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Running head: CAMPUS INTERNATIONALIZATION, STUDY ABROAD AND

CULTURAL AWARENESS 1














Campus Internationalization, Study Abroad and Cultural Awareness
Alex Bondar
Siena Heights University

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Statement of the Problem
Internationalization, globalization and cultural diversity are some of the main trends
that we continually hear about and are shaping and changing the world that we live in.
Increasing international education is one of the main ways universities can successfully
prepare their students to think ahead when dealing with these trends. According to Hser
(2005), in recognizing the need for internationalization, many universities and colleges in
the United States are making great efforts to internationalize their institutions in order to
prepare their students to live and work in the global society of the twenty-first century (p.
35). Two of the primary ways to provide the students with and international education that
will increase their exposure to different cultures is to internationalize the university campus
and increase the amount of study abroad exchanges taking place. There are different ways of
accomplishing this; however, some may be more effective than others.
Purpose Statement
Providing an international education to students has been at the forefront of
many Universities in the United States. The reasons for this are internationalization,
globalization, cultural diversity and cultural awareness trends that are becoming ever more
important in order to be globally competent and employable upon graduation. Increasing the
amount of students studying abroad and the amount of international students studying at
American universities are two of the main methods to ensure that students receive an
international education. Thus, the purpose of this research is to understand whether study
abroad and campus internationalization have an effect on increasing students cross cultural
skills and global competencies skills.



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Review of the Literature
History of International Education
The need for an international education comes from the way that organizations do
business in todays world. Economies of the world are no longer self-sufficient and global
trade is one of the main driving forces for increased prosperity in any given nation.
Companies outsource labor, nations import and export goods, and cultural awareness and
global competencies are a must have for employees working for multi-national organizations.
Also, governments around the world want their citizens to be globally competent and
culturally aware in order to promote understanding and cooperation between different
nations.
One of the main organizations in the United States for promoting international
education, the Institute of International Education (IIE), was founded after World War I by
the U.S. State Department. According to the Association for the Study of Higher Education
(2011), the IIE was created for the purpose of educating students about different cultures in
order to create a mutual understanding between the citizens of different nations (p. 16).
Providing students with an international education started as a concern for national security.
The period after the tragic events on 9/11 has seen an even bigger push for creating globally
competent citizens through internationalizing education (ASHE, (2011), p. 19). According to
the Association for Study of Higher Education (2011), educators and politicians joined by
business leaders who argued that college graduates with internationally compatible skills
such as second language fluency and knowledge of international cultures would be vital to
the continued profitability of the firm ( p. 20-21). President Bill Clinton stated, to continue
to compete successfully in a global economy and to maintain our role as a world leader, the
United States needs to ensure that its citizens develop a broad understanding of the world,
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proficiency in other languages, and knowledge of other cultures (as cited in ASHE, 2011), p.
23).
Who Studies Abroad
A study performed by ASHE (2012) showed the overall percentage of U.S. students
who study abroad remains stubbornly below 2 percent of total U.S. Undergraduates (p. 37).
The majority of American students that participate in study abroad are typically white
females and the most common study abroad majors are humanities, social sciences and
business. Females outnumber males two-to- one when it comes to studying abroad, and
constituted 63.5 percent of all study abroad students in 2009-2010 (ASHE, (2012), p. 41).
The majority of American students who study abroad come from families that are well off
financially and see the significance of an international education according to the Association
for the Study of Higher Education (2012) (p 44). The level of parental education also had an
influence on increasing the students interest to study abroad (ASHE, 2012, p. 44) Also, it
was determined that students who expressed an interest in improving their understanding of
other cultures and countries were twice as likely to intend to study abroad as those who did
not (ASHE, 2012, p. 46). Students who understood the importance of widening their
cultural awareness and global competency skills were significantly more likely to study
abroad than students who did not place a lot of importance in improving their knowledge of
other nations cultures (ASHE, 2012, p. 46-47). According to the Association for the Study of
Higher Education (2012) other factors that contribute to choosing to study abroad are foreign
language proficiency, previous travel abroad and the perception that a study abroad will
improve the chances for career advancement upon graduation (p. 46-47).
According to the 2011 Open Doors report performed by the IIE, students that studied
abroad during the years of 2009 to 2010 were constituted from these majors: 19.5 percent
business, 12.1 percent humanities, 7.3 percent fine or applied arts, 7.3 percent physical and
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life sciences and 6.1 percent were foreign language majors (ASHE, 2012, p. 42). Europe
was the number one destination for study abroad by American students, and the United
Kingdom, Italy, Spain and France were the top four countries chosen by the students to study
abroad (Kuzma, Kuzma, Thiewes, (2012), p.458) These four nations accounted for almost
40 percent of the total study abroad population (Kuzma, Kuzma, Thiewe, (2012), p. 458).
China followed as the number five destination for study abroad according to the Association
for the Study of Higher Education.
Cultural Awareness
Globalization is often used as the main argument for the necessity to increase ones
cultural awareness and global competency skills. When researchers use the term globalization
they mean the interdependence of world economies that are linked through financial markets
and multi-national organizations that carry out their business activities in all corners of the
world (Biles, Lindley, (2009), p. 148). However, globalization is not the only argument for
increasing ones cultural awareness. Geography and national traditions also play a crucial
role in developing cross-cultural understanding (Biles, Lindley, (2009), p. 148). The common
definition of globalization is the interdependence of nations due to financial and economic
reasons. On the other hand, the general public definition of internationalization is understood
as a concept that stresses the importance of the fostering relationships between the peoples of
different cultures. Furthermore, cultural awareness is an understanding, an appreciation of
difference, engagement with diversity, a relational sense of identity, and builds sustainable
linkages and synergies to benefit both sending and receiving institutions, communities, and
students (Biles, Lindley, (2009), p.148-149) between different nations and cultures
participating in the exchange. The study abroad experience enriches the education of both
undergraduate and graduate students by providing direct exposure to different world cultures
as reflected in the art, architecture, language, and history of the countries that these students
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visit (Mangier, Kraken, (2011), p. 36). Students who are able to participate in a study abroad
experience will build their cultural awareness and develop both an appreciation and
understanding of cultural differences between their country and the country that they have
visited. This will allow students to become globally competent citizens and develop the
necessary skills and awareness that will help them succeed in a globally interconnected yet
culturally different world.
Campus Internationalization
Campus internationalization is another way of increasing the American student bodys
cross-cultural skills and global competencies. While a study abroad experience only affects
the students that participate in the study abroad, internationalizing the campus can affect the
entire student population. Furthermore, due to financial reasons for example, some students
may not be able to participate in a study abroad in order to increase their cultural awareness.
Thus, campus internationalization through the process of attracting international students to
the home campus can allow American universities to provide international interaction for the
domestic students and create a diverse and multicultural campus and educate American
students about the rest of the world (Hser, (2005), p.42) through their interaction with the
international student body.
However, there are a lot of obstacles to effectively internationalizing ones campus.
According to research a lack of strategic planning, a lack of support for international
education by the university administrators, and a lack of commitment to international
education (Hser, (2005) p. 43) are some of the main obstacles to successful campus
internationalization. Lack of funding by the university leadership, location of the university
and the amount of courses dealing with international education and the number of foreign
languages offered (Hser, (2005), p. 44) are some of the primary factors that affect campus
internationalization. In order to overcome these obstacles the number one priority that must
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be achieved is getting the university leadership to recognize the importance of an
international education (Hser, (2005), p. 40). Until the university leadership places a priority
on international education, trying to internationalize ones campus can be an uphill battle.
However, even without the full support from the Universitys leadership, efforts can be made
to internationalize ones campus. According to Mazzarol (1998), there are still a number of
things that could be done to internationalize ones campus. For instance making alliances
with foreign Universities that promote student exchanges between the partnering universities,
and the use of government agencies to promote international education are two such
examples that can help create an international feel on campus (p. 166-169).
Experiential Learning Theory
The experiential learning theory deals with learning through ones personal
experiences and allowing for self-reflection to occur based on those experiences (Passarelli,
Kolb, (2011), p14). Learning through experience is exactly what a study abroad exchange is
all about. Also, if there are a significant number of international students studying at ones
campus the experiential learning theory can also be applied as well. Learning about different
cultures through firsthand experience is probably the best way to develop cross-cultural skills
and become a globally competent citizen. Direct cultural interactions and experiences allow
students to become more open to other cultures and develop new perceptions about foreign
nations. When students from different cultures interact together they facilitate
transformative learning and the development of cultural competence (Passarelli, Kolb,
(2011), p14). Direct interaction with people from other cultures is the fastest way to become
globally competent and build cross-cultural awareness because personal experiences have a
much greater impact on ones learning that just by simply reading about other nations
cultures (Passarelli, Kolb, (2011), p23).

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Suggestions for Further Research
After conducting the literature review there are some further areas regarding campus
internationalization, study abroad, and cultural awareness that need to be answered. Further
research should look at alternatives to campus internationalization and study abroad in order
to increase students cultural awareness and global competency skills. All of the literature to
be found pointed at the benefits of increasing ones cultural awareness and global
competency skills through campus internationalization and study abroad, yet there might be
alternatives methods of improving cross-cultural skills to studying abroad and campus
internationalization.
Research Question
In consideration for the need to providing students with a high quality international
education that produces culturally aware and globally competent graduates, this research will
analyze the effects of study abroad and campus internationalization on increasing the cross-
cultural skills of students. This research will investigate the effects of study abroad and
campus internationalization efforts on the cultural awareness and global competency skills of
students at a small, private liberal arts university. The particular question that will be
addressed in this research is: In what ways can study abroad and campus internationalization
increase students cultural awareness and global competency skills?
Based on the above question, some of the guiding sub questions will include:
What are the specific benefits of campus internationalization, through
increasing the international student presence on campus, to increasing the
cultural awareness in domestic students living on campus?
What are some of the effects and outcomes of sending students on study
abroad trips, in relation to developing their cross-cultural skills and global
competencies skills?
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Method
Intro/Tools
The method that will be used to conduct this research, will be both specific and open
ended questionnaires provided in printed form to the participants. The interview will consist
of approximately twenty questions per questionnaire that will try to establish the level of
cultural awareness and global competency skills of the students. The interviews will be
conducted on campus in a private room, one on one with each of the students. Students, who
are not able to physically meet in person to participate in the interview shall be given the
chance to answer the questionnaires in digital form, provided to them through the use of
email.
Participants
The participants for this research study will be compromised of domestic and
international students from Siena Heights University. The number of research participants
will be approximately twelve to sixteen students. Twelve students will be domestic students
and four of the students will be international students.
Data Collection
The data collection will occur through a qualitative study that will break the students
into four distinct groups. The research method will consist of four specific questionnaires
developed, one for each of the groups. The first group will consist of domestic students who
have studied abroad. The questionnaire for the first group will aim at determining their global
competencies and cultural awareness skills based on the experiences that the students had
during the course of their study abroad. The second group will consist of domestic students
who have had significant interaction with international students studying on campus at Siena
Heights University. This will group will provide an assessment if interaction with
international students had an impact on developing their cross-cultural skills. The third group
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will consist of domestic students that have had no previous study abroad experience and no
interaction with international students. The purpose of this group will be to determine the
global competencies and cultural awareness of domestic students that had no interaction with
outside cultures. The fourth group will consist of international students that are currently
studying on campus at Siena Heights University. The purpose of this group will be to
understand the global awareness and cultural competency skills of the international students,
in order to assess whether studying in the United States has had an impact on increasing their
cross-cultural skills.
Data Analysis
The data received from these questionnaires will be analyzed for trends in cultural
awareness, cross-cultural skills, and global competency skills. The results from the
questionnaires between the different groups will be compared against one another. This will
allow for a comparison of the information and provide an assessment if study abroad and
campus internationalization do in fact have an impact on increasing students cultural
awareness and global competency skills. The findings will be described and presented in
scrutinized detail in my thesis.









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References
Association for the Study of Higher Education. (2011). History and purposes of study
abroad. ASHE Higher Education Report, 38, 13-26. Retrieved from
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.sienaheights.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer
?vid=6&sid=cadd14cf-d180-4406-9fbb-
73c1c04f27cc%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4101
Association for the Study of Higher Education. (2012). Who studies abroad and who does
not. ASHE Higher Education Report, 38, 37-65. Retrieved from
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.sienaheights.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer
?sid=cadd14cf-d180-4406-9fbb-
73c1c04f27cc%40sessionmgr4004&vid=11&hid=4101
Biles, J. J., & Lindley, T. (2009). Globalization, geography, and the liberation of overseas
study. Journal of Geography, 108, 148-154. Retrieved from
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73c1c04f27cc%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4101
Hser, M. P. (2009). Campus internationalization: A study of American universities'
internationalization efforts. International Education, 35, 35-48. Retrieved from
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Kuzma, A. T., Kuzma, J. R., & Thiewes, H. F. (2012). Contrasting student attitudes toward
study abroad programs among college of business majors. American Journal of
Business Education (Online), 5(4), 457-463. Retrieved from
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http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.sienaheights.edu:2048/docview/1418444298/fullte
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Mangier, G. A., & Kraken, M. (2011). The study abroad experience: A crucial element in
globalizing business school programs. Journal of International Education
Research, 7(1), 35-44. Retrieved from
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Mazzarol, T. (1998). Critical success factors for international education marketing. The
International Journal of Educational Management, 12(4), 163-175. Retrieved from
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Passarelli, A. M., & Kolb, D. A. (2011), Using experiential learning theory to promote
student learning and development in programs of education abroad. Case Western
Reserve University. 1-23. Retrieved from
http://learningfromexperience.com/media/2012/02/using-experiential-learning-theory-
to-promote-student-learning-and-development-in-programs-of-education-abroad.pdf

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