Beyond the amusement, puzzlement and challenges: an enquiry into international students’ academic acculturation

Elliot, D. L. , Reid, K. and Baumfield, V. (2016) Beyond the amusement, puzzlement and challenges: an enquiry into international students’ academic acculturation. Studies in Higher Education, 41(12), pp. 2198-2217. (doi: 10.1080/03075079.2015.1029903)

Abstract

This paper investigates the phenomenological experiences of academic acculturation of selected non-British post-doctoral academics with a retrospective focus on their experiences as PhD students. The participants came from different disciplines and countries of origin to pursue several years of postgraduate research in different British higher education institutions. The typical, yet distinct, experiences of an exceptional group of early career academics offer invaluable insight into the joys, excitement, puzzlement and challenges that international students often encounter as they embark on studying and living in a foreign country such as the UK. Using Urie Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological theory of human development, our paper presents a theoretical perspective that can help elucidate and offer a greater understanding of what appear to be complex incidences in international students’ experiences. These incidences can, arguably, be crucial to the success or failure of students’ sojourns.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor and Francis in Studies in Higher Education on 2015, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03075079.2015.1029903
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Baumfield, Professor Vivienne and Reid, Dr Kate and Elliot, Dr Dely
• Authors: Elliot, D. L., Reid, K., and Baumfield, V.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Creativity Culture and Faith; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Pedagogy Policy and Practice; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Social Justice Place and Lifelong Education; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > People, Place & Social Change
• Journal Name: Studies in Higher Education
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0307-5079
• ISSN (Online): 1470-174X
• Published Online: 07 April 2015
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 Society for Research into Higher Education
• First Published: First published in Studies in Higher Education 41(12):2198-2217
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher