Developing Cultural Global Capability in International Higher Education

Abstract

This research paper entails the developing difficulties in terms of adoption and adjustments of international students to culture in acquiring higher education. There are many difficulties related to language problem, cultural adjustments, academic issues, administrative issues in the host institutions. There are some proposed strategies for overcoming the issues pertaining to transition by the international students. Table of Content

Abstract2

Introduction3

Discussion4

Transition issues and Integrated Strategies5

Academic Issues5

Administrative Issues and Strategies7

Extracurricular Approaches7

Conclusion8

References9

Developing Cultural Global Capability in International Higher Education

Introduction

Today, the world has become a global village, where the trade has acquired a significant importance of international and global transmission, so has education as acquired a significant value in terms or transmission of students from one country to other. It is now a very common practice to study abroad for the shorter span of time, for few months for acquiring intercultural understanding or learning language, or a longer period of years for completion of a degree. The enrollment of student internationally varies from country to country. Total number for students enrolling for higher education in Ireland is less than 2 percent; however, 12 percent of international students get enrolled in UK for higher education (Institute Of International Education, 2005a). Where some countries are facing increasing trend in higher education international student's enrolment, only there are some countries going through the declining trend in international student's enrollment. In China, the enrolment of international students for higher education double during 2003 in contrast to the enrolment in 1998, whereas, USA encountered decline of 2.4 percent in 2003-2004, and decline of 1.4 percent in 2001-2005 (Institute Of International Education, 2005b).

Since, every country pose a different culture, students travelling aboard for acquiring education undergo complex issues of culture differences, in specific to their home county culture is conspicuously different from that of the host country's culture. The student's psychological and physical welfare are highly affected by the change of culture, which lays great impact on the academic performance of the student. The students who are coming to different country for shorter span of time, for education or another purpose, other than settling permanently in the new country, known as sojourner are likely to encounter “cultural shock”. The cultural shock is the resultant of abrupt change in the proverbial and recognizable symbols and sign of everyday practiced since years to a very different cultural practice, this leads to psychological stress, for which coping strategies are used to deal with the encountered stress (Andrade, 2006).

Discussion

There are multiple of factors that act on certain situations to influence sojourners for adjusting in host culture, where some of these factors includes language, age, status, education, prior experience of cross-culture, and self-esteem. In addition to these factors, there are some situational factors that influence the sojourners for adjusting includes, support provides, information regarding the host country and its culture, physical health, interaction and networking with the co-cultural, academic performance of the sojourners, length of stay in the host country, and professional performance. Length of the stay plays ...