International students, who attend Australian colleges or universities, can encounter several difficulties. In many cases, these individuals feel more vulnerable due to possible language barriers (Quynh, Auckland, Hoang, & Terry, 2013, p. 18). Additionally, these people believe that they are more likely to become the targets of street criminals (Quynh et al., 2013, p. 19). Furthermore, they may lack confidence in their learning skills (Ata, 2015, p. 489).
In part, this behavior can be explained by the insufficient command of the English language. One should also bear in mind that these people often struggle with stress. Moreover, some of them do seek medical assistance as soon as possible (Lu, Dear, Johnston, Wootton, & Titov, 2014, p. 98). They can act in this way due to time constraints and limited financial resources (Lu et al., 2014, p. 98). Much attention should be paid to the effect of cultural differences.
In some cases, students can be reluctant to discuss their emotional problems with others due to the cultural norms. These rules can also impact the behavior of female students who may be unwilling to use the services that can promote their sexual and reproductive health (Poljski, Quiazon, & Tran, 2014). Overall, the experiences of these people can be aggravated by the effects of culture shock. These dangers should be considered by educators and medical workers employed by colleges.
This question has significant implications for the administrator of universities. Currently, Australia attracts many students from various Asian countries (Tran, 2013, p. 41). These learners bring capital to the country and contribute to the growth of local educational organisations. In turn, one should identify the stressors that can influence these people. It is necessary to create support mechanisms for these learners.
A majority of the students from the Middle East opt to study in the United States. The students prefer the United States due to numerous reasons. They include academic excellence, advanced technology, and multiplicity of academic opportunities among others (Lee and Rice 389). Many students believe that the United States has the best university systems globally (Yangyi 1024). Therefore, they travel to the United States for tertiary education after graduating from high school.
The desire to advance my knowledge in art and design is what forced me to go to the United States for further studies. I believed that the country had the best lecturers in the world. Hence, I was assured of receiving the best education.
I developed a passion for art during my high school education. Unfortunately, our school did not have adequate and experienced teachers for art and design. The school had only one teacher who taught the senior class. The other students relied on unskilled teachers. The lack of skilled teachers did not thwart my dream to major in art and design. I dedicated a lot of time to studying art materials.
When I joined the senior class, I majored in art and design. Eventually, I graduated with a distinction in arts and design. I felt the desire to take my skills in art and design to a higher level. Unfortunately, I could not do it in the Middle East. One of the reasons why I could not pursue my studies in the Middle East was a lack of adequate lecturers. I visited the universities that offered a degree in art and design and learned that most of them did not have enough lecturers. The available lecturers were quite busy to provide personalized assistance. Thus, I knew that it was hard to achieve my dream in the Middle East.
Apart from poor teachers, Middle East does not have a good learning environment (Gaad 34). Art and design demand a lot of creativity. One requires conducting extensive research and interacting with other people who major in the same field. Unfortunately, very few people major in arts and design. Hence, it was hard for me to find someone to consult in the case of a problem. Additionally, the country lacked the state-of-the-art libraries and technologies that could facilitate research.
I needed to be in a country where I could easily access not only the lecturers but also art galleries that can help to arouse my creativity. The United States offered such an opportunity. The colleges in the Middle East do not provide flexible degree programs. Instead, they have structured programs that deny the students an opportunity to select classes that suit their interests.
Studying in the Middle East deprives the students of the chance to grow their cultural experience and increase educational opportunities (Chapman and Miric 327). A majority of the universities do not have a variety of student clubs that are tailored to the interests of different scholars. Some students end up joining organizations or clubs not because they add value to their interests but due to the desire to be members of an individual association.
Conversely, universities in the United States have diverse clubs and organizations that help students to nurture talents and pursue their interests (Lee 59). Thus, studying in the United States gives a student a chance to learn the American culture and make new friends. Besides, international students participate in numerous athletic, cultural, and academic activities that add value to their life.
In the Middle East, only a few colleges offer degrees in art and design. Besides, the colleges enroll a small number of students due to inadequate learning facilities (Gaad 43). My chances of getting enrolled in one of the colleges were constrained as I graduated from a rural high school. Besides, I never applied for a degree course in any of the colleges in my country. I always thought of going to the United States. I was confident that the United States offered flexible degree programs. Hence, I could find coursework that matched my academic needs, goals, and interests.
Getting an opportunity to study in the United States was not easy. I did not know where to begin. I did not have any contacts at any American University. Besides, I did not know if my high school grades were admissible in an American University. Luckily enough, my brother knew how to apply for a degree program in the United States. He had studied in the United States for three years. Thus, he had vast experience in what is required for one to join a university.
I told him about my desire to join him in the United States and within a few weeks we started to prepare the requisite documents. After finding all the necessary documents, he guided me on how to apply for a degree course. I sent applications to ten universities to increase the chances of getting admitted. After six months, I received admission letters from three institutions. My brother helped me to select the best college based on the cost of living and the availability of affordable apartments in its environs. One major mistake that International students commit is choosing a university because it is situated in a major city (Brustein 387). Many students are unable to bear with the cost of living in the main towns. Hence, my brother selected a university that was far from the major cities.
After choosing the college, he visited the school to inquire about what was required before I could enroll in the degree program. He knew about the best visa for international students and how to apply for one. Hence, he assisted me to apply for the visa. He also rented an apartment in one of the residential areas that were close to the University. My brother made all the necessary arrangements for my travel to the United States.
After the visa was ready, I moved to the United States to join my brother. He requested one week leave from his workplace to take me around the university as well as the nearest city. He also assisted me to purchase the household items that I required for my survival. I did not need the assistance of the international students’ office. By the time the classes began, I was acquainted with the university. Besides, I knew all that was needed on my first day at the school. I did not require going through the registration process as my brother had already done it on my behalf. Without my brother, it would have been hard for me to get a chance to study in the United States.
Works Cited
Brustein, William. “The Global Campus: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education in North America.” Journal of Studies in International Education 11.4 (2007): 382-391. Print.
Chapman, David and Suzanne, Miric. “Education Quality in the Middle East.” International Review of Education 55.4 (2009): 311-344. Print.
Gaad, Eman. Inclusive Education in the Middle East, New York: Routledge, 2010. Print.
Lee, Jenny and Charles Rice. “Welcome to America? International Student Perceptions of Discrimination.” Higher Education 53.3 (2007): 381-409. Print.
Lee, Jenny. “Beyond Borders: International Student Pathways to the United States.” Journal of Studies in International Education 4.2 (2007): 55-78. Print.
Yangyi, Kwon. “Factors Affecting International Students’ Transition to Higher Education Institutions in the United States: From the Perspective of Office of International Students.” College Student Journal 43.4 (2009): 1020-1036. Print.
Since the origin of the universe man has always existed as a community due to various reasons. It is always said that no man is an island. People have a tendency of forming groups or communities that range from small group such as the family set up to a large one such as a country or a religious group.
Different communities arise due to different reasons such as common interests or common challenges that they face in life. I have been an international student for more than two years and I have interacted with other international students as a community. This paper explores the international student as a community.
International students as a community
International students that come from all over the world to study in the United States have very many challenges. These challenges are usually the origin of the international student as a community. We have similar challenges such as adapting to the culture of the host country, language barrier, religious conflicts, and constitutional rights among others.
One of the things that bring us get together as a community is culture conflict. We live in a community where culture is totally different from our homeland in terms of dressing, meals, language and even religious beliefs. This often demands that international students from the same country come together to form a community.
We usually have arrangements to meet with other student from different colleges who come from the same country and get to share about our challenges, experiences and even fantasies about our lives in foreign land. These are usually the happiest times when one feels at home with people who you share common origin.
International student community is best felt when the international students from the same country meet during cultural shows that are usually organized from time to time. An example is the wonderful Chinese culture night that happens once in a while in different parts of the country.
International students from China are always present to remind themselves of their beautiful culture and also to meet with other Chinese people. When we meet we usually have a very wonderful time dancing to Chinese music and also sharing traditional delicacies with other Chinese students.
International student community can be seen in the college set up whereby international students from the same origin tend to stick together as a group due to various college challenges such as language barrier, stereotyping, alienation, and misunderstanding among others.
I always find myself in a group of other students who come from my country. Different colleges have allowed the formation of international student organizations such as Chinese students’ organization. These organizations are usually very important since they act as avenues for expressing grievances for international students as a community to the college administration.
In most instances students from the same country share the same religion affiliation. International students will often form a community whereby they can be able to exercise their cultural rituals together and this makes them come together as a community. Chinese students will always meet as a community to pray and perform religious rituals since they may not be accommodated into other religions.
International students as a community attracts specialized services due to their unique needs as international students. A good example is International student health insurance & medical insurance for non-US citizens in America which provides insurance services for international student community in the United States. This indicates how unique the international student community is in terms of their needs. The global community recognizes them as a unique community (Winstrom 1).
At the global level there are international student forums such as AIESEC (International Association of Students in Economics and Business Management) which is a non profit organization managed by international students whose objective is to develop leaders from students from all over the world. The AIESEC website provides an interactive forum for all the students where they can discuss different issues such as business and leadership. This reflects international students as a community.
International students’ community is also present in the social websites such as Facebook and tweeter. International students from different countries form groups where they can chat and communicate with other students from their motherland country. Social sites are usually a very nice platform for meeting with other students especially when meetings might interfere with education.
International student association (ISA) of University of Mississippi is a student run organization for all international students usually open to all the students that may be interested in different countries and cultures. ISA as an international students’ community arranges various interesting programs for making the international students exited and enthusiastic about college life by organizing different exiting events such as tournaments, movies and trips (Winstrom 1).
Conclusion
Communities are an integral part of the society indeed the whole universe can be seen as a community. Different communities form due to different reasons such as common challenges and interests. International students have been described as a society due to their unique needs, challenges and interests.
The community is well structured in colleges as international students’ organizations, found in social sites. They also hold religious functions together as a community. They also attract specialized services such as international students insurance for student living in America. They can be found in functions such as international cultural gatherings. International students are thus a very important and interesting community in the global society.
Work Cited
Winstrom, Elen. The Disadvantages of Studying Abroad for International Students. Bright Hub, 2010. Web.
Education is among the major aspects of human existence affected by globalization. Institutions strive to place themselves on the global academic map. To achieve this, they offer cutting edge services and innovative programs. Deakin University, one of Australia’s leading universities runs an international student support program that is touted as among the best in Australia. The program is supported by the fact that the University operates on a student-focused culture and is a sector leader insofar as student satisfaction is concerned. However, the university seems to neglect pre-arrival support services for international students. The existing pre-arrival support could do better if a pairing program in which prospective students are linked with current students via social media to facilitate correspondence between them prior to the reporting time.
Introduction
The advent of globalization has seen education become a global affair. Institutions strive to ensure that they attain and maintain global standards insofar as their academic programs and support services are concerned. The once prestigious and seemingly unchallengeable institutions of higher learning currently face stiff competition from relatively new institutions from across the world.
Deakin University, one of Australia’s leading universities is a good example of relatively new higher education institutions, which are rapidly emerging as formidable forces within the higher education circles across the globe. The institution is globally acknowledged for its superb teaching and innovation, entrenched student-focused culture, and friendly environment (History, Statistics, Awards, 2014). This reputation has enabled Deakin University to build a sizeable foreign student population.
The University prides itself on an elaborate foreign student support program, which takes care of students from arrival time to the time of departure. This is quite encouraging for foreign students especially considering the fact that some of them come from the developing world and may have difficulty adjusting to the new environment and lifestyle at the institution. This report examines the International Student Support Program run by Deakin University with the aim of suggesting possible improvement. It is anticipated that with the improvement, the program will serve international students better.
Overview of the International Student Support Program
The moment a Deakin University International student arrives in Australia, based on prior arrangements, there is always a driver waiting to take them to their temporary residences (Arriving in Australia, 2014). This effectively averts any confusion at the airport and the daunting task of locating an accommodation facility and the institution after arrival. The program further supplies information about all the details of living in Australia. Volunteers are available to assist any student who needs physical assistance while settling in. This assistance covers a myriad of issues such as insurance, banking, legal concerns, and many more (Arriving in Australia, 2014). It is basically all around.
Evaluation of the International Student Support Program
The international student support program run by Deakin University is at best a very elaborate program that goes to great detail to ensure the comfort of the beneficiaries. The University has invested in making the program as satisfactory as it possibly can under the prevailing circumstances. This endeavor has been strengthened by the fact that Deakin University espouses a student-focused culture in which all its services and programs are aimed at ensuring that utmost satisfaction is delivered to the students (History, Statistics, Awards, 2014).
The warm, friendly, and helpful environment that exists at the University is another boost to the international student support program. This is a typical characteristic of the University for which it is well known within Australia and beyond (History, Statistics, Awards, 2014). This hospitality is an addition to the already enabling environment in which the program exists. The international student support program is thus propped by important pillars that ensure that it does well and keeps improving.
However, despite there being a detailed and well supported international student support program at Deakin University, there is always room for improvement. The University seems to overemphasize the post-arrival support services thereby neglecting an important aspect of international student support. While it may be comforting to know that there will be a driver waiting at the airport on arrival, an incoming student can be seriously weighed down by the fact that there is no one she/he knows at the institution (International Student Support Services, 2014). There is a need to address this by ensuring that by the time a student comes in, he/she is already acquainted with one or more continuing students and is looking forward to meeting them.
Conclusion
Deakin University is a relatively new university considering the fact that it is among universities that are less than fifty years old. This implies that it still has the potential to grow in many aspects. Its international student support program is doing very well alongside other programs. However, there is a need for the University to also consider pre-arrival support services so that international students arrive already equipped with an idea of what the institution is like from the student perspective (Information for parents of prospective international students, 2014). In addition, the pre-arrival support services should be designed such that when the student arrives, he/she knows that there is at least one person with whom she/he has an understanding.
Recommendation
Deakin University should devise a mechanism of linking prospective students with one or more continuing students via social media. By so doing, the prospective student begins undergoing some form of orientation long before arrival and when the new student finally arrives, there is at least one person they look forward to the meeting which is kind of reassuring.
References
Arriving in Australia 2014, Web.
History, Statistics, Awards 2014, Web.
Information for parents of prospective international 2014, Web.
The situation in the educational sector of Australia which is connected with the question of international students’ participating in such programs and courses as ELICOS during 2007-2011 should be analyzed in details.
The main objective of the report is to examine the factors which can influence the fact of falling of the number of those students from Colombia and Saudi Arabia who attend ELICOS in 2011 and growing of the number of Italian students. The data of the current statistics and the information from the Internet resources are used for developing of the investigation.
Background
Today English is considered to be the language of the international communication and the language of the global economy and politics. As a result, we can find out a lot of social and economic reasons for learning of the English language. This fact results in the popularity of ELICOS in Australia as the prospect to learn the language effectively (Studies in Australia 2011). Thus, the higher education system in Australia is famous all over the world, and a lot of students from many countries go to Australia to study at colleges and universities.
However, today international higher education in Australia is under pressure because of a number of economic reasons. The rate of international students who take part in ELICOS alters greatly in 2011 in comparison with the circumstances of 2010 (Student Visa Statistics).
The tendency is that the number of international students from the Asian region and from South America was reduced and the amount of students from European countries grew (Studies in Australia 2011). It is necessary to analyze the causes for the phenomenon with the help of examining of the situation for such countries as Columbia, Saudi Arabia and Italy. “Italy showed the strongest growth of any country (in terms of numbers of students) with an additional 124 students” (English Australia Report on AEI Statistics 2011).
Aims
The purpose of the report is to study the factors which can influence the situation of lessening of the number of those students from Columbia and Saudi Arabia who attend ELICOS and to examine the conditions of the situation with Italian students. Moreover, it is required to offer the analysis of the reasons for the phenomenon using the data of statistics for 2007-2011.
Methods
To provide the effective analysis of the reasons for falling of the number of Columbian and Saudi students and increasing of the number of Italian students, the data of statistics for 2007-2011 should be examined and analyzed, and the material from the Internet resources should be discussed.
Findings
The proper examination of the data of statistics for 2007-2011 and of the information from the Internet resources is effective for the analysis of the problem associated with the amount of international students participating in ELICOS in Australia (Overseas students to Australia decreased 2011).
While analyzing of the data of the statics which present the results about the quantity of international students from Columbia, we can observe the progress in the amount of Colombian students during the period of 2007-2010 and its decline in 2011. A great number of Colombian students went to Australia in the period of 2007-2009 because the Australian government supported and encouraged international students from South America and worked out the system of cooperation with Colombia.
