion of the global economy, and the global higher education market is expected to reach $118 billion by 2027 (Choudaha & van Rest, 2018). In 2018, there were three inbound international or foreign students for each outbound national student studying abroad across OECD countries, and in some countries-namely Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States-this ratio exceeds 10:1 (OECD, 2020). The size and evolution of this sector make it all the more important to understand where, why, and how education is consumed.
Key applications arise from the finding that integration has a mediating effect on the relationship between nationality and satisfaction. Based on the findings, the researchers developed a model that indicated the extent to which academic and social integration explained differences in satisfaction among international students. This model was stronger when integration was included as a variable than when only nationality was considered. Moreover, the association between integration and satisfaction is stronger than the association between nationality and integration.
In practice, universities could use this finding as an opportunity to make the promotion of integration a central focus of their teaching, learning, student life, and support services. Other research shows that university support such as structured peer-pairing programs promote social adjustment (Westwood & Barker, 1990; Abe et al., 1998) and that targeted and effective support for international students facilitates academic and social integration ( Jochems et al., 1996; Russell, Rosenthal, & Thomson, 2010). A study by Wu, Hammond, and Barnes (2009) found that adjustment is facilitated by adequate preparation for the study experience, academic achievement, social interaction, and successful language development. Linking these findings and focusing on student- centered programs and initiatives that accommodate a diverse mix of students may be an effective strategy to support international students.
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Discussion and Conclusions
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