Exploring the daily lived experiences of African international students at a Gauteng Based University
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Date
2020
Authors
Mugambi, Jane Ivy
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Abstract
Internationalisation of higher education and the movement of international students has over the
years become a rising trend. Latest statistics by UNESCO show that by 2016 there were 4.8 million
international students across 200 countries. As a result of this migration, there has been growing
research on international students and the internationalisation of higher education especially in
the Western World. This study explores the daily lived experiences of international students at a
Gauteng University in South Africa, with an interest in Black African students who come from other
African countries. There is a dearth of research on experiences of Black African internationals in
South Africa and this research takes on a holistic approach to build on the existing work as well as
identify further areas of research.
A review of literature was situated in international student experiences, internationalisation of
higher education and critical race theory which amplifies different realities. Following a qualitative
research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants. The findings
revealed that African international students have positive experiences linked to a cosmopolitan
campus environment, high quality academic qualifications, access to university resources and
qualified supportive academic staff. Negative experiences were centred around race, ethnicity,
support structures, stringent visa and institutional entry processes. The study provides
recommendations for universities to reinforce support structures available for international
students. Implications for further research conclude this research report
Description
This research report is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for a Master’s Degree in Community Based - Counselling Psychology by Coursework and Research Report in the
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community
Development, University of the Witwatersrand, 2020
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Citation
Mugambi, Jane Ivy Wangui (2019) Exploring the daily lived experiences of African international students at a Gauteng Based University, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/31382>