1. Global at URI: International exchange students within URI’s 21st century learning environment
Wilfredo J. Tangui, Biology
INTRODUCTION
DISCUSSION
The data gathered throughout this study supports the need to further assess the current methodologies in place for internationalizing the URI community for bi-lateral international exchange students studying at URI. Through international student interviews, I expected to find that international students may have had difficulties within the URI environment if they did not find their outlets to create their network of support. The interviews highlighted that many bi-lateral international students reported feeling isolated. “In our international house, there weren’t programs where Americans came to us. We had to put in a lot more effort on our own to make it happen”. Previous studies have highlighted that universities require intercultural environments to construct more inclusive perspectives of intercultural interactions. Eighty percent of survey responses displayed an interest from URI home students to have inclusive cross-cultural activities with the international community. From interviews, bi-lateral international exchange students also display an interest to interact with URI Home students. “My culture is very different from American culture and I wanted to learn more about the culture here which made me interested in interactions with American students”. Moving forward, I believe the University of Rhode Island should conduct qualitative studies on the efficiency and feasibility of existing programming efforts that promote international interaction through the Global Strategies & Academic Partnerships Office and Office of International Education to promote effective programs within the URI 21st century 24/7 learning environment.
In the University of Rhode Island’s Academic Strategic Plan for , there is an initiative to advance and prioritize the internationalization of the University and to nurture a global presence. One main objective is to prepare students to live and work in this increasingly globalized economy and society. To push this initiative forward, expanding support structures and efforts to increase the number of domestic students engaging in international education experiences has been a priority. Universities have been establishing partnerships with international universities to help provide opportunities to develop cross-cultural competencies. URI is expanding efforts to successfully provide comprehensive support and inclusion of enrolled international undergraduate students through advising, peer support, and programs, both at the University and college levels, such as peer ambassadors. The research performed within this Capstone Project was to examine whether the University of Rhode Island’s existing methodologies that focus on the inclusion of bi-lateral exchange international students in the 21st Century 24/7 learning environment (defined within the URI Academic Strategic Plan) is inducing positive student perceptions towards student academic and social life on campus. To gain insight into these student perceptions a general survey was taken of URI home student’s perceptions aimed at their interactions with international students on campus at URI. Bi-lateral international exchange students shared their experiences as well, through interviews which highlight what can be done to welcome these students into our URI community.
RESULTS
Figure 1. Outlines Students' perception of opportunities to interact with international students on campus.
Figure 2. Outlines student's interest in cross cultural activities with international students.
GLOBAL AT URI
CONCLUSIONS
The analysis that was performed illustrate that to aid in the combined efforts to increase domestic students engaging in international education experiences and the inclusion of international students within the URI defined learning environment, it is important to strengthen inclusive cross-cultural interactions on campus in order to truly build our 21st Century, 24/7 learning environment initiative set by the University of Rhode Island’s Academic Strategic Plan for URI home students have an interest in interacting with international students. Based on the survey responses, there can be further improvements in programming and marketing efforts to increase student’s perceptions on available opportunities for interaction with international students. Although a limited focus, the interviews conducted with international bi-lateral exchange students promote a more proactive interventional approach that can be taken to integrate international students further within our community via prolonged contact through informal social programs. One such peer advising program that exists within the University’s current internationalization efforts is the Peer Ambassador Program operated through the Office of International Education. Matching URI home students who have previously studied abroad with newly arrived international students, this program prioritizes international students’ initial integration to the URI campus. I suggest, based from these interview findings, that restructuring the program to be better utilized as an outlet for this approach may improve positive outcomes of student academic life and cultural competencies through social interaction.
Total Number of International Students (int’l) in the U.S *
Total Number of International Students (int’l) at URI
Category
Students
Percentage
Total int’l students
1,043,839
5.20%
Total int’l students
482
3.86%
Non-degree int'l
85,093
0.42%
Non-degree int'l 42
0.33%
Under-graduate int'l
427,313
2.10%
218
1.75%
*National data on international students was gathered by the Institute of International Education (IIE)
The data illustrates that URI, in total number of international students URI has a lower proportion of an international student body compared to the national average.
Also in terms of institutions with the highest number of international students within our state, URI is 4th, falling behind Rhode Island School of Design, Johnson and Wales University and Brown University who leads with 1,842 international students.
In overall proportion of non-degree international students, the data shows that URI is comparable to the national average.
Chart 1. Displays student’s interest in countries abroad that have been grouped by geographic region defined by the Institute of International Education.
METHODS
Compared URI’s current international statistics to the national statistics compiled by the institute of International Education. Inc (IIE) on international students studying within the United States.
Semi-structured interviews with bi-lateral international exchange students were performed
Sampled surveys were distributed to students within the Robert L. Carothers Library and Learning Commons to survey students from all different colleges within URI to gain insight on the perceptions of URI undergraduate students on the international community.
REFERENCES
Arabkheradmand, A., Shabani, E. A., Zand-Moghadam, A., Bahrami, H. S., Derakhshesh, A., Golkhandan, A. R., (2015) An Introduction to the Internationalization of Higher Education. Maryland, MD: University Press of America.
The Institute of International Education (2016) Opendoors 2016 “Fast Facts” International Students In The U.S.
Chart 2. Displays current URI international student population according to their country of origin that has been grouped by geographic region defined by the Institute of International Education.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my sponsor, Michael Foster, International Education