A mixed methods investigation of international students’ perceptions of their experiences of marginalization in Korean higher education

Abstract

As Korea expands its global outreach and more international students attend its universities, how to acculturate and accommodate these students needs to be investigated. The purpose of this study is to examine the acculturation process of international students at one private tertiary institution in Korea to determine their perceptions of their institution and host country with the aim of improving Korea's multicultural policies. The methodology utilized for this study was an explanatory mixed methods approach to examine international students’ experiences. A quantitative measurement using multiple regression analysis to identify the variables affecting student acculturation and a qualitative investigation to contextualize the regression results were implemented. The multiple regression findings demonstrate that the year of study correlates with cultural and linguistic disinterest. In addition, senior students reported lower support rates. The qualitative results indicate that acculturative stress factors stemmed mainly from perceived institutional marginalization and implicit discrimination from the host country institution. The significance of the findings based on the synthesis of the qualitative and quantitative results suggest that culturally and linguistically competent students were unsatisfied with the services of their host institution. A practical implication of this study is that more encompassing and supportive communities for international students are needed to increase student satisfaction and feelings of inclusion.