This study explored the influence institutional cultures and structures have on a university's internationalization strategy. It also accounted for the roles external forces, such as government policies and geopolitics, play in shaping internationalization strategies. The comparative case study between the United States, England, and Sweden were…

My dissertation examines the marketization of higher education, drawing on empirical case studies from Taiwanese students using "education agents" to apply to U.S. colleges and universities. I argue that without these intermediary agents, applicants and parents may be left flying blindly amid uncertainties, emotional distress, and…

Chinese students make up the largest and second largest group of internationals in U.S. and Canadian universities, yet they receive scant attention in terms of how they decide to study transnationally in North America. Most of the research on Chinese families' study abroad decision-making has been conducted with those from first tier eastern…

The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to explore the multifaceted motivations, perceptions and attitudes that influence digital literacy practices in a small group of study abroad faculty and how professional development can help inspire them to act to innovate their digital literacy practices within a study abroad context. The…

This dissertation investigates the historical and socio-cultural dynamics of Korean international students in American higher education from 1945 to 2020. It explores the local motivations and global trajectories that have shaped patterns of student mobility over the decades, focusing on how social structures and changes influence individual and…

This dissertation explored the experiences of 16 undergraduate students across four cohorts who chose to begin college by participating in a first-year experience program abroad in London, England. Through the use of individual interviews and participant observation, this study sought to understand what influenced students' decision making to…

This dissertation study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to understand the acculturation and sojourner experience of undergraduate Indian international students in the U.S. Midwest. Focusing exclusively on the lived experience of these students, this study engaged Berry's "Fourfold Model of Acculturation" (Berry,…

This dissertation examines the writings and experiences of five Indian international students in the United States during late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By drawing attention to these students, I attend to the ways in which notions of freedom, progress, and inclusivity associated with American higher education, and liberalism more…

The development plan in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Saudi society includes accepting female students and affording them the opportunity to study abroad under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP). In 2005, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, and President George W. Bush, of the United States, agreed to increase the number…

This dissertation examines the social process of language study abroad in a multilingual West African setting, paying attention to how language learners mobilize multiple linguistic resources to navigate the superdiverse linguistic landscape and the ideologies that drive their practices. Study abroad is generally believed to be an ideal space for…

This study explored interrelationships among identity, experience, and learning that undergraduate students from the U.S. attributed to participation in study abroad programs that traveled to the complex and contentious setting of Palestine/Israel. The findings offer a robust scholarly contribution that addresses social and emotional complexities…

Considering the broad context that there is a growing number of international students seeking English teacher education in the Western TEOSL programs and the majority of them will eventually go back to their own countries to teach, these international TESOL trainees face the challenge of integrating two different language education systems.…

Middle Eastern students represent the fastest-growing international student population in the United States, with the majority coming from Saudi Arabia. While some studies have examined the academic challenges faced by international students, few have examined the academic writing difficulties encountered by Saudi international graduate students.…

The phenomenon of Chinese students studying abroad in western countries has been an interest of researchers in the field of psychology in the past decade. Numerous studies have been conducted that presented negative aspects of international students' experiences while studying abroad. Specifically, with Chinese international students, researchers…

This narrative-based qualitative research investigated the distinct journeys of eight cross-cultural artists (four artists from South Korea and four artists from China). Utilizing a variety of theoretical frameworks surrounding cross-cultural research, this dissertation examined current discussions on cross-cultural challenges and their…