Applying Student Development Theories: Enhancing International Student Academic Success and Integration

Student development theories (SDT) focus on the growth and change occurring in students while attending higher education. In this article, we propose that the application of student development theories supports holistic development in international students and helps us understand international students’ academic success and integration. We outline a combination of student development models, derived from SDT, and interact them with concepts from international student mobility and migration (ISM). These models, when applied to student services, may assist higher education institutions (HEIs) in designing student services for international students enhancing academic success and integration.

Flexible learning pathways in higher education : Finland’s country case study for the IIEP-UNESCO SDG4 project in 2018–2021

Internationalisation at home in Finnish HEIs : a comprehensive approach is needed

International mobility continues to be a priority focus area for internationalising higher education. According to the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Barometer survey, the most common international priority activities included international student mobility, international student recruitment and international staff mobility (Sandström & Hudson, 2018). However, there is rising awareness that international mobility only serves a small percentage of students and there is a need for non-mobile students and staff to gain international and intercultural competencies. This article highlights and explores the findings of a Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture funded pr…