Work

Internationalized Students: Examining Students’ Experiences in Virtual Study Abroad Programs in Japan

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This paper explored students’ experiences in an international virtual student mobility (VSM) program at a Japanese national university implemented in collaboration with partner universities in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. Through students’ narratives, the study discerned how students perceive “mobility” and the concept of “international students” after participating in a virtual student mobility program. Findings revealed a tension between students’ understanding of “mobility,” official narratives, and students’ actual experiences. While VSM programs facilitate communication and knowledge exchange across borders and develop cross-cultural communications, prevailing binary definitions in student mobility, such as “inbound” vs. “outbound,” “domestic” vs. “international,” or “study abroad” vs. “internationalization at home,” limit VSM potential to be fully realized. This misalignment of the traditional understanding of student mobility that emphasizes place and borders challenges the official narrative of student mobility and urges educators to re-align and re-frame how we understand “international students.”

Source: IAFOR Journal of Education

DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.2.04

Authors: Ariunaa Enkhtur, Ming Li

Language: English

Topic: International Student and Expatriate Challenges

Subfield: Communication

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Award: Development of Inclusive VSM Model: Centering Equity and Access in Virtual Student Mobility