Moreover, Australia offered scholarships to Colombian students, and in 2010 the number of students remained quite high. However, the situation has changed in 2011, and the amount of Colombian students is not more than 2000 students now. The reasons for the fact are the effects of the global economic crisis, visa restrictions and rising of the costs for the international education (Colombia Country Brief 2011).
The graph above illustrates the positions of international students from Italy during 2007-2011. Thus, we can observe the sudden jump in the number of Italian students in 2011 because the governments of Italy and Australia have worked out the principles of advantageous cooperation in the sphere of education.
Today the amount of Italian students is more than 350 students, but in 2010 it was only 250. The reason for the shift is also the development of the governmental programs in Italy which support students’ getting of the education abroad (Hassan 2010). Moreover, Italian students succeeded in winning of the Australian Government’s “Endeavour Awards 2011” (International Student Insurance 2010; Jones 2011).
It is obvious from the chart that the quantity of Saudi students in Australia in 2011 reduces in comparison with 2010. However, it was continuously growing during 2007 and 2008 because in 2006 King Abdullah supported establishing of the scholarship program in Saudi Arabia, and the government developed the opportunities for getting higher education in Australia.
The Australian government also encouraged Saudi students because of the governmental programs of cooperation between these countries. The most obvious result of the process was observed in 2008 when the number of students was about 2000 (International Student Insurance 2010).
Australia was also attractive for Saudi students in 2009 because the Saudi government promoted their students and provided them with the financial and academic support.
Moreover, the scholarship program was improved in 2010. However, the government of Australia adopted visa restrictions and increased the costs for study, and this fact resulted in growing of the amount of students from Saudi Arabia who experienced financial difficulties studying in Australia, the effects were quite negative (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2010).
Many factors of the development of the global economy and Australian economic sector and various social issues can be considered as the most significant reasons for the transformation of the situation with the amount of international students (Jacinthe 2011).
Among the most influential socio-economic factors the impact of the global financial crisis, a high Australian dollar, the progress in the competition between such countries as the US in the educational sphere can be determined (Phillimore and Koshy 2010; Martin 2011). Moreover, such factors as reputational damage caused by attacks on international students and student welfare concerns are also rather influential (Martin 2011).
However, there are also such significant aspects as skilled migration rules and a great number of restrictive visa conditions which were admitted by the Australian government (Martin 2011). “2011 shows a continuation and acceleration of the decline for ELICOS. ELICOS student visa commencements declined by -16.5 % for YTD 2011 to produce a total of 33, 481 commencements. This decline represents 6,615 fewer commencing students than YTD 2010” (English Australia Report on AEI Statistics 2011).
Conclusion and Recommendations
Australia is popular with a great number of international students who go there for attending various courses and participating in the educational programs every year. However, today international students from Colombia and Saudi Arabia can experience difficulties with their visas and migration processes because of the restrictions which were accepted by the Australian government (Student Visa Statistics).
This fact can be considered as decisive for the fall in the amount of students. The situation with Italy is quite opposite because there are the governmental programs of supporting of European students who study in Australia (Student Visa Statistics).
Therefore, the ways for altering of the current circumstances were determined. It is obvious, that “there is a need for a reconsideration of higher education policy settings in view of the current international climate. This presents both opportunities and challenges for the Australian sector which need to be addressed in view of government’s goals for higher education in general” (Phillimore and Koshy 2010).
That is why the measures which can help to attract a great number of international students to Australia again should be worked out. It is also important to understand some changes in the process of migrations and visa questions, and there is the necessity of reducing of the negative effects of the situation for the economy of the country.
References
Colombia Country Brief (2011) Education. Web.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2010) Saudi Arabia country brief. Web.
English Australia Report on AEI Statistics (2011) ELICOS: Commencing enrolments YTD. ELICOS report.
Jacinthe (2011) Brisbane on the Lookout for International Students. Web.
Jones M. (2011) Oz government blamed for decrease in foreign student enrolments in Australia. Web.
Martin K. (2011) International student total enrolments and new commencements AEI PRISMS data YTD March 2011. Web.
The author of the article focuses on the peculiarities of student total enrolments and new commencements which are adopted by the government of Australia toward international students.
Overseas students to Australia decreased (2011). Web.
Phillimore J. and Koshy P. (2010) The Economic Implications of Fewer International Higher Education Students in Australia, The John Curtin Institute of Public Policy, Curtin University of Technology, Australia.
The authors of the investigation focus on the relations of the educational sector of Australia and the economy of the country.
Student Visa Statistics (2011) Student Visa Program report. Web.
According to the statistical data, the number of international students in the United States has significantly increased since the middle of the twentieth century. Approximately fifty thousand people prefer studying in the USA. This phenomenon can be explained by various reasons. First and foremost, it is the quality of education, this is probably the major factor. The second reason is that, these students have a good opportunity to master their English and broaden their horizons. Thus, we can speak of the so-called “cultural quest”.
However, people who decide to enroll into a college or university in the United States will have to face many problems of various kinds. Our major task is to discuss them and suggest the way in which these challenges can be resolved.
Difficulties arising in connection with the application process
As we have already mentioned, there can various kinds of obstacles that an international students have to surmount. Perhaps, it would be better to start from the very beginning, the application process. It is necessary to obtain VISA, which is not so easy to accomplish, especially if a students live in some developing country, and embassy officials usually tend to look with suspicion at such people, believing that their primary purpose is not to study but work. The problem is that the embassy officials are often very biased in their judgment and they often may be prejudiced against some students, especially if we are speaking about the so-called racial profiling. It may sound like an accusation of racism, but as sociologists believe, deep-rooted racial stereotypes are still present even among the officials. Many applications of international students are rejected just for the reason that these people allegedly look suspicious.
Main criteria for the application to the university
Additionally, this person must be proficient in English, at first glance it may sound commonplace to say the least. However, the point is that the application committee first evaluates results of the proficiency tests such as for instance TOEFL or Michigan Test, if a person has less than 400 points in TOEFL or less than 70 in the Michigan his or her academic achievements are often disregarded. Perhaps, our educational institutions should adopt some new policy. Probably, we should attach primary importance to the academic performance but not the language skills, because any international student can easily improve his English if he or she lives in the United States (Mallinckrodt, B. & Leong, 79). Moreover, very often-international students are rejected, because he or she fails to cope with some standardized test. The thing is that such international student is not used to taking such tests, because in some countries, tests are not so often used and other tasks are more preferable. Thus, the application committee has to make allowances for the students educational background, which can be different of that one in the United States (Barrat, 423).
Cultural shock
The second major problem that any international student inevitably encounters is the so-called cultural shock or the period of adjustment as psychologists often call it. It involves a great number of aspects and it is worth mentioning that not every person is able to overcome it. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it depends upon the person, and there is no infallible solution of this problem. Overall, it can be characterized by the feeling of disorientation and anxiety. An international student may not be familiar with the behavioral norms established in the American society, and some of them can easily arouse surprise or sometimes even dislike (Kelly, 786). In addition, it is quite possible for us to say that any students who come from abroad may experience the so-called language barrier. Some people, especially extroverts tend to be more reticent when they speak with foreigners (Poyrazli, 28). This created some sense of alienation, it seems to a person that he or she is lonely and to a certain extent abandoned. There are many manifestations of culture shock if we take the process of studying. Many educators believe that international students are more successful in written work; however, some of them have a strong disinclination to contributing at seminars, because it seems to them that they speak in “broken English” and that they will be laughed at (Furnham, Alibhai, 715). Naturally, that mostly depends upon the person, and many people, especially outgoing and sociable can easily break this psychological barrier (Wan, 211). However, cultural shock can never be conquered if native people do not help international students. Besides, a student must be provided with the list of student organizations that can help him or her to get through the period of adjustment.
As regards cultural shock, we should also mention that foreign students experience some difficulties, establishing new relationships. It can be ascribed to various factors, like for instance, the difference in cultural values and behavioral norms. Besides, the concept of friendship is highly subjective and it may depend upon the personality and the culture. It stands to reason that it can easily affect the students academic performance, because many assignments are based on teamwork, and it will be difficult for the international student to become a full member of the team if he or she is reticent or tends to be separated from other members (Hayes, 10). However, by being an active participant in different social gatherings whereby students share thoughts and ideas with others may help a lot.
Problems connected with the period of adjustment to the new country
As far as cultural differences are concerned, we may also speak about the system of education, established in the United States and the country from which the international student comes from or probably it would be better to say educational approach. For example, in the United States, a test is considered to be the most expedient way to check the students knowledge, moreover written form of exam is more preferable. The point is that educator in many countries do not share such view. For example, in post-Soviet countries, teachers mostly give preference to viva voce examinations. As a result, an international student may not be as successful as he may or she could be (Charles, 175). Perhaps, American educators should take into account this fact and make some alterations that could help international students to fully express themselves.
Such social phenomenon as racism can also have a strong influence on the international students. Some people may easily make an objection to this statement and say that it is far-fetched and that it cannot be substantiated. However, racism has many forms and manifestations, for example insensitivity to the cultural background of the foreign student. People usually tend to believe that rules and norms, established in their society are the most appropriate. The person, who does not adhere to these norms is viewed as strange, and deviant. Very often, any foreign student can feel very depressed, if he or she is looked upon as a contrarian or white crow. As a result, a person can retreat into himself and make practically no attempt to establish friendly relationships with other people (Mori, 140).
Regarding cultural problems or culture shock, one cannot disregard such feeling as homesickness. Being separated from home for a considerably long time can make a person feel lonely and isolated. He or she can even perceive foreign county as hostile. There are many explanations for this phenomenon. First, a person does not have opportunity to speak his native language. It can be quite depressing sometimes. Besides, a student can miss his relatives and friends, especially if he or she cannot make new friends with people in the United States. As a result, such person will want to leave this county as soon as possible. What was supposed to be an interesting cultural and social adventure will prove to be torture for him. The only possible solution to this problem is to be sociable and outgoing. Moreover, a student should always try to find the positive side of being in a foreign country. Other students should also encourage him or her to be more open. Probably, this can alleviate the symptoms of homesickness (Sue, 123).
Financial difficulties experiencing by international students
Now that we have discussed bureaucratic and cultural problems, that an international student may face, we should proceed to the financial aspect. The thing is that study in some of American Universities can cost sometimes a large sum of money. It is not surprising that not everyone can afford it. Certainly, many institutions provide scholarships for gifted students but in the majority of cases, they are given to the native students. Besides, it is very difficult for an international student to prove that he or she really deserves the scholarship or probably some financial support living abroad.
It is estimated that approximately 1000 scholarships are available for international students, and approximately 30 top students from various counties lay claim to this grant. Some colleges or universities provide loans for the international student, but it is a very serious step to make and international students usually disregard this option.
Certainly, some institutions give campus jobs to the international students, like for instance working in the health club, library or cafeteria, but there are hundreds of native students, who also need these jobs.
Providing, that an international student wants to work outside campus, he or she is obliged to have a green card, a permission to work in the United States, which is not always easy to obtain.
Perhaps, American state and private institutions should pay more attention to international students, because it can be beneficial for the country itself. The problem is that many talented people do not have a chance to show what they are capable of.
If these people are provided with sufficient financial support, they may easily become naturalized Americans and contribute to the well-being of the country. There are many examples proving this statement, for instance Einstein, Tesla, Nabokov and many others. These people have now become an inseparable of the American image. Perhaps, the government and educational institutions should think of long-term effects.
Conclusion
Now, that we have discussed the major problems that an international student may experience, while living and studying in the United States, we can arrive at the conclusion that these problems usually fall into three categories: bureaucratic, cultural and financial. Bureaucratic problems are closely connected with the process of application and obtaining visa. As regards, the cultural problems, it is quite possible for us to mention language barrier, homesickness, and the difference between behavioral norms and cultural values. Speaking about the financial problems, we should say that the aid given to the international students is not sufficient.
Bibliography
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The international education sector has been faced by numerous challenges including increased rivalry and financial drawbacks that have forced many higher learning institutions to become tactical in order to boost international student enrollment. The successful recruitment of international students is now reliant on better comprehension of the factors that influence students to seek higher learning abroad.
This research seeks to examine trends in the enrollment of international students to US institutions. To accomplish this, the research starts by assessing the impact of policy reforms pertaining to internationalization in the four major global student destination countries, namely the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.
The second section of the research involves the analysis of readily available data and relevant literature to identify international enrollment trends in the US with regard to the countries of origin, target states, major education programs, and the new recruitment practices employed by US institutions.
International Education
The international student recruitment process has always been proactive in attracting talent and increasing the diversity of higher learning institutions. However, in the recent past, these institutions have intensified their efforts to boost global enrollment as a way to foster their economic health.
Factors such as increased rivalry and reduced funding have forced institutions of all sizes, including the highly selective public institutions, to become more tactical in their global recruitment practices, if they wish to tap into this revenue stream. While the big institutions have been able to attract a pool of foreign students using their reputation, the smaller ones have been forced to dedicate more resources to prove their relevance in this market.
Regardless of the resources available for the different institutions, only one factor determines the success of international recruitment practices: the better comprehension of factors that influence students to seek higher learning abroad. The influx of Australian students in the US, for instance, has been affected by amendments of the immigration policy in the country of origin (Green and Ferguson 32).
This research paper seeks to identify trends in international education with particular emphasis on the issues affecting international student recruitment. The research starts by examining the impact of policy reforms on international student mobility in the United States compared to Australia, Canada and the UK, followed by a thorough analysis of international enrollment trends in the US with regard to the countries of origin, target states, major education programs, and the new recruitment practices.
Impact of Policy Reforms on International Student Mobility
The UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS) claims that the number of international mobile students has continued to grow from 2.1 million in 2002, to an estimated 3.4 million students in 2009. The figure below shows the sizeable growth in global student in the four leading destination countries namely the US, the UK, Canada and Australia, in the period between 2002 and 2009 (Berkely International Office).
Figure 1: total enrollment numbers in the US, UK, Canada and Australia between 2002 and 2009. Source: Berkely International Office.
Based on figure 1 above, the US remained as the leading destination country for global students between 2002 and 2009, though its rate of enrollment growth was much lower compared to that of the UK, Australia and Canada, which recorded a 62%, 43% and 67% increase in enrollment, respectively.
According to Marklein, the US share of internationally mobile students has gradually decreased in the last ten years, despite the growth of global enrollments in higher education. Out of an estimated 3.4 million international students in 2011, only 660,581 students, 20%, sought higher education in the US. Marklein claims that this was a 27% decrease in enrollment from 2002, which he attributes to the establishment of new destination markets and increased competition.
This trend has been a cause for concern among US institutions that continuously need to rely on global students to augment their finances. The institutions claim the attractiveness of the US as a preferable destination country for international students has decreased due to multiple negative influencers including visa complexity, distance, cost, and stiff competition from other popular destinations (Marklein).
Nevertheless, analysts suggest that the US has been passive in global student recruitment, and has just recently identified this opportunity as a great channel to combat fiscal challenges.
Analysts further suggest that the US has great potential to increase its enrollment, owing to the massive size of its post-secondary education system, especially since foreign students account for only 3% of students at higher education level, compared to 8%, 15% and 21% in Canada, the UK, and Australia, respectively. At an institutional level, the US is also capable of absorbing more students compared to its competitors.
Some institutions in the UK, for instance, have an international student population of 50%, compared to 30% in some US institutions (IIE Open Doors). This difference in enrollment has been attributed to aggressive recruitment practices involving the use of agents, particularly in the UK, in addition to liberal amendments to their immigration policies in the early 2000s (IIE Open Doors).
International Enrollment Trends in the US
Countries of Origin
According to Choudaha (12), 20% of the world’s higher education international students come from India and China. In addition, more than 80% of the increase in foreign student enrollment in the US, in the past decade, has been from these two countries. However, data from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) shows that the number of Indian students has been decreasing in the past few years, while that of Chinese students has been on a radical increase.
The USICE holds that there were over 200,000 Chinese students on M-1 and F-1 visas at the Student and Exchange Visitor Approved schools in 2011, which marks a 27% increase from 2010. In the same period, the USICE noted a 4% decrease in the number of Indian students (Knight).
Studies suggest that the growing number of international Chinese students can be attributed to the increasing number of Chinese households who have the financial capacity to take their children through the US education system, coupled with the absence of high-quality education in their home country.
The decline of Indian students’ enrollment, on the other hand, has been attributed to the US economic recession. This is because more than 50% of Indian students enroll in Engineering and Computer Science Master’s programs, and they are extremely keen to identify the possibilities for returns of their investment in education. However, the improving state of the US economy has already began to reverse the trend, as seen from the 18% increase in student visas issued to Indians in 2011 (Bartlett and Fischer).
While India and China remain as the leading sources of global higher education students, there are many other countries that add to the pool of globally mobile students pursuing further studies in the US. Some of these countries include Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico, and Vietnam. As a way for US tertiary education institutions to reduce their risk on financial health and boost campus diversity, they have shifted their recruitment efforts to these countries.
Studies claim that Saudi Arabia and Brazil are particularly good student recruitment countries because their governments provide students with scholarships, which considerably reduces the reliance of their students on other forms of financial assistance. The focus of recruitment practices to these new markets has already started to show results, with a 50% increase in Saudi Arabian students in 2011, and the entry of Brazil to the list of top ten countries supplying global students to the US. (Berkely International Office)
Target States
The states that have attracted the highest number of international students in the US include Massachusetts, New York, Texas, California, Illinois, and Washington D.C. While higher learning institutions in these states continue to draw in large numbers of foreign students, the number of enrollments in other states has continued to grow gradually, as well, with a 27%, 19%, 18%, 17% and 15% increase in Delaware, Oregon, Arkansas, Alaska, and South Dakota, from 2009 to 2011, respectively.
The trend to seek higher learning in unpopular institutions has been motivated by the new breed of global students who are open to consider a wide selection of schools, as well as the growing number of institutions recruiting global students. The increasing number of target states can also be attributed to the changes made to state-level policies, such as the amendment of regulations limiting public universities from enrolling international students past the 30% student population mark (Dobbs, Remes and Manyika 43).
Education Programs Enrollment Levels
Data from the IIE Open Doors suggests that close to 34% of all foreign students in the US enrolled for programs at the Bachelor’s level in 2011. Studies suggest that students who enroll for the four-year programs tend to be self-funded and less likely to rely on institutional financial aid. They also provide longer revenue streams compared to the two-year Master’s level students, which has resulted in increased efforts by institutions to recruit students at this level as a way to overcome the current fiscal challenges (IIE Open Doors).
Studies conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute suggest that the rapid rate of fiscal growth and urbanization in Asia will increase the income and ultimately, consumption ability, of many families in both India and China in the period between 2005 and 2025. Higher learning institutions in the US have already acknowledged the changing landscape and the great opportunity that it holds for recruiting more self-funded students.
There was a seven fold increase in the number of Chinese students pursuing 4-year degrees in the US, from 8,000 in 2005 to 56,000 in 2011, who currently account for about 41% of all Chinese students in the US. Similarly, the number of undergraduate level students from Saudi Arabia increased nine-fold within the same period (Times of India).
Besides the increase in foreign students taking up 4-year programs in American institutions, the growth in the total number of global students in the US has also been partly attributed to English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and Optional Practical Training. The growth in the number of OPT students from 29,000 in 2004 to 76,000 in 2011 has been attributed to the extension of the program from 12 to 29 months for STEM students.
Reports suggest that more than 35% of global students and 66% of Indian students find STEM disciplines to be preferable to other levels. Similarly, the intake of students pursuing ESL courses increased from 10,000 in 2004 to 29,000 in 2011, mostly because of the increase in international students from Saudi Arabia, who made up close to 30% of all students enrolled to these programs in 2011 (Times of India).
New Recruitment Practices
The fraction of international students who pursue higher learning in US institutions is fairly low compared to the total number of high school graduate students. The low percentage implies that US institutions can still do more to make the US an attractive destination for international students.
In an effort to boost their recruitment efforts, various institutions have began to employ new tactics to catch the attention of globally mobile students, including the use of recruitment service providers, state consortia marketing, and using social media to engage with alumni (Choudaha 5).
Emerging recruitment tactics that employ partnerships with commissioned agents and pathways programs have been aimed at facilitating quick turnarounds in enrollment numbers.
However, such practices have resulted in the compromise of quality, which has lowered the institutions’ brand and increased the expenses brought about by risk mitigation measures. According to Bartlett and Fischer, the use of representatives to solicit applications and market the institutions in college fairs has resulted in random applications that make it hard to determine the genuineness of the applicants’ grades.
This has made it critical for institutions to establish proper risk control measures that prevent their recruitment efforts from producing counteractive effects that destroy the veracity of their enrollment processes. Alternatively, some institutions have sought more credible ways to reach applicants via the use of social media (Choudaha 9).
According to Choudaha, the use of social media offers institutions four distinctive advantages: swiftness, impact, low fee, and customization. In addition, engaging the alumni has been extremely instrumental in not only promoting the referral process, but also enhancing the possibility of raising funds in the future. Through social media, institutions have been able to keep in touch with their graduates from all over the world.
The third mode of marketing has been through the use of collaborative effort. According to Green and Ferguson (33), institutions have decided to use state-wide initiatives to pool their resources and make collective efforts to reach international students. This approach has proven to be invaluable for the smaller and less popular institutions, especially in the absence of nationally organized outreach efforts.
Conclusion
Recruitment processes in the US are basically all-year activities with different programs starting at different times of the year. Considering the increasing need for higher education institutions to counteract their fiscal challenges by increasing international enrollment, their recruitment efforts are likely to yield more results in the future by attracting global students from India and China, as well as students from emerging markets like Brazil and Saudi Arabia. Students will continue to pursue ESL programs, as well as bachelor’s level programs in different countries based on the attractiveness of policies to international students.
While the trend shows an increase in student mobility for the four popular destinations, individual states and institutions will have to compete vigorously for gifted and self-funded students. The success of US institutions will be largely dependent on the strategies used for recruitment based on their understanding of the relationship between global mobility trends and the decision-making process of prospective students.
Annotated Bibliography
Bartlett, Tom and Karin Fischer. “The China Conundrum: American colleges find the Chinese-student boom a tricky fit.” 2011. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Web.
The authors examine the factors leading to the increase in the number of international students from Asia, and China in particular, pursuing higher education studies in the US. The article looks at the need for US institutions to demonstrate their diversity in recruiting international students, and the ability of Chinese households to meet the financial obligations of studying abroad.
This portal provides information that is beneficial to international students and scholars in order to enhance their experiences. Some of the content includes advise, advocacy, and immigration services.
In addition, there are full reports containing international student enrollment data for the past decade, showing the current number of international students currently in the US, number of new students each year, number of graduates, percentage increases and decreases in enrollment, key countries of origin, and other useful information pertaining to enrollment in US institutions.
Choudaha, Rahul. Social Media in International Student Recruitment. Durham, NC: Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), 2012. Print.
Choudaha looks at the signifcance of social media in complementing other efforts made by US institutions to recruit more international students, and the impact of interacting with alumni when it comes to increasing referrals and seeking additional funding. The author further looks at the benefits of social media when used effectively, as a cost-effective tool for international recruitment.
Dobbs, Richard, et al. “Urban World: Cities and the rise of the consuming class.” McKinsey Global Institute 2012. Print.
This report by McKinsey Global Institute examines the economic power of Asian cities, the increase in urban consuming classes, and the implications of the consumer demand on various aspects including the pursuit for high-quality post high-school education in the four leading destination countries.
Green, Madeleine and Adelaide Ferguson. Internationalisation of U.S. Higher Education In a Time of Declining Resources. Barton: Commonwealth of Australia, 2011. Print.
The authors review the issues affecting the internationalization efforts of US higher education institutions, including their declining resources. Green and Ferguson also provide an overview of the US fiscal climate and its implications on higher education, as well as the impact of changes to policies pertaining to internationalization on foreign student recruitment and enrollment.
IIE Open Doors. Institute of International Education. 2011. Web.
Supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State, the IIE Open Doors report contains comprehensive information on international students and scholars who are either teaching or enrolled to higher education institutions in the US. There are also special reports on the fiscal impact of international students studying in the US, and the various modes of financing that these students use, as well as the preference for Bachelor’s programs compared to other levels.
Knight, Michael. Strategic review of the student visa program. Sidney: Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2011. Print.
The author compares the Australian international education sector to other competitive markets including the US with the view to identify the causes of the declining enrollments to Australian institutions. Knight examines the impact of policies, currency, and global competition on international student choice of destination country.
Marklein, Mary Beth. US Colleges appeal fading for foreign students. 2011. Web.
Marklein examines the trends of international students with regard to their preferred destination country in the period between 2000 and 2008. Beth also explores the reasons for the decline in number of international students pursuing their higher education studies in the US after the 9/11 enrolment dip, as well as recruitment practices by the State Department. Beth also discusses various recruitment practices including the use of agents, and the counteractive effects of some of these strategies.
This article examines the growing number of Indian international students, and the factors that affect their country of destination. Some of the topics covered in the article include the growing household income for most Indian families, the impact of policy changes in different nations on international student enrollment, and the impact of recruitment strategies used to attract Indian international students.
Many international students face many problems as they try to cope with the transition. The western counselors face a challenge in trying to help this group because of its unique characteristics. All students require adjusting to the educational environment International students need help to ease their adjustment to new cultures (Mori, 2000). However studies have shown that they usually do not use counseling services provided in the universities (Kilinc & Granello, 2003; Zhang & Dixon, 2003). Domestic students are more likely to utilize the services for instance in the UK domestic students’ usage of these services was higher. But this does not suggest appropriate usage rates by the domestic students. Using ethnic evaluation with domestic students more Caucasian American students utilize the services more than their Asian American counterparts (Kearney, Draper, & Baron, 2005).
Main
Most of the international students have a negative attitude towards counseling. According to several studies done females have a more positive attitude towards counseling compared to men. However other studies did not find gender differences towards seeking help. This attitude is related to culture and acculturation. For instance the students from Vietnam students are reluctant to seek counseling help due to the stigma associated with mental problems (Atkinson, Ponterotto, & Sanchez, 1984).
The other reason for the negative attitude is due to cultural beliefs. Asian students fail to use counseling facilities because they are afraid of their families’ disapproval. The families would be embarrassed by them by seeking counseling. This is due to the stigma associated with mental health. They belief such problems should be solved in the family and yet because their family members are far way they keep their problems to themselves (Zhang & Dixon, 2003). It is embarrassing to seek counseling. There is a stigma associated with emotional openness in their cultures. Their cultures encourage collectivism and depending on one another for support. The family authority must be respected and this includes not giving personal information to strangers.
These students are also put off by the counselors who are from another ethnic group. They feel that they would not understand their problems due to their different beliefs. Thus most choose to deal with their problems alone while some may seek help from friends in the same social network (Uba, 1994). The cultural differences make some students uncomfortable and this leads to doubts of whether the service would help. Asian students would prefer to be helped by a counselor who is older from their own or similar ethnicity. Asians insists on privacy and this discourages them from seeking help from people outside their families. Language may also be another problem that keeps students from visiting counselors. When they find it difficult to express themselves in English they keep problems to themselves. Others choose to talk to their friends or even their professors.
The negative attitude leads to low utilization of counseling services in universities due to the belief of many non-western cultures. They stigmatize the usage of counseling, especially the Asian cultures (Kilinc & Granello, 2003) as well as other cultures (Constantine, Kindaichi, Okazaki, Gainor & Baden, 2005b). This is because they value group cooperation (Mori, 2000). When seeking counseling one has to go alone and this to many non western cultures is individualism. Hence people are discouraged from visiting facilities. It is better to seek help for members of their family or culture.
In some cultures disclosing personal problems to strangers is taken as a sign of weakness, immaturity and disgracefulness (Uba, 1994). This leads to the negative attitude towards counseling because if one were to visit a counselor this would be associated with mental illness. To avoid the scorn of the society any psychological problems are concealed as this would probably mean the child was not raised properly. For instance the Turkish would not utilize counseling services for fear of stigmatization. This would explain why few Turkish students seek college counseling when in western countries (Kilinc & Granello, 2003). Thus to avoid stigma such students when in foreign lands would never reveal any psychological problems they might be experiencing. They suppress these emotional problems and would rather express them as physiological disorders (Kou &Kavanagh, 1994). Most international students readily accept to seek help for physical illnesses.
In many non-western cultures emotional problems are referred to traditional healers, herbalists, fortune– tellers etc. They do not have therapy given through talking as counselors are non existent in their cultures (Mori, 2003). This explains why most of these students shun counselors as they would have to talk to them. They believe that emotional problems are caused by forces beyond the human control. Hence only interventions by higher powers would help thus they do not seek help from counselors (Kilinc & Granello, 2003).
Some international students are unfamiliar with counseling and may have a negative attitude towards the service. Some lack information about how to book an appointment and that the services are free. Hence many keep off due to fear of the high cost. They may also have unrealistic expectations of the counseling sessions. Lack of information about the concept of counseling in western countries may lead some students to have negative attitudes toward counseling services. Some are suspicious of the motive behind the counselors helping them the minority. This is because most of the counselors are from the American culture. Some students become suspicious of the motives for being helped and some may as well see this as mind control. Furthermore, some students think they look as failures for seeking help and assume they would be sent away from colleges (Kilinc & Granello, 2003). They should be assured that the information they share with the counselors will remain confidential and cannot be shared with other people.
There is a general negative perception associated with mental problems in many non western cultures. Even doctors in those cultures were reluctant to refer patients to seek mental health aid. This leads to strengthening of the stigma when one is actually referred then they are considered crazy. This leads to many international students to avoiding any visits to these facilities. Mental illness is associated with evil. This leads to most of the international students from keeping away from the counseling facilities. This is more so where he facilities are located where they are likely to run into people they may know. This would lead to stigma and thus a lot of embarrassment. When they do they are more likely to stop therapy when they feel it is not effective (Mori, 2003) this is specially observed with the Korean students (Mitchell, Greenwood, & Guglielmi, 2007). This could be the reason why many international students seek help mainly for academic related issues while their personal or psychological issues go untreated. This makes it harder for them to cope with life in the foreign land.
Students with low acculturation levels have a higher negative attitude towards counseling. This is because they do not understand they new culture well and are skeptical of psychological counseling. They value modesty and it would be a shame to confess one has problems. This would be a disgrace to the students and families (Zhang & Dixon, 2003). However, students who are acculturated were more open to psychological counseling and could tolerate stigma associated with counseling. They are more likely to be open with the counselors.
The attitude of the international students is generally negative towards counseling services. The service is treated with suspicion and mistrust.
There is also the cultural factor involved that prohibits many international students from using counseling services. This implies that university counseling services must be overhauled so as to cater for the international student body. The services must consider the cultural differences and the divergent world views. The services “must be culturally congruent” (Kilinc & Granello, 2003).
Information about mental illnesses should be given to the international students. This will help them change their negative attitude towards counseling services for example Turkish students come for studies with a mindset of dealing with their problems without professional help. Those given information are more open to professional help. The programs should include orientation to the counseling centre to familiarize themselves. The services providers should work hand in hand ‘with international students who are more acculturated to mentor new students’ (Kilinc & Granello, 2003).
Conclusion
The attitude of the international students is generally negative towards counseling services. The service is treated with suspicion and mistrust. Cultural factors involved prohibit many international students from using the counseling services. This implies that university counseling services must be overhauled so as to cater for the international students. Information about mental illnesses should be given to the international students. This will help them change their negative attitude towards counseling services and make it easier for them to adapt to changes in the new environment. It is vital to consider the differences within the groups that constitute international students. This will help to avoid generalizations when dealing with the international students. Each group is unique and needs to be treated as such.
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When students immigrate to foreign countries in pursuit of higher learning, they find things very strange in their host country. This forces their purchase behavior to undergo radical changes in order to get used to the new dwelling place. The changes occur because they find different commodities from the ones they are used to back at home. This paper will address these changes and their underlying causes with regards to grocery shopping.
Relocating from one geographical location causes the purchase behavior of international students to change drastically. According to Pride, Hughes and Kapoor, this is because they are far away from home and when they buy items they prefer the ones that remind them about their origin (1).
When they go shopping they select the items they want to purchase depending on their taste. Sometimes this is difficult because the kind of food stuff in most grocery stores may not be familiar to them but then they have to buy something because they cannot survive without food.
At times, the item that they are used to could be available but at a very high price. In such a case the students have to find an alternative item that is pocket friendly. For instance, a student from Japan may see food to be very expensive in America compared to its price in Japan, and thus the student may opt to go for chicken instead because it is relatively cheap.
There are some students who become home sick in the first few days of arrival and hence they opt to drive a few kilometers just to have that home feeling when they buy products from their countries. Others prefer to buy products from their mother country simply because they feel obligated to help their home industries grow by promoting them.
Stages of International Consumer Behavior
Before an international student buys an item, he or she goes through several steps and in fact the act of buying is among the steps of making that decision. It is important to note that the steps are not always the same for all products because some require simple analysis.
The first step is the acknowledgement of the requirement of a particular item. Doole and Lowe outline that the acknowledgement could be induced by either internal pressure or external pressure (2). Internal pressure is limited body requirements such as the need of water which may cause someone to be thirsty and hence buy a drink to quench the thirst. External pressure is normally brought by the things happening around us, such as the commercials about certain outfits that may induce the urge to buy a new pair of trousers or even a dress.
This means that the thoughts of buying must be invoked because they do not just come from nowhere. When the students are walking around, they actually see the items of trade being displayed but the thoughts of even making an inquiry about those items will only come when there is a need that has to be attended to.
The second step involves the searching of information about the item that is required by the consumer. The consumer has two options; the first one being to consult his experience and secondly, seek information from other persons. In the first option the consumer will visualize in the mind about the places that he or she knows that might be selling a particular product or service. Alternatively the consumer may consider the sellers that are most popular among his or her peers.
In this case the peers are people who share a common nationality with the foreign student because the locals may not know why a particular item is preferred by students from a given region. For instance, a female Muslim student from Saudi Arabia can only consult fellow Muslims about the genuine food joints while in America because they are the only ones who share the common cultural background with her and in any case if she consults American Christians they may not know anything about Islamic dietary laws.
The third step in consumer behavior involves gauging the options provided. In this step the student goes for the item that fully satisfies his or her needs. This implies that the consumer will buy the item that is tailor made to meet his or her needs. This is one of the areas where many organizations fail because majority of them do not consider international markets hence they fail to capture such markets.
For instance, when Arabs go to restaurants they prefer the ones that offer halal (certified) meat products because according to their religious teachings it is a sin to eat meat that has not been slaughtered by one of their own. If the consumer does not find what he or she is looking for he or she goes back to the drawing board to identify other possible options.
The fourth step involves buying the item which is determined by various factors such as the location of the grocery store, packaging of the item, and method of payment. After having analyzed the available choices the international student may decide to buy from the store that is conveniently located. The choice of grocery store could be determined by the people who work in that store, that is, how they interact with the foreign students.
If the student is received warmly he or she will spread the word about the outlet among his or her fellow nationals. Foreigners trust the counsel that is offered by people who share a common background with them. Besides, foreign students may prefer to buy from less crowded shops because they want to feel safe while moving around. The student may opt to buy from the seller who best understands his or her needs without compromise (2).
The choice of grocery store is also determined by observing the behavior of the locals because they are the ones who are much informed. Foreign students are likely to flood an outlet that is frequented by many locals because that way, they can be sure that they will buy items at the same price with the locals. Foreign students tend to be loyal to one shop or outlet.
Packaging of the product could also influence the buying behavior. Students prefer to buy items that look attractive from the outside because they are still young hence they want other students to notice their new purchase. This is common among young students. In addition to that the mode of payment could influence the buying behavior.
Furthermore, Kapoor asserts that international students prefer to buy items from shops that offer convenient mode of payment. This implies that they cannot buy from stores that use sophisticated methods of payment because they are always busy with their studies (3). Foreign students like to buy items that have been endorsed by local or international stars because they assume they are of high quality.
The fifth step may sound similar to fourth step because it also entails purchasing. In this step the student considers the availability of the item while deciding the one that he or she wants to buy. A locally available item could be bought just to satisfy the need of the student temporarily as he or she waits for the arrival of the items that have the features that he or she is interested in.
This is because the student considers the expenses that could be incurred in shipping the commodity and thinks otherwise. Lastly, the student examines his or her buying behavior. In this last step international students gauge the item to see if it is worth the price they have paid for.
Types of Consumer Buying Behaviors
The first kind of behavior is called impulse buying which is common among foreign students from wealthy families. Such students buy an item that they come across even when they do not actually need it. But some foreign students buy on impulse because they feel that they need enough reserves of items such as food stuffs in their houses. To rich students shopping is a hobby hence they feel incomplete when they return to their rooms empty handed.
On the other hand foreign students who come from middle class families are very careful when buying items because they know that their parents and sponsors did them a big favor by sending them abroad. It is in this regard that they buy items once in a while. This implies that they buy items that can last them until a given duration after which they will buy more items. Such students buy items of low cost and they have it in their mind that on certain days of the month they must buy some items.
There is also a behavior of buying items occasionally especially the ones that require limited consultations. These items include clothes and accessories like cosmetics. Students who exhibit such behavior buy brands that they are used to and hesitate to buy newer brands unless they have been verified by their peers.
When students are buying complex items such as computers they consult widely through friends because they want to be sure that what they are buying is durable and genuine. This is because such deals entail transactions of huge amounts of money. Such items are bought once after a few years (2).
Factors Influencing Types of Consumer Buying Behaviors
There are various types of consumer buying behaviors that are exhibited by international students. However, the types are determined by the level of involvement in buying the items by the student. The intensity of participation influences the buyer’s interest in gaining knowledge about the item. This implies that if the student buys the commodity through another person he/she may not pay attention to details of the item because he/she knows there is someone to play that role.
The level of participation also depends on the risks that come with it. If the risks are worth the usefulness of an item the international students will dare to risk compared to when the item being sought for has less importance. The risks include personal risks such the effects of an item to the consumer. For instance, an African foreign student could cease from buying American beef if he/she knows that their growth is induced by antibiotics for fear of becoming obese.
Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behavior
Consumer buying is mainly influenced by three factors namely social, Psychological, and personal (1, 2). In personal aspects, the students’ behavior is determined by their gender, age, and race among many others. Depending on the foreign student’s age the older ones tend to be more conservative when buying items. This is because they feel that being away does not mean that they can be absorbed by foreign cultures. For instance, an Arab may find it difficult to put on his kanzu in a Christian dominated region.
When it comes to gender women tend to be more aggressive compared to men when they are in a host nation. Women are said to be fast learners compared to males because they easily get used to strange markets. Ladies are normally the first to know where the cheapest groceries are because they are able to move around places unlike males who settle for what they come across.
Female students usually want to be ahead of the trends in their neighborhood and thus may concentrate on foodstuffs that are low in calories because most of them want to retain their body figure. Ladies are very choosy and sensitive and thus they prefer to buy from people who tolerate them.
Men on the other hand like to buy stuffs that are consumed without leaving the remainder for the next day. Female students can at times sound stubborn because they complain about very minor things unlike men who are comfortable with almost everything. Besides, female students are very sensitive to smells hence any foul smell to them means the fruits are not fresh.
In some instances the gender may determine the reason for buying a given item. For instance, a female student may buy an expensive fruit simply because she likes its color unlike men who settle on quantity. Male students are fond of visiting groceries that offer items in large quantities and convenience. For instance, male students may prefer to buy potatoes that are already chopped than their female counterparts who like to chop the potatoes personally because they know they can spare a few for the next day.
Religion plays an important role in consumer buying behavior. This is because when international students are buying food stuffs they are influenced by their religions. This implies that they will buy items that are acceptable in their religion. For instance, students from India may not buy beef because according to their religious teachings the cow represents a god. Some food stuffs are thought to be meant for specific religious festivals hence purchasing them in other days may not look appropriate.
Buyers are also thought to be affected by their immediate friends because they like buying things that would be acceptable by their friends even if it is of poor quality. But this happens to students who are not principled and tend to poke their noses into other people’s affairs. This means a student can cease from buying from a particular grocery because his/her friends have said that they sell poor quality goods just to retain his/her friendship with the other students.
Culture also influences buying habit and this is because in international learning institutions, the learners come from various backgrounds and thus they have diverse cultures. For instance, African students would find it difficult to have only bananas for lunch because in most African communities bananas are taken during leisure time. Thus, they can opt for other foodstuffs that can satisfy their needs.
Psychology also influences the buying behavior of foreign students and this is determined by their attitudes, perceptions, learning and personality. If the foreign student is bright enough he/she will not argue about the lack of certain items because his/her understanding says that the seller can not sell what is missing.
Conclusion
Consumer buying behavior determines the types of products and services that a certain population of customers can use. International students are in many instances challenged by the need to purchase satisfactory food products from groceries. This paper has discussed the buying behavior of international students while grocery shopping.
Factors that influence the buying behavior of this category of consumers include culture, religion, psychology, personal, and social. Therefore, international students should get used to foreign groceries because they are only there for a short while and furthermore cross cultural interaction fosters interpersonal skills.
Reference List
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The number of international students is on the rise in most institutions of higher learning. This comes from various factors including a global increase in the size of the middle class, increase in marketing of courses abroad, and the increase in number of scholarships and opportunities to participate in exchange programs.
This increase in the number of international student has some consequences because of the unique issues that come with living and studying in a new culture. While these issues have been present for some time, their magnitude has not been large because they affected a relatively small population. This has changed.
The specific issues that international students deal with include financial pressure, racism and xenophobia, and lack of family support, leading reduced social participation. Financial pressure occurs in students whose sponsors are unable to cater fully for both academic and living expenses.
Such students often try to find part time jobs to meet their needs. In the social front, the biggest pressure that international students face is racism and xenophobia. There has been a lot of progress in these two areas, but almost all foreign students especially from colored races have experienced some form of racism.
Xenophobia arises from the feeling that foreigners are using up resources that the host country can ill afford. Another source of social problems for international students is the lack of social support.
In most countries, the social fabric is stronger than in the west. For someone who grew up in Asia, Africa, or South America, it is quite challenging to settle in the less personal cultures of the west. These factors all combine to produce a set of international students who cannot participate effectively in their host cultures.
Concepts of Group Theory
There are important lessons derivable from group theory to explain the reasons behind the quality of social health of international students. In particular, group process and group dynamics can help shape the thinking undergirding Health Education Development targeting international students.
Group process refers to the patterns of development of a group and the way in which relationships develop. These processes include observable issues and the inferred ones.
Observable factors include speech patterns, body language, and the content of discourses. Inferred elements include the silent aspirations of the group members at individual and group level, and in some cases, at subgroup level.
The group processes play several roles. They help the group members to adapt to the working conditions. They also have therapeutic value for the members. The processes are central to the formation of stable groups.
A number of theories attempt to model group dynamics. They all aim at explaining the stages that groups go through in their development. Groups that form voluntarily have greater elements of group loyalty compared to groups that develop from forced circumstances.
Most of the theories of group dynamics try to identify the specific stages that group development follows. The theories describe the characteristics of newly formed groups, the search for purpose and position, the place of acting out the group’s purpose, and in some cases, the point where the group disintegrates.
Group dynamics concentrate on the changes that take place in the communication patterns and the activities of the group as time moves on. One model describing the impact of groups is the social interdependence theory, which asserts that the actions of one individual have the capacity to influence the actions of other individuals.
Another one of the models, developed by Tuckman identified four stages in group-dynamics theory. The first stage is forming. Under this stage, the factors precipitating group formation come into play. They can be intentional and intended or they can be purely circumstantial.
The second stage is storming, where differences among group members come into play as the group tries to clarify its purpose and its rules of engagement. Differences in personalities tend to show in frequent flare-ups. After this stage comes norming. During this stage, the group’s identity, purpose, and rules become clear.
The members develop realistic expectations of what the group can provide. The group goes to the performing the stage where the group settles into its active life, and later on dies as it enters the adjourning stage.
Factors Affecting the Group Health of International Students
In light of group theory, there are factors that influence the health of the international students that are addressable through face-to-face health education. These are the factors mentioned earlier which include financial pressure, racism and xenophobia, lack of family support, which all result in reduced social participation.
The international students tend to coalesce when they meet in institutions of higher learning. These institutions, and host governments normally handle them as international students, distinct from the local students, hence the international students find that they deal with similar issues.
As they live and study in the new culture. International students become close because in many cases they have to deal with the same hurdles such as finding part time jobs, finding friendly accommodation, and identifying social activities. Since many international students come from very close-knit social environments, they tend to understand their social needs better.
The risk that comes with the tight relations international students tend to form as a means of coping with their practical and psychological needs is that they become a target for ridicule, racism, and xenophobia. Their groupings tend to have distinct social characteristics, which makes them visible and objective targets.
There is also the risk that by failing to integrate with the host culture, the international students develop a victim mentality, which makes them to over react to normal social experiences in the host culture.
The use of face-to-face health education sessions can help the international students to reduce the anxiety that comes with living in a new cultural setting and make them aware of the social support mechanisms they can plug into that will not make them too distinct in the new culture. In other words, the sessions can help them to fit in better in the new culture devoid of unnecessary anxiety.
Challenges of Working with International Students
The most significant challenge that will arise when working with this group is trust. The reasons why foreign students coalesce are that they feel vulnerable and open to abuse and exploitation. They come together to offer each other psychological support and to have a feeling of security.
In this sense, they may fear that a particular program will exploit them in some way. They must receive assurance that they will get respect and that the program is a sincere effort to offer them support. In general, there will be an ongoing need to offer them reassurance to encourage them to participate effectively.
The second challenge that international students present is that they come from very diverse cultures that inform how they interact and learn. One example is the place of women in society. Some of students, especially from cultures embracing the Muslim tradition, may have a significant difficulty taking instructions from women tutors.
In some of these cultures, women do not wield any authority over men. Another cultural element is the fact that many cultures apart from the west use informal systems for social education. The west tends to use formal structures when it comes to education.
This may be a barrier when interaction with foreign students. Finally, there is the risk that some international students may not feel free participating in programs requiring self-disclosure simply because their cultures do not encourage public expression of emotions.
Using a Strengths-Based Approach
Strength based approach requires that the educator uses the strengths inherent in the group of international student to facilitate face-to-face health education sessions with them. The strengths approach, “seeks to help client groups to build skills that can lead to achieving more power over their lives”.
This approach emphasizes the capacity of the group to use its established strengths to address its challenges. The role of this goal is to identify these strengths, affirm them, and help the group to mobilize them to address existing challenges.
The specific strengths inherent in the groups of international students include the fact that they are close-knit. Since the groups form because of shared concerns that do not end, they tend to last for a long time. The continual struggle to keep up with studies, maintain contact with sponsors, and to find a social support system, makes them very loyal once they join the groups of international students.
The second strength they have is a common sense of bewilderment regarding their new culture. This sense is really the result of new cultural practices, and norms in the host country. Thirdly, they have a better feel of their social needs.
Some of the groups of international students come from certain traditions with similar cultural practices. Such groups have the added benefit of understanding the specific social needs that the other group members have. It makes the group the best place to handle those unique needs.
In this situation, a health promotion educator should guide the group to find ways of meeting its primary needs by leveraging on its unique strengths, but also using those strengths to help them to integrate with the host culture.
Generally, most people enjoy cross-cultural experiences hence international students can use their culture as a point of developing strong relations with the host culture. The general strategy will be finding ways of making the internationals students better guests to the host culture for their own health benefits.
The Ottawa Charter
The Ottawa charter sought to provide guidelines relating to the provision of healthcare. The charter came up as the final communiqué from a conference that sought to define the standards of health services provision in the context of public health.
The charter stressed the need to develop individual capacity to handle individual health concerns to reduce unnecessary dependency on healthcare systems. The charter also proposed the establishment of supportive environments to support patients.
The thirds element of the charter was to encourage the establishment of positive communities. This meant that it was important to have healthy communities for people to live in.
The relevance of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion becomes clear when looking at the issues in this discussion. The approach proposed here seeks to develop individual capabilities to handle emerging health concerns. Each student will have the capacity to deal with the pressure he faces regardless of its type.
It also aim at developing an environment where the students can get support. The environment includes the institution, the community of international students, and the larger society. On their own, they will have the same problems experienced by many international students because, “unskilled group members cannot cooperate effectively”.
In other words, they will have “positive interdependence” . Thirdly, it will make the community of international students strong by enabling it to act as a positive community.
It will also make the institutions create systems that will give new focus to health services touching on the international students. The overall result will be a better-adjusted community including both the locals and the international students.
It is clear that the international students experience several challenges as they settle into a new culture and society. With some effort, institutions of higher learning can help them to develop healthy coping mechanisms. These students, with just some institutional support, can develop healthy relationships.
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