International and Intercultural Educational Change: The Social Justice Implications and Adaptability Challenges of Studying Abroad

• In Event: From Partnerships to Sustainable Change in Education

Abstract

The continuous growth of internationalization of higher education in the 21st globalized century has witnessed faster mobility of international students pursuing higher education overseas. This study shares the findings of a qualitative case study of the intercultural adaptation and social justice experiences of Chinese students who study in a German university. The variety of opportunities and challenges that these students encountered while learning and communicating interculturally in a foreign academic setting will be shared as well as the social, cultural, and political implications of studying abroad and educational change in this particular context.

Authors

• Xiaofei Rao, New Mexico State University

• Kristin L. Kew, New Mexico State University

• Anita C. Hernandez, New Mexico State University