scholarly journals Visitors from Other Cultures: Views of Muslim Overseas Students in Britain

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Thomas Hawes ◽  
Sarah Thomas
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Cultural Exchange ◽  
Muslim Students ◽  
Overseas Students ◽  
The Media ◽  
To Come ◽  
Local Students ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Bidirectional Exchange ◽  
British Culture

The UK is currently the second most popular destination for international students worldwide yet there is very public uncertainty as to whether Muslim students should be encouraged to come here. There has been much discussion in the media but, apparently, no one has thought of consulting these students themselves, with the result that there is relatively little available research on students from the Islamic world as a whole. What are their common motivations for studying in UK? What if anything do they admire in British culture and what do they find difficult here? Our general conclusion is that our participants make sense of their sojourn in UK as a learning and growing experience, ultimately empowering. For Britain these students and their families are a particularly lucrative source of income, but their presence could be made (even) more beneficial if our universities are prepared to invest extra time and money in engaging with them. We need a shift to a bidirectional exchange model where overseas and local students can all benefit. Muslim groups on campus should be helped to raise their profile to counter feelings of rejection and dispel the potential impression that the Islamic community is secretive or unwelcoming. We believe that such cultural exchange can only be positive and this study has shown that there is probably more goodwill than many imagine.

scholarly journals Chinese students’ study in the UK and employability: The views of Chinese employers, students and alumni, and UK teachers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
xin zhao ◽  
Andrew Cox
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Chinese Students ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Career Advice ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Uk

While not the only motive for Chinese students to come to study in the UK, employability must be one key factor. Yet there is relatively little research on perceptions among students, employers and teachers of how studying in the UK impacts employment prospects. This paper seeks to compare the views of these stakeholders on what are the essential skills needed for employability and whether these match those gained through study abroad. The data used was from an online questionnaire. The data showed that while there seemed to be some agreement about what skills were valued for employability and about what was learned in studying in the UK yet there was quite a strong mismatch between the two. Free text responses to the survey confirmed from previous research that reverse culture shock and work experience issues were important barriers to employability. They also revealed some types of challenge not identified or given emphasis before such as a reverse language shock and a misalignment between the timing of recruitment rounds and study in the UK. The data also confirmed the relative weakness of career advice for international students.

scholarly journals Contact with Cultural Others – The Friendship Family Programme

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidonie Ecochard ◽  
Kirsteen Wright
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
International Students ◽  
Acculturative Stress ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cultural Exchange ◽  
University Staff ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Uk

The Friendship Family Programme is a cultural exchange initiative piloted this year at Edinburgh Napier University. It is designed to give international students a chance to have first-hand experience of the local culture and way of life, in addition to life on campus. Students are paired with volunteer staff families, who also get the chance to better understand international transitions and learn about the students' home countries and cultures. The programme was grounded in research findings which indicate that social support and friendship with host nationals reduce the acculturative stress and ease the transition of international students. Indeed, international students do not have a full-scale support system in the United Kingdom (UK) and tend to experience loneliness and homesickness during their stay. Meanwhile, the literature also indicates the need for all university staff to understand the background of their students and to be aware of the unique challenges that confront them in the UK. Internationalisation includes mutual cultural awareness and respect. This ‘On the horizon’ piece introduces the Friendship Family Programme and the rationale behind the initiative, along with testimonials from participants.

scholarly journals PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT OF MUSLIM CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (34) ◽  
pp. 60-79
Author(s):  
Sainula Tuerxun ◽  
Nik A. Hisham ◽  
Ridhuan Abdulla ◽  
Nur Syahidah Khalid
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Muslim Country ◽  
University Management ◽  
Muslim Students ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
College And University ◽  
Muslim Student ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Local Students

International students are growing in numbers in Malaysian college and university campuses since the commercialization of education at the tertiary level introduced in the 1990s. More significantly, there is an increase in the Muslim student population as more and more young Muslims come to Malaysia from different parts of the world. For example, there is a substantial increase in Muslim students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) who see Malaysia as a peaceful and developing Muslim country. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the thoughts and experiences of Muslim students from China studying at different Malaysian universities. Six Muslim students from RPC were interviewed in this study, and based on the data obtained from the interviews, the findings were categorized into several themes. Most Muslim-Chinese students found it difficult to adjust to the new environment, especially in terms of climate, food, and infrastructure. The students also found that language was a barrier in their interactions with the locals. At the individual level, the students suffered from loneliness and homesickness and also found that their financial situation posed a challenge. In the course of the study, several coping strategies were identified that the students had adopted in their pursuit of knowledge in Malaysia. On the other hand, they felt supported in their efforts to adjust to living in Malaysia by university management, faculty members, local students, and friends. Overall, the students concluded that Malaysia is a peaceful and beautiful country characterized by the kindness, tolerance, and helpfulness of her people. Finally, the students recommended that services and facilities should be improved for all international students in Malaysia.

The Demand, Content, and Entrance Criteria of Operations Management Programmes under the Context of Internationalization

2016 ◽  
pp. 75-97
Author(s):  
Chengbo Wang ◽  
Xuezhong Chen ◽  
David Edgar ◽  
Yang Zhao
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
International Student ◽  
Comparative Investigation ◽  
Overseas Students ◽  
Postgraduate Level ◽  
The Government ◽  
Programme Content ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Financial Balance

Operations Management Programmes (OMPs) are among those teaching provisions attracting a substantial amount of international student enrollment, in contemporary Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). With the current situation that the government is reducing its funding input, the UK HEIs' financial balance relies more than before on the international students who pay higher tuition fees; meanwhile, with the increased number of the international students, the whole nation's economy will be indirectly benefited from the increased consumption capacity associated with them. Thus to have more overseas students is not only educationally meaningful but also economically significant. In order to increase the international student number in HEIs, it becomes more critical to have a thorough understanding of the stakeholders' demand of operations management professionals and/or preference on such an education programme's content and its graduates' competence. This chapter focuses on postgraduate level OMP, through comparing viewpoints obtained from stakeholders (hereon refer to the potential employers, academics and students) in UK and China, presents an empirical comparative investigation on the demand trend of the graduates from OMPs, as well as the preferred programme content, necessary student capability/skills and admission criteria for joining the study of such a programme.

An Empirical Comparative Investigation of Operations Management Programmes

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-33
Author(s):  
Chengbo Wang ◽  
Xuezhong Chen ◽  
David Edgar ◽  
Yang Zhao
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
International Student ◽  
Comparative Investigation ◽  
Overseas Students ◽  
Postgraduate Level ◽  
The Government ◽  
Programme Content ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Financial Balance

In higher education institutes (HEIs), Operations Management programmes (OMPs) are among those programmes attracting a substantial amount of international student enrollment. With the current situation that the government is reducing its funding input, the UK HEIs’ financial balance relies more than before on the international students who pay higher tuition fees; meanwhile, with the increased number of the international students, the whole nation’s economy will be indirectly benefited from the increased consumption capacity associated with them. Thus to have more overseas students is not only educationally meaningful but also economically significant. In order to increase the international student number in HEIs, it becomes more critical to have a thorough understanding of the stakeholders’ demand of operations management professionals and preference on such an education programme’s content and its graduates’ competence. This paper focuses on postgraduate level OMP, through comparing viewpoints obtained from stakeholders (potential employers, academics and students) in UK and China, presents an empirical comparative investigation on the demand trend of the graduates from OMPs, as well as the preferred programme content, necessary student capability/skills and admission criteria for joining the study of such a programme.

Effective Teaching Methods in a diverse and challenging higher education class in the UK

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 532-546
Author(s):  
Muhammad Faisal Usmani ◽  
Husam Alharahsheh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Education System ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
First Language ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Overseas Students ◽  
Local Students ◽  
The Uk

Education in a multi-cultural environment also requires the participants (international students whose first language is not English) and local students (whose first language is English) to adapt themselves to the environment of education.  There should be a two-way process of integration of students into the higher education sector in the UK or elsewhere in order to make the learning process effective.  In this process, the teachers/lecturers should determine and adopt the method(s) which would be most appropriate to make teaching interesting and understandable for local and overseas students with a variety of cultural backgrounds.  On the other hand, foreign methods of teaching should be regarded by overseas students as part of their learning process so that they are able to accept the best aspects of foreign methods of teaching. It is to be emphasised however that teachers in the higher education system in the UK or elsewhere should, during the initial stage of teaching on any programme, familiarise overseas students with the special aspects of teaching under this system, and alert students, in a friendly manner, of the essentials and techniques of learning and the evaluation system(s) thereto. Teachers/lecturers should be aware of an almost total transformation of a learning method which many of the overseas students are required to go through and also local students feel to be convenient in accordance to the British education system (Helmi and Pius, 2018a; Helmi et al., 2018a; Helmi et al., 2018b and Helmi et al., 2018c).  Students must have satisfied the admission requirements of the institutions concerned for a particular programme of study; thus their ability to understand the basic concepts relating to a variety of subjects which they opt for may not be questioned (Helmi and Pius, 2018a).

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC RISK PERCEPTION ON STUDENTS' BEHAVIOURAL INTENTION TOWARDS RETURNING HOME FOR STUDYING

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-136
Author(s):  
Huynh Nguyen Bui ◽  
Phung Nam Phuong
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Behavioural Intention ◽  
Behavioural Control ◽  
Perceived Behavioural Control ◽  
Overseas Students ◽  
Returning Home ◽  
The Uk

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, it is more difficult for international students to complete their study abroad. There has been little discussion concerning international students' perspectives regarding their study plan during this health-related crisis. Based on the frameworks of risk perception theory and the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study highlights returning home for studying as a health-protective behaviour stemming from international students' perceptions of COVID-19 risk. In other words, overseas students' behavioural intention is scrutinized through the lens of the risk perception. An online survey with random sampling method was administered to the Vietnamese students who were studying in the UK in February and March 2021. A total of 588 responses were collected for data analysis. The results reveal that international students' cognitive and affective risk perceptions are positively related to their attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control over returning home for studying. There also exists a significant influence of both cognitive and affective risk perceptions on the students’ behavioural intention. Attitude, subject norms, and perceived behavioural control are considered significant mediators between risk perception and behavioural intention.

Ironic Content Features in the Orthodox Media Discourse

2020 ◽  
pp. 71-86
Author(s):  
Alexandra Makarova
Keyword(s):  
Religious Discourse ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Media Discourse ◽  
Human Communication ◽  
Cultural Methods ◽  
Religious Communication ◽  
The Media ◽  
To Come ◽  
Sphere Of Influence

The religious communication is the most ancient of human communication types. The pragmatic linguistics as well as rhetoric shows a special attitude to this special type of discourse. Today the Internet text with its unlimited abilities is being in the focus of linguists’ attention. That is why the orthodox journalists are covering not only print media but also the Internet that helps to widen the sphere of influence on the people’s minds and souls. The analyses show that the media context of the Orthodox sites (such as The Orthodox people laugh and etc.) includes humorous publications that prove the necessity of studying peculiarities of religious communication and humorous texts in orthodox sites. The integrative approach including content analyses, discourse and linguistic cultural methods helps the author to come to a conclusion that orthodox media texts are distinguished by intertextuality, hypertextuality, creolism, and the authors want to influence the addressee in the most effective way. To define the communicative task, the missionary function should be taken into account which is peculiar to the religious discourse.

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