Abstract
The articles included in this third issue of the Journal of Studies in International Education for 2012 all explore the motivations for, experiences during, and impact of international education on students. In “The Influence and Implications of Culture in the Decision to Undertake Cross-Border Higher Education,” Peter Bodycott and Ada Lai explore the decision-making processes of potential international students. Chris Glass, in “Educational Experiences Associated With International Students’ Learning, Development, and Positive Perceptions of Campus Climate” and Nittaya Campbell in “Promoting Intercultural Contact on Campus: A Project to Connect and Engage International and Host Students” investigate the impact of different experiences and interventions on international students, including their interactions with local students. Jude Mikal and Kathryn Grace report on a study that used ICT to decrease stress and increase the integration of study abroad students in “Against Abstinence-Only Education Abroad: Viewing Internet use During Study Abroad as a Possible Experience Enhancement” and Lynnel Hoare reports on a longitudinal study that reveals the impact on transnational students of having undertaken an Australian degree in Singapore in “Transnational Student Voices: Reflections on a Second Chance.”
These and other issues and themes are also explored in some recent publications that you, as readers of this Journal, may find interesting and relevant.
The SAGE Handbook of International Higher Education, edited by Darla Deardorff, Hans de Wit, John Heyl, and Tony Adams, will come out in the summer of 2012. This handbook is designed as a guide to those interested in the internationalization of higher education and offers new insights and strategies for its further development. Most of the authors of the 25 chapters (which include several “text boxes” from guest authors) are members of the editorial board and editorial advisory board of the Journal of Studies in International Education. For subscribers to the Journal, a discount of 20% is available (US$120 instead of US$150) at www.sagepub.com. Please use the code N120102. The offer lasts until December 31, 2012.
In a recently released book Ideas for Intercultural Education, published by Palgrave Macmillan (2011, ISBN 13:978-0-230-11793-8), Simon Marginson and Erlenawati Sawir share what they learned about cross-cultural relationships in higher education as they worked on a large research project over a number of years in universities in Australia. This book discusses the reality of student life through several different theoretical lenses and raises a number of important questions including “How can international education bring us closer together, on the basis of mutual respect?” and “How can it become a shared enterprise?” These questions are also addressed in some of the articles in this issue, highlighting one of the very points made in the preface to the book, that intercultural relations are an important part of international education and need to be a focus of ongoing conversation. This book provides a valuable contribution to that conversation and is recommended reading for those concerned with enhancing the relationship between international and local students in class, on campus, and beyond.
Another recent publication is Going Global, The Landscape for Policy Makers and Practitioners in Tertiary Education, edited by Mary Stiasny and Tim Gore, published by Emerald for the British Council (2012, ISBN: 978-0-85724-783-4). This book brings together articles based on presentations at the annual Going Global conferences run by the British Council, many of which are also concerned with exploring the student experience. The book was presented at the most recent conference in London in March 2012.
Finally, in April the International Association of Universities (IAU), together with the International Ad Hoc Expert Group on Re-thinking Internationalization, launched Affirming Academic Values in Internationalization in Higher Education: A Call for Action. The international expert group brought together perspectives from all parts of the world to assess the extent to which internationalization activities fit the current conceptual umbrella, critically examine the causes of some questioning and even criticism of the concept and investigate ways to address these concerns. The resulting document highlights the many benefits as well as the potential adverse impacts of internationalization and highlights the need to take action to ensure that the outcomes are of reciprocal benefit to the institutions and countries involved. Institutions are urged to implement twelve values and principles in designing and implementing their internationalization strategies. Advice, feedback and examples of good practice are sought on translating these principles and values into everyday practice. The document is available from the IAU website www.iau-aiu.net.