As shown in the literature, quality of education is one of the factors that attract international students to Australia (Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002). Since the students are away from home, quality of teaching is not the only element students are looking for. Support and guidance is what determines their level of satisfaction.
“I found that the staff, I mean the teaching staff here is quite helpful. They will just ask you ‘Stephanie if you’ve got any problem just come to see me, talk to me any time. They’re quite helpful.” (S9, Female, 23, Nursing, Hong Kong)
Students not only required the support for staff academically, they are also looking for cultural understanding, empathy and fair treatment.
“Oh, the teachers are so good. They’re so cooperative and so understandable. They’re really open-minded, they’re not arrogant. They don’t like argue with you. Whatever is logical and rational they will do it. If I’m good they will help me. If I’m not good it’s not worth it. They won’t waste their breath on me. It’s like that. I think that’s pretty fair.
It’s really, really fair.” (S11, Female, 21, Commerce and Accounting, Bahrain)
Educating international students not only earn the export dollars for Australia, it is also an avenue of promoting Australian culture and awareness of Australia internationally. Evidence from before, parents who were educated in Australia have a strong tendency of sending their children back to Australia to be educated again. Since the Colombo plan, not only a large number of students who were educated here stayed and made their contribution to the Australian society, culture and economy, they continue to make further contributions in ways of improving culture exchange, and promoting Australian products, culture and experience internationally. The current Lord Mayor of Melbourne City John So is the best example of this education benefit to Australia. Poor experience is serious for the Australian education export industry. From all angles attention must be paid to improve international students’ positive side of the experience in Australia.
“I never thought that it would turn out that way because I thought that part of the country you should help each other, but that was the most disappointing thing happening to me and from that experience and another experience in my class, like I tell my friend called me stupid Muslim, then I told my family when I went back last year for …….
I’m not going to continue, never again, but then because I don’t want to upset my eldest brother, because he has helped me a lot, I think maybe he can see the future so I just accept it. He says it won’t be long then you’ll be back with us.” (S1, Female, 35, Ceramics, Brunei)
International students come to Australia for quality education. This does not only apply to the quality of teaching. It is a packaged experience consisted of many elements such as teaching and research qualities, the friendliness and the quality of staff. A positive cultural experience is a very important part of this package. Should this be seen as a single job for the tertiary institutions only? We’d like to argue for a whole community involved
effort to improve our studying and living environment for the international students. It’s perhaps more of a moral pursuit for the large proportion of the community. We certainly like to argue for initiatives, contribution from the Australian government that organisations such as Austrade may be able to play an active role since they now have a portfolio in education.
Although universities have all set up services such as counselling to provide support to international students, students prefer to go to their lecturers and tutors first regardless of the nature of the problem. Several reasons are behind this: 1. for high context culture students, communication is based on context, background information and understanding of culture; 2. for CHC students (Chung, Kelliher, & Smith, 2006b) they require more personal contact. Their lecturers and tutors are people they have more frequent contact with therefore they are more comfortable with them. In comparison when they seek for help from student services, it often depends on whom they get at the counter. This could mean that for one problem, they had to deal with several different people and explain their problems several times. Especially if the problems or issues are sensitive issues, they will not like it; 3.
culturally, the CHC students have more respect towards their lecturers and tutors especially if they are more mature age.
“There are a few different places. I know there is a support system to help you in academic work. I didn’t go to see them I think because I’m too busy and I can ask help from …… I usually ask my lecturer who teach at the uni if I have any problems or classmates.” (S2, Female, Management, Malaysia)
This creates several problems for academics. First of all, problems they are presented with may require professional assistance that academics themselves may not necessarily be trained in dealing with these issues.
Secondly, the expectations from international students may not be able to be met by academics due to lack of resources and experience therefore problems remain. Thirdly, with Australian education system, academics are prescribed with workload and spending much time resolving students’ personal problems may mean that they may not be able to perform their other duties. Hence, some will be reluctant to do.
Australian teaching staff are generally well qualified and experienced in teaching however it is questioned whether they indeed have the level of cross-cultural knowledge, experience and skills to deal with the international students. They often meant well but their communication with internationals students are totally out of the context that these students can understand. International students either don’t understand the requirements from the teaching staff (Chung et al., 2006b) or mis-understand their intension totally. Especially if they were under pressure to perform.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In short, international students are not having a smooth sailing in Australia as their studying experience.
Institutions such as hosting universities may take a more pro-active approach in addressing some of the issues. This may be carried out through student services. At the government policy level, it is suggested that policies may be put into place in helping international students to better their time spent in Australia. Pre-departure cross-cultural training should be made available upon receiving their visas to come to Australia. This should further be linked to student services as apart of the follow up services provided from these training courses. Not only students are better prepared this way, they will also be tracked via the follow up service that their progress will then be monitored to ensure the quality of the results.
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