The International Student Barometer

Having a relative or friend in a destination country and receiving information about local culture and customs can help reduce concerns and worries about going to study abroad and impact students’ choice of a particular location. Campus safety and a welcoming environment were also important factors in international students’ institutional and destination choice.

In a recent study on international student mobility conducted by Studyportals, Choudaha and van Rest (2018) found that a majority of respondents, who were prospective international students, indicated that work opportunities during their studies was an important factor in choosing their institution and destination country. The study also surveyed colleges and

universities that reported an increase in international student enrollment numbers in 2017. These institutions attributed the growth in student numbers to three main factors: 1) active recruitment efforts (61.1%), 2) active outreach to admitted students (45.1%), and 3) the growing reputation and visibility of their institution (45.1%).

Institutions that actively measure student satisfaction tend to find an established relationship between student expectations and their level of satisfaction on the service they receive. For instance, in a comparative study of student satisfaction at 40 business schools in the US versus the UK, Mai (2005) developed a questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL framework to compare 322 students’ educational experiences on service quality at their respective

institutions. The study found that students had different levels of expectations when they study in the US than in the UK, and that US institutions provided a higher quality of education that exceeded students’ expectations.

Administered by i-graduate, a UK based company, the ISB tracks and compares the decision- making, expectations, perceptions, intentions and satisfaction of international students from application to graduation (i-graduate, n.d.). It enables host universities to make informed decisions on how to enhance the international student experience, optimize resource allocation and support services, provide strategic input to key investment decisions, and drive successful recruitment and marketing strategies. Since its inception in 2005, the ISB has gathered feedback from over 3 million students in over 1,400 institutions and across 33 countries (ibid n.d.). The ISB, which is the instrument used in this study, examines international student satisfaction in the arrival, learning, living, and support services dimensions of institutional experience. It also investigates students’ recommendation of their institution to future applicants.

In conjuction with Universities Australia and Australian Education International, i- graduate analyzed international student satisfaction data from 36 Australian universities that used the ISB (Brett, 2013). The findings showed that Australian universities improved in student satisfaction over the past two years and did well compared to their peer institutions globally.

37,060 respondents were generally satisfied with their experiences at their respective institutions in Australia. They were satisfied with their overall arrival experience and, particularly, with social activities that facilitate making new friends locally, as well as internet access upon arrival.

In terms of their learning experience, international students indicated a negative shift in how they received feedback on their academic performance, as well as opportunities to teach during their during. The indicators for overall living experience were favourable compared to the global score. However, one in two students showed dissatisfaction with the cost of living and

accommodation. Australian institutions also fell behind in safety, sport facilities, internet access,

transport links and social activities. International students were generally satisfied with all aspects of the support services that they received at their institution.

The following year, Garrett (2014) released another ISB report examining data from 50 Australian, UK, and US institutions, representing over 60,000 international students. The study, which primarily focused on student remmendation, showed that a majority of respondents, consisting of undergraduate and graduate international students, were satisfied with their overall university experience. It also indicated that students’ willingness to recommend their institution was closely correlated with satisfaction. Both ISB reports (Brett, 2013; Garrett, 2014) provide institutions with important insights for assessing their international student recruitment, services and retention strategies that may in turn support efforts towards enhancing the international student experience and campus internationalization.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US reported their ISB findings in two parts: 1) they analyzed the experiences of their graduate and undergraduate international students in six different categories—Arrival, Support Services, Living, Learning, Advice, and Recommendations, and 2) they compared results of the 2014 analysis to what was collected in 2012 and 2013 (Antoine, Chin, & Huang, 2015). Overall, respondents had an 85% satisfaction rate with their Arrival, Support, Living and Learning experiences. Graduate students were slightly more satisfied than undergraduate students in all of these areas. 84% of undergraduate students and 88% of graduate students said they would recommend their current institution to future applicants. The 3-year comparative analysis showed that although overall satisfaction rates from 2012-2014 only varied by 1 to 2 %, the rates of satisfaction with specific asects of their university experiences varied more from year to year. There were notable, positive changes in the level of satisfaction with respect to cost of living, welcome upon arrival, employability,

research opportunities, language and learning support, class size, academic advising, dining services, student leadership opportunities, and financial, health, and career services. Satisfaction scores dropped over those three years for visa and immigration advice and overall services provided by the international office.

Yu, Isensee, & Kappler (2016) explored how international student satisfaction data from the ISB could be used colaboratively to drive change and enhance campