Author Identifier
Tania Beament: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9598-5601
Esther Adama: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7771-2722
Joyce Muge-Sugutt: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3598-6271
Kylie McCullough: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7393-3472
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education
Publisher
Stars Scholar Network
School
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Abstract
International students are an important component of the host country and universities bringing economic, social, and community contributions. International students are the most vulnerable students with challenges related to academic expectations, language proficiency, and socio-cultural integration. This study explores the challenges of international students in a Western Australian School of Nursing and Midwifery. An exploratory questionnaire (n=10), three focus groups (n=15) and a quality improvement survey (n=80) informed this study. Four themes emerged: stress in the first weeks, incorrect and/or late enrolments, lack of guidance and support, and system navigation nightmares. Other issues included: accommodation, culture shock, financial concerns, information needs, and peer support. These findings led to the instigation of an international academic coordinator role as a single point of contact and increasing resources within the university faculty provided additional support to the international students.
DOI
10.32674/jcihe.v16i3.4945
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
Mccullough, K., Gibson, N., Graf, A., Beament, T., Adama, E., Ferguson, N., ... & Muge, J. (2024). It was difficult to understand the system: Developing a coordinator role to support international nursing students - A qualitative study. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 16(3), 250-261. https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v16i3.4945