International Students and Diversity

Abstract

In the face of heightened competition for globally mobile students over the past decade, the recruitment of international students has taken an unprecedented center stage in US universities. It has been spurred partially by the recognition that international students are valuable intellectual and economic assets and that there is now fierce worldwide competition for these students. However, the interest in increasing international student numbers goes beyond this. From the point of view of academics and educators, international students provide opportunities for domestic students to engage with those coming from different cultures, which, in turn, allow them to shed stereotypes, explore new perspectives, and gain intercultural skills. Not surprisingly, more and more American institutions are beginning to incorporate international students as part of their “comprehensive internationalization strategies” (ACE 2011). A comprehensive internationalization strategy views internationalization as a process that is deeply intertwined with the teaching, research, and outreach missions of the university, rather than just as a set of discrete activities like study abroad and international student recruitment (Hudzik 2011). Bringing international students to the campus is seen as integral to the university’s mission to prepare students to live and work in a diverse and intercultural environment (Pandit 2009; Bevis 2002).