Journal of International Students (JIS) is a Scopus-ranked (Q1) quarterly peer-reviewed publication on international education (Print ISSN 2162-3104 & Online ISSN 2166-3750). As an independent, multilingual journal based in Baltimore, Maryland (USA), we aim to actively engage with the most consequential conversations in international and global education. The journal operates under a rolling issue publication model, publishing multiple issues annually as articles become ready for publication. Each issue includes at least 10 peer-reviewed articles.
Reimaging internationalization in higher education in the post-COVID era
This study explores the internationalization of student mobility at higher education institutions (HEIs), specifically in the post-COVID era. The opportunities and challenges in the internationalization of student mobility for non-degree-seeking students are examined through a systematic literature review (SLR) using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. During and after the pandemic, HEIs worldwide have faced major challenges in reimplementing internationalization within student mobility. The objective of this study is to employ the matrix system of Webster and Watson (2002) to categorize the identified literature. Facilitating the identification of essential columns that are considered indispensable in the post-COVID era. The findings of these studies provide a foundation for further research approaches and offer recommendations and implications to support HEIs in developing strategies to increase the number of international students at the international level.
Research Articles (English, regular edition)
Virtual Mobility, Virtual Exchange, and Online Learning
internationalization, higher education, student mobility, international students, post-COVID era
Copyright (c) 2026 Sina Heidtke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The case of international student enrollment in Kosovo
Approximately 8% of students in the Republic of Kosovo’s public universities bachelor’s-level study programs are international students. As a young nation (Kosovo declared independence in 2008), and one with weak higher education coordination, domestic and international accreditation challenges, and persistent political influence in university affairs, these structural conditions do not necessarily inspire international student enrollment. Nevertheless, with a consistent flow of international students entering programs in Kosovo, we ask: What are the characteristics of international students who are enrolling in Kosovo’s public universities? And, how do Kosovo’s international students fare academically? – Is their relative success shaped by their country of origin? Using a longitudinal sample of 69,867 students starting from 2012 (the earliest available data on Kosovo’s public higher education following adoption of the Law on Higher Education in 2011), we describe patterns of international students, and use blocked logistic regression to model their success, and relative failure.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Cassie L. Barnhardt, Dr. Shinji Katsumoto, Dr. Nicholas R. Stroup, Dr. Molly E. Hall-Martin, Gordon Louie, Celine Fender https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This study examined factors influencing academic success among international students at Hohai University using survey data from 262 students. Analysis via SPSS 26 and PLS-SEM revealed strong measurement model reliability (composite reliability: 0.84–0.91; factor loadings: 0.72–0.88; AVE > 0.50). Hierarchical regression explained 74% of graduation success variance (R² = 0.74). Significant positive predictors included commitment to graduate (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), time management (β = 0.28, p < 0.001), language proficiency (β = 0.26, p < 0.001), and cultural adaptation (β = 0.20, p = 0.002). Study suspension history (β = −0.24, p < 0.001) and emotional difficulties negatively impacted outcomes. PLS-SEM confirmed academic barriers (β = −0.42, p < 0.001) and social barriers (β = −0.31, p < 0.001) reduced success, while institutional support facilitated it (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). Findings underscore needs for language support, cultural integration, and targeted interventions.
Cross-Cultural Wellness and Psychological Resilience
Education, International Students, Challenges, Barriers, Graduation, China
Copyright (c) 2026 Dong Haijun, Asim Zubair, Sonia Fatima https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Quality assurance in Saudi higher education
Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in higher education reforms, positioning Quality Assurance (QA) as a central pillar of Vision 2030. This study investigates how these reforms are reshaping institutional practices while bureaucratic compliance cultures and the tensions between external accreditation models and local educational needs. Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, survey data were collected from 248 faculty, administrators, and QA officers across four regions, complemented by 40 semi-structured interviews and systematic document analysis in two contrasting institutions. Findings show that QA is widely prioritized in strategic planning and leadership discourse, although faculty expressed greater skepticism than administrators. Leadership, technological integration, and faculty development emerged as key enablers, while resistance to change and bureaucratic compliance constrained innovation. Institutional documents demonstrated uneven alignment with Vision 2030 benchmarks, and cross-institutional comparisons revealed that the transferability of reforms depends on leadership style, institutional maturity, and faculty engagement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Musa Alghamdi,, Dr. Shafiq ur Rehman, Dr. Syed Naeem Ahmed, Ms. Krista Jack https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Assessing the future of African student mobility
The global education landscape is transforming, with African nations playing a key role in international academic exchanges. However, future trends in African student mobility remain unclear. This study employs statistical, deep learning, and ensemble forecasting models to analyze migration patterns across regions: Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America and Western Europe, South and West Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arab States. Historical data reveals regional variations, with North America and Western Europe as top destinations, while East Asia, the Pacific, and the Arab States see rising enrollments. Intra-regional mobility within Sub-Saharan Africa highlights regional academic collaborations. These insights help institutions and policymakers anticipate trends, refine recruitment strategies, and enhance access to global education for African students, fostering knowledge exchange, skill development, and international collaboration.
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of International Students https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
This study explores the thesis-writing experiences of international PhD students in UK universities, with particular attention to the challenges they encounter and their use of ChatGPT as an academic writing support tool. Drawing on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 19 international doctoral students across four UK institutions, the study employs thematic analysis using NVivo to examine both writing practices and perceptions of AI-assisted tools. The findings indicate that the primary challenges are not linguistic but cognitive and rhetorical in nature, including difficulties with idea development, structuring coherent arguments, engaging in critical analysis, and articulating an academic voice. Participants generally viewed ChatGPT as a useful tool, particularly for editing and brainstorming; however, they also expressed concerns about its potential long-term effects on independent thinking and academic writing development. Uncertainty regarding the ethical boundaries of AI use, especially in relation to academic integrity, further complicated their engagement with the tool.
International PhD students, Academic writing, Chatgpt
Copyright (c) 2026 Karim Karmi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A quantitative comparative analysis of incoming and outgoing students' perceptions in international student mobility
International student mobility is essential to higher education internationalization, yet comparative quantitative research on incoming and outgoing students remains limited. In this study, motivations and attitudes toward cross-border education were analyzed by comparing 329 international students in China and 303 Chinese outgoing students using questionnaires. Data were examined via reliability and validity tests, mean comparisons, and structural equation modeling (SEM), with acceptable model fit indices. The findings show that incoming students prioritized postgraduate employment and scholarships, whereas outgoing students focused on cultural exploration and personal growth. Incoming students held more optimistic attitudes toward career benefits, policy support, and leadership engagement. Both groups supported peer mentoring but were neutral toward extended language courses and online learning. This study enriches theoretical frameworks and provides practical implications for universities and policy makers to design tailored strategies that improve student satisfaction and support sustainable international mobility.
international student mobility; incoming students; outgoing students; cultural adjustment; educational experiences; social cohesion; student perception.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zongsheng Chen, Cristinel Petrisor Constantin, Christos Kelepouris https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Conscientiousness as a protective factor in academic success in international university students
This study examines the role of conscientiousness as a protective factor in the academic success of international undergraduate students, who often face distinct academic and cultural adjustment challenges. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from a sample of international students enrolled in Australian universities. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing conscientiousness and reported their weighted average mark (WAM) as an indicator of academic performance. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between conscientiousness and academic achievement, suggesting that higher levels of conscientiousness are associated with better academic outcomes among international students. These results highlight the importance of personality traits as consistent predictors of academic success across cultural contexts and suggest that universities and educators should foster learning environments and interventions that promote conscientious behaviors to enhance both academic performance and student well-being.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sarah Teperman, Chris Siva, Swati Mujumdar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Learning mode, university students’ mental health, and acculturative stress
This study examines the association between the learning mode and the mental health of Chinese international students (CIS) in Australia and the potential mediating role of acculturative stress. One hundred and twenty-two CIS were recruited through an online survey and assigned to either the in-person or hybrid learning group according to their mode of learning. Depression, anxiety, and acculturative stress were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Acculturative Stress Scale for Chinese College Students (ASSCS), respectively. The results indicated that compared with participation in in-person learning, participation in hybrid learning was associated with higher levels of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. Acculturative stress was found to play a mediating role in this association.
Copyright (c) 2026 Peixin Zuo, Ann Gowing, Anurika De Silva, Harry Minas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The positioning and negotiation of ethnic identities for young Chinese immigrants in an Australian context
This exploratory pilot study examines how three young Chinese immigrants in Melbourne negotiate their ethnic identities. Using semistructured interviews and thematic analysis within a positioning theory framework, we examined participants’ dual cultural perspectives. Three interrelated themes emerged: linguistic positioning, peer/community belonging, and intergenerational expectations. Participants described hybrid, hyphenated identities and fluidly navigated between Chinese heritage and Australian culture. They balanced language skills and diaspora networks to affirm their heritage, while everyday social interactions sometimes signaled outsider status, highlighting tensions between family expectations and a sense of belonging. Our findings highlight the contextual, agentive nature of identity negotiation. This study contributes in-depth insight into the complex identity processes of young Chinese immigrants, with implications for multicultural understanding and immigrant integration.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yanxi Li, Nish Belford https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This qualitative research examined the academic and social integration of international students at a Central European university by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews in the 2023-2024 academic year. Via purposive sampling, thirty participants were selected, and a typology based on their integration experiences was developed through thematic analysis. Herein, we identified four distinct and well-defined student types: (1) focused scholars, prioritizing academics with scant social interaction; (2) engaged achievers, who maintain a balance between academic and social life; (3) overwhelmed isolates, who struggle in both areas, mainly due to cultural disconnectedness and stress; and (4) resilient networkers, who, despite several academic challenges, cope by leaning on their social connections. The results highlight the complex interplay among individual traits, cultural influences, academic demands and pressures, and institutional support in shaping integration outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jennyfer Paola Casas Trujillo, Ilona Dabney-Fekete https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Indigenous knowledge and curriculum internationalization for sustainability
This study presents a global scientometric analysis of how Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is integrated into higher-education curricula for internationalization and sustainability (2016–2025). Using Scopus data and science-mapping tools (Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny and VOSviewer), the analysis examines annual publication trends, leading countries and institutions, collaboration patterns, and the field’s conceptual structure. Findings reveal limited activity until 2018, followed by steady growth and a sharp rise after 2022. The United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia emerge as primary contributors. Keyword and thematic analyses identify tightly connected clusters centered on IK, sustainability, higher education, teacher education, climate change, and curriculum decolonization. The study shows that IK is evolving from a locally bounded practice into a globally networked knowledge domain that supports Sustainable Development Goals 4.7 and 13 while redefining internationalization through epistemic plurality and curriculum justice, providing an empirical foundation for policy and practice in internationalized, sustainability-oriented higher education.
Ranking, Internationalization and Emerging Issues
Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecological Consciousness
Copyright (c) 2026 Vinodh Kumar, Khusbu Thakur https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Global university rankings have evolved from informational tools into governing frameworks that shape institutional strategy and international student mobility, often reinforcing systemic inequities and epistemic. This study examines how four flagship universities — Tsinghua University (China), Jagiellonian University (Poland), Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) — navigate ranking pressures while leveraging artificial intelligence to recalibrate mobility patterns. Using a comparative case design informed by Qualitative Comparative Analysis, the study integrates ranking data, policy documents, forty-five interviews, and digital engagement metrics spanning 2020–2025. Findings reveal four persistent tensions: prestige versus equity, cultural identity versus algorithmic homogenization, infrastructural constraints versus innovation, and regulatory sovereignty versus global integration. The analysis is theoretically anchored in contextual integrity, relational mobility, and pluriversal validation. Results indicate that metric adaptation is a negotiated political process in which elite institutions leverage rankings for global visibility while managing competing local imperatives. The study advocates for equity-oriented metrics, digital sovereignty investments, and participatory algorithmic governance as pathways toward inclusive and sustainable international student mobility.
global university rankings, student mobility, metric adaptation, pluriversal validation, higher education governance, AI in education
Copyright (c) 2026 Sinaria Hassan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Dilemmas of social justice in the practice of internationalization at an Irish university
Policies advancing social inclusion in Irish higher education face new challenges with increased recruitment of students from the Global South. This study explores how staff at a University of Sanctuary in Ireland navigate tensions between internationalization and social justice. Using reflective thematic analysis of interviews with 11 staff and senior managers, two main themes emerged: (1) paradoxes of internationalization (as a tool for diversity, humanitarianism, or commodification) and (2) dilemmas of social justice and sustainability. Participants highlighted border-bound definitions of inclusion and critiqued extractive models of internationalization that reinforce colonial and unsustainable practices. We argue, in line with critical internationalization studies, that different models of internationalization are needed to promote sustainable education, equity, and social justice in higher education.
Decolonization, Indigenization, and the Politics of Belonging
Copyright (c) 2026 Leticia Scheidt, Anca Minescu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Formation of communicative-ethnopedaogical competence of future teachers in the multiethnic environment of a modern university
This study aimed to investigate the impact of ethnopedagogical teaching methods on the development of intercultural competencies among students of pedagogical faculties. The sample consisted of 298 first- and second-year students from the pedagogical faculties of polyethnic universities in Kazakhstan. An ethnopedagogical method-based teaching program was conducted for the experimental group, while the control group followed traditional teaching methods. The results indicated that in the experimental group, the frequency of interaction with representatives of language minorities increased, confidence in communication rose, and the difficulty in understanding foreign speech decreased. Thus, the study confirmed the effectiveness of ethnopedagogical methods in enhancing ethnopedagogical skills. The findings can be used in the development of educational programs for training teachers to work in multicultural educational institutions. The implementation of ethnopedagogical approaches contributes to the formation of tolerance, flexibility, and readiness for intercultural interaction among future educators, which is especially relevant in contemporary multilingual education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Assel Temirgalinova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Factors impacting tertiary-level international students’ mental well-being
International students constitute a substantial proportion of the global tertiary education population, yet the factors impacting their mental well-being remain fragmented across the literature. This systematic review synthesizes peer-reviewed studies to identify key factors that impact international students’ mental well-being and address research gaps. Using the PRISMA guidelines and the PICo tool, 86 studies were selected through a comprehensive search of eight databases. The findings indicate that more than 82% of the studies used quantitative methods and that more than 59% were conducted in English-speaking countries. Thematic analysis revealed nine interconnected factors impacting mental well-being: personal and psychological issues; sociocultural adjustment and acculturative stress; social support and belongingness; academic pressure; language and communication challenges; racism and xenophobia; visa policy-related stress; and housing and living conditions and financial pressure. Using an ecological framework, the results emphasize interactions among individual, relational, institutional, and structural determinants. This review underscores the need for longitudinal, mixed-methods research with greater geographic diversity to inform policy and practice.
Immigration Policies, Student Security, and Emerging Issues
Copyright (c) 2026 Mr. Ishwar Koirala, Dr. Subrata Chakraborty, Dr. Prabal Datta Barua, Dr. Mitchell Welch, Dr. Biswajit Banik https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Constructing social realities of adaptation
This study examines how international students in South Korea construct subjective realities of adaptation, cultural strain, and intentions to migrate onward. Using Q-methodology, a 42-item Q-set derived from coping theory and student narratives was sorted by sixty-one participants, revealing four patterned viewpoints: Engaged Cultural Adapters, Strained but Hopeful Strivers, Burdened and Outward-Looking Copers, and Supported but Selectively Engaged Settlers. Consensus statements indicated shared difficulties around Korean-language confidence, forming close Korean friendships, and unevenly perceived institutional support. Distinguishing statements highlighted divergent interpretations regarding cultural similarity, academic pressure, career prospects, and the feasibility of long-term settlement. The findings show that adaptation is shaped not only by stressors but also by the meanings students attach to their daily academic and social environments. The study advances the theoretical understanding of the socially constructed nature of adaptation and offers practical implications for improving support, integration, and retention within South Korean higher education.
Rethinking Mobility, Belonging, and the Role of International Students in Global Societies
Copyright (c) 2026 Israel Fisseha Feyissa, Sofia Senbit Ali https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Rating of community colleges for their role in obtaining undergraduate degrees
University rankings exert significant influence over student choice, institutional behavior, and global perceptions of educational quality. However, prevailing ranking systems rely on narrow, prestige-driven indicators that misrepresent institutional effectiveness, reinforce inequality, and marginalize mission-sensitive sectors of higher education. Among the most affected are U.S. community colleges, which play a critical role in undergraduate degree attainment, workforce development, and social mobility but remain largely absent from national and global evaluative frameworks. This paper argues that traditional ranked-order systems are conceptually and methodologically inappropriate for assessing community colleges. Instead, it proposes a multidimensional rating framework that clusters institutions by mission-sensitive variables. Drawing on AI data mining and unsupervised machine learning techniques, the article introduces a cluster-based approach to evaluate community colleges across key dimensions, including transfer outcomes, institutional support capacity, and geographic context. Using University Transfer Admission (UTA) as a demonstrative case, the study illustrates how clustering enables context-sensitive, student-centered decision-making without imposing artificial hierarchies. The proposed framework offers a more equitable, transparent, and analytically sound alternative to conventional rankings, supporting informed choice, policy development, and institutional accountability while recognizing the diverse missions of community colleges. It will have broad utility for other institutions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jing Luán https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
International academia has shown a growing interest in African student migration to China. However, comprehensive investigations grounded in the specific cultural contexts of these students, rather than treating “Africa” as a monolith, remain notably scarce. To advance research on African student migration, this study examines the adaptation of Ethiopian students dispatched by the government in China. Grounded in the demand-control-support (DCS) model, this qualitative study employs an ethnographic case study design. The findings reveal an unbalanced adaptation process characterized by high demands (language, religion, academics), structurally low control, and a consequent reliance on support as the primary buffering mechanism. The study concludes that achieving balanced adaptation requires enhancing student control through the development of global competence and strengthening proactive institutional support, offering a novel application of the DCS model to student mobility.
Copyright (c) 2026 Demei Yang, Xiangmin Zeng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This mixed-methods study explores the academic, sociocultural, and well-being experiences of Chinese international students in UK higher education. Drawing on questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups, the research identifies a phased adjustment process: initial navigation of academic expectations, followed by relational consolidation through peer networks and subsequent expansion into sociocultural engagement and academic agency. These interconnected domains are associated with reported personal and professional development. Participation in sociocultural initiatives at different stages was associated with varied experiences, depending on students’ developmental readiness. Students entering via pre-sessional English programs reported uneven preparedness, indicating the importance of sustained academic mentoring. Accounts of mental health challenges point to the relevance of culturally responsive, community-based support alongside traditional counseling services. The results position informal institutional spaces as developmental mechanisms rather than supplementary supports. The study offers evidence-based recommendations for phased support strategies and inclusive pedagogy to enhance long-term academic integration, sociocultural engagement, and well-being.
Copyright (c) 2026 Angela Christidis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
How can higher education enhance social adaptation and minimize struggles among international students?
As international student mobility grows, persistent adaptation challenges expose a gap between internationalization discourse and institutional practice in Indonesian higher education, highlighting the lack of an evidence-based, context-sensitive framework to effectively support international students. This study introduces the International Student Academic Management (ISAM) model, a framework designed to enhance institutional interventions for international students’ social adaptation and to mitigate their adjustment challenges. Employing Straussian Grounded Theory (SGT) with a qualitative approach, this study addresses persistent integration issues, particularly among Chinese students in Indonesian higher education institutions. Data were generated from 24 participants, including international students, academic staff, international office administrators, and deans, through semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and reflexive fieldwork. The ISAM comprises four interrelated dimensions: Transitional Anchoring, Academic Mediation, Institutional Reflexivity and Adaptation, and Participatory Governance and Strategic Alignment. These dimensions collectively respond to critical gaps in institutional practice and theorization.
Copyright (c) 2026 Wu Jiewei, Dedy Achmad Kurniady, Aan Komariah, Sururi, Rizki Satria Nugraha, Mochammad Devi Cahya Ruhimat, Zhang Shuhua https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The doctoral stage is often described as an isolating and individualistic journey, making belonging particularly challenging. Sense of belonging is closely linked to doctoral persistence, especially in the early stages, when marginality is heightened. As first-generation and international doctoral populations grow, understanding how belonging develops in the first year becomes increasingly important. This study draws on autoethnography and is informed by Van Gennep’s rites-of-passage framework to explore the first-semester experience of an international, first-generation PhD student. Through iterative reflection and interpretive analysis, the study traces how belonging emerges through moments of uncertainty, interaction, and adjustment. The findings show that belonging is a dynamic, processual experience that is unevenly negotiated across shifting academic, social, and cultural contexts. The study develops a process-oriented mapping of early belonging formation, extending the literature by foregrounding temporality and transition.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anyi Ma https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This study explores the academic shock experienced by international students from Muslim minority countries in Asia—Thailand, China, and Cambodia—who enrolled in an undergraduate Islamic Education program in Indonesia. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, data were collected through unstructured interviews with participating students. Findings reveal a significant shift in students’ perceptions during their studies. Initially influenced by media portrayals of terrorism and conflict, many students arrived with fear and uncertainty about studying in Indonesia. Over time, however, their academic and social experiences challenged these assumptions. Through inclusive interpretations of Islam, local cultural engagement, and dialogical learning, students encountered values of tolerance, hospitality, and mutual respect. This transformation encouraged them to promote religious moderation, interfaith dialogue, and humanistic education upon returning to their home countries. The study extends the concept of academic shock across intellectual, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions.
academic shock, international students, Islamic education graduates
Copyright (c) 2026 Ismail Ismail, Suja’i, Mohammad Ridwan, Novita Siswayanti, Umi Masfiah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This study explores how university housing influences cultural adaptation and belonging among Muslim international students in Japan. Positioned within a higher education setting characterized by indirect communication, standardized residential facilities, and limited institutional acknowledgment of religious differences, the research uses a qualitative, multimethod approach that includes autoethnography, semistructured interviews, and spatial analysis. The findings reveal that dormitories serve as important socio-spatial environments in which religious practices, daily routines, and social interactions are continually negotiated. Four interconnected themes emerged: managing halal food practices in shared kitchens, modifying spaces for ritual cleanliness and prayer, personalizing uniform rooms, and developing peer networks as informal support systems. The analysis demonstrates that seemingly neutral housing designs shift the burden of adaptation onto students.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hafsa Rifki https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Interaction of cultural and professional values
This study examined the cultural and professional values of social work students from collectivist and patriarchal backgrounds who were educated in Western-oriented academic settings. Minority students in international learning environments often experience tension when liberal professional values, such as autonomy and gender equality, conflict with cultural norms that prioritize family honor, social cohesion, and deference to authority. Using a qualitative case study approach, this research analyzed two cases of female students who encountered value-related dilemmas during their field education. Thematic analysis of supervision transcripts, reflective journals, and field reports revealed three central themes: emotional strain resulting from internal value dissonance, the ongoing negotiation of cultural and professional identities, and the significant role of supervision in linking cultural belonging with ethical professional practice. Based on the findings, a four-stage culturally responsive supervision model was developed to guide educators and institutions in creating inclusive, equitable, and culturally informed learning environments for diverse student populations.
Social work education, Arab students, cultural value conflicts, professional identity, culturally responsive supervision
Copyright (c) 2026 Romain Jammal Abboud, Wafaa Sowan, Alean Al Krenawi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Understanding international students' experiences at university belonging in the Turkish higher education System
International students constitute a significant portion of the higher education population in Turkey. This study explores the sense of belonging of 20 international students selected through maximum diversity sampling from Gaziantep University. Using a qualitative content analysis, the study identifies three key factors that shape students' sense of belonging: peer relationships, lecturers' attitudes, and the overall educational environment. The findings highlight the value of fostering collaborative learning, expanding social activities, and promoting supportive, responsive instructor behavior. The study also recommends involving students in academic projects and research, establishing effective communication and feedback systems, simplifying university procedures, and supporting student clubs. The research emphasizes the need for inclusive university policies to enhance the academic and social integration of international students. To strengthen their sense of belonging, both structural and social reforms are needed to enable students to express themselves more fully and participate more fully in the university environment.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bashar Ajjan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artificial intelligence for inclusive and sustainable international education
This paper aims to provide a conceptual theoretical review, investigating the role of artificial intelligence and education in advancing international sustainable education. Future global research and international development will benefit by increased understanding of how diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), alongside international sustainable education, is affected by social and contextual interpretation. The paper provides a critical review of some of the educational methods that can be delivered using AI, which can be adapted to link international development with education. The paper concludes by providing a critical theoretical review of the key issues discussed, regarding the future role of AI will have, in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in international education whilst enhancing DEI.
Immigration Politics, Policy, and Human Rights
Transnational Lives, Employment, and Careers
Copyright (c) 2026 Benjamin Duke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Differential pathways to higher education
This study examines the differential experiences of international students from the Global South and refugees accessing higher education in Germany through Fraser's (2008) tri-dimensional framework of social justice: redistribution, recognition, and representation. While both groups share overlapping challenges in navigating German higher education, existing research has largely treated them separately, creating gaps in understanding their comparative experiences and support needs. Using a conceptual qualitative research design informed by theory synthesis, the study finds that Global South students face economic barriers and cultural misrecognition despite educational legitimacy, while refugees encounter compounded obstacles, including legal uncertainties and recognition deficits, even with targeted support programs. Both experience compound injustice, intersecting economic, cultural, and political exclusion. The analysis reveals that current support systems operate on homogenizing principles, failing to reflect the intersectional realities of these students. Institutional reform grounded in social justice is urgently needed to foster genuinely inclusive educational environments
Copyright (c) 2026 Gabriela Fernandes, Elizabeth M. Hernández-López https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Collaborative online international learning (COIL) on Laudato Si’:
The concept of Integral Ecology, introduced in Laudato Si’, highlights the interdependence of humanity, society, and nature, calling for shared global responsibility and sustainable lifestyles. In this context, forty-six communication students and four professors from Ecuador and Argentina participated in a six-week collaborative online international learning (COIL) project, “University Laudato Si’” (2023), integrating the service learning (SL) methodology. Participants were able to co-design and implement an international sustainability campaign adapted to diverse cultural and social contexts. The study adopts a qualitative design, analyzing students’ videos, final presentations, and written reflections. This triangulation identified learning outcomes and collaborative dynamics in both international and local campaigning. The findings indicate that international teamwork enhanced participation, interaction, and intercultural understanding while empowering students to assume leadership roles as promoters of global citizenship committed to sustainability and social responsibility.
COIL, Laudato Si’, Global Citizenship Education, Communication Studies, Ecuador, Argentina, Sustainability
Copyright (c) 2026 Veronica Yepez-Reyes, Danilo Mettini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Chinese international students’ collective navigation of their study abroad experiences
This study explores the experiences of Chinese international students at London universities by analyzing 1,791 Mandarin-language posts from the Xiaohongshu site (RedNote). Six interconnected themes were identified in this naturally occurring discourse, reflecting the topics and concerns that these students themselves considered important. The themes are community and social life; identity and belonging; academic adaptation; future planning and uncertainty; managing daily life; and navigating structural and institutional systems. A key observation from this analysis lies in these students’ use of social media to transform individual experiences and struggles into a kind of ‘collective navigation’ of the challenges and meanings of being an international student. This was accomplished through the extensive use of cultural capital to broker shared understandings and transform individual psychological experiences into a distributed social process of acculturation and withdrawal. This provides a new framework for understanding sojourner adaptation in academic settings.
Copyright (c) 2026 Neil McLean, Iga Purton, Wenyu Tan, Jiuyu Zhang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0