ERIC Number: EJ1050204
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1470-8477
EISSN: N/A
The Impact of International Students on the University Work Environment: A Comparative Study of a Canadian and a Danish University
Vinther, Jane; Slethaug, Gordon
Language and Intercultural Communication, v15 n1 p92-108 2015
Increasingly students want to go abroad to study--to further their knowledge of English, experience a new culture and cultivate skills. Universities have been actively courting these students, sometimes without regard to their impact on responsibilities of heads of department, secretaries and support staff. Much is written on the intercultural aspects of the international teaching and learning environment, but almost nothing has appeared on the impact of international students on the university work environment, so it is necessary and opportune to discover what is being done, where problems lie and what could be improved. Based on a survey of lecturers and frontline administrative staff, this paper explores workplace perceptions of different cultural discourses, intercultural practices and relations among international students, academics and administrative staff in two universities in Canada and Denmark chosen to explore differences between Europe and North America. For the most part, academics and support staff all think that internationalization has brought many benefits to the university: intercultural diversity and awareness, strong work ethic and study habits, intellectual curiosity and a more interesting social environment. They also note problems of proficiency in English, culture clashes inside and outside the classroom and higher dropout rates, depression and anxiety.
Descriptors: Study Abroad, Foreign Countries, Comparative Education, College Faculty, Surveys, Work Environment, Universities, Intercultural Communication, Foreign Students, Work Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, International Education, Educational Benefits, Cultural Pluralism, Work Ethic, Study Habits, Social Environment, Language Proficiency, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Cultural Differences, Dropout Rate, Depression (Psychology), Anxiety, Student Diversity, Social Integration, Administrator Attitudes
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada; Denmark
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A