Page 103 - Movers, Shapers, and Everything in Between: Influencers of the International Student Experience

had superior online infrastructure to the Australian university where he was studying pre-COVID.
Notably, all students were positive about the increased availability of asynchronous online learning modalities that resulted from the pandemic. Students valued being able to access lectures at any time and hoped this feature would remain. However, as one student pointed out, “it takes a lot of self-discipline to actually re-watch lectures” and, in his opinion, in-person classes prevent students from procrastinating and eventually becoming overwhelmed with work. Students were pleased about the increased online interaction with students on other campuses—for example, the ability to post questions on a Blackboard forum shared by students enrolled in the course across all campuses. This helped foster the feeling that the academic experience is the same across all campuses—or, as one student put it, “if you are suffering, you know the other guy in Australia is also suffering.”
Despite understanding the reasons for it, students expressed disappointment with the lack of in-person learning and the inability to pursue mobility plans. Four students had been forced to cancel plans to study at another campus of the university due to the COVID-19 pandemic; only one had been able to carry out his plan to spend a year at the UK campus (the other four students had not had plans to study at another campus). One of the Malaysian students had enrolled in the IBC in 2020 instead of the home campus due to her parents’ desire for her to stay close to home during the pandemic. While she felt “going abroad is a waste of money right now,” she admitted “honestly, I am waiting for things to change. Just being at home, studying, doesn’t give much of a university experience.” For the five Malaysian students interviewed, enrolling at an IBC in their home country is a way to have an international education experience.
Relatedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of fostering a sense of community, both online and in person, that is unique to the IBC. “The lack of human interaction is really serious because we are staying at home, and university is the place where
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Effects of COVID-19 on IBCs
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