International Student Mobility and the College Choice Process: Learning from Transnational Students from International Schools

• In Event: Education Abroad Impact on Learning

Proposal

More students today choose to seek educational and life opportunities in other countries. According to UNESCO, the number of international students grew from 2 million in 2000 to over 5 million in 2017 (Global Migration Data Portal, 2020). International students are defined as “individuals who have physically crossed an international border between two countries with the objective of participating in educational activities in the country of destination” (OECD, 2017, p. 38). Such a definition may need to be contested in the changing context. Attention is especially needed for understudied students, often known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who hold multiple or no sense of belonging to any 'home' country, or those who have previous migratory experiences before becoming international students. These students defy the norms about international students, who are often assumed to come from a single home country.

The current study sample consists of a unique group of 19 high school students who attended international schools in China, India, and the United Arab Emirates. Our study focuses on the college decision-making processes where these understudied students become international students. In this regard, we explore the nuances that may be unique compared to the international students who migrate directly from their home countries.

The research questions for our study are as follows: 1) How do students attending international schools navigate the college decision-making process on a global scale? 2) What do international students’ college choices illuminate about the intersection of ecological system and agency?

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
For a framework to synthesize students’ college decision-making processes, we use Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) ecological system theory and Tran and Vu’s (2018) agency for becoming. Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) ecological system theory was originally devised to understand human development. Given how higher education closely relates to such growth, there is an emergence of research that uses the model in the fields of higher education (Renn & Arnold, 2003) and international higher education (Vital & Yao, 2018). In addition, we utilize the concept of agency for becoming (Tran & Vu, 2018) which builds on Marginson’s (2014) work on the role of international higher education in international students’ self-formation. Such a conceptual framework allows us to systematically and holistically understand the meaning of college choice among prospective international students and how they arrive at their decisions.

Methodology
This qualitative study was conducted through transcendental phenomenology to understand each participant’s experiences and make sense of their experiences (Moustakas, 1994). A constructivist paradigm was utilized to understand the different realities of participants engaging with their environments. We used convenience and purposeful sampling and chose three countries to recruit 19 participants to explore their diverse experiences. Two phrases of semi-structured, in-depth interviews lasting from 60-90 minutes were conducted between 2019 and 2020. Researchers coded the interviews with descriptive and pattern techniques using NVivo.

Findings
Each participant in our study engaged in insightful reflections during the interviews. They shared how their transnational experiences – often including prior family migrations and learning at international schools – shaped who they are and their aspirations that influenced their college choices. As Landorf et al. (2018) state, global learning “emerges from the reflections” when students intentionally connect their knowledge and experiences (p. 204). The core themes for college choices that emerged from their reflections include 1) prioritizing geographic proximity to family/‘home’ country 2) sharing similarities with first-generation students in navigating the college applications process, 3) eliminating colleges with high costs before applying, 4) researching international student inclusiveness, 5) critical awareness of global ranking, and 6) thinking ahead about career prospects in the host country or elsewhere.

Students’ reflections illuminate the humanity of international students in the college decision-making process, in which they brought their whole selves to think about how their choices would impact their relationships with their family, their sense of belonging and identity as international students, their academic and career aspirations, and thinking critically about costs and global ranking.

The application of Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) ecological system theory in the college choices showed the centrality of the role of the microsystem, which is “the environment that is most immediate to the individual” (Vital & Yao, 2018, p. 215). Furthermore, students demonstrated their critical awareness of elements in other systems that impact their college choices. This included their interactions with the community at international schools in the mesosystem, the global ranking from the media outlets for the exosystem, the education system or immigration policies in the potential host countries for the macrosystem, and their time at college impacting their future for the chronosystem.

In this reflective process for choosing their colleges, students practiced agency in becoming international students (Tran & Vu, 2018). While being aware and being influenced by the neoliberal influences in higher education such as the global ranking and high costs, students took agency in choosing the best living and learning environment to thrive as international students. In particular, they were proactive in seeking colleges with a culture of inclusion. The majority of participants chose to attend colleges in the United States and the United Kingdom. However, many considered attending college in emerging destinations, which is in line with the recent study that shows the declining popularity among traditional destinations for international students (Glass & Cruz, 2022).

Implications
The participants’ reflective college decision-making process through the ecosystem and agency in becoming could have a potential impact on the larger landscape of international higher education. In response to the commodification of international students and neoliberal influences in higher education, it is recommended that HEIs and the host countries shift their focus from short-term recruitment to long-term inclusive culture to support the personal development and well-being of international students.

Limitations
This study has several limitations. Although we did not collect data on the family income of the students, most appear to be from middle-class families. Also, the study was conducted before and in the early stages of the global pandemic. These factors also need to be taken into account for future studies to rethink the definition of international students, and to make international education accessible and equitable for all.

Authors

• Asuka Ichikawa, Boston College

• Minghui Hou, Old Dominion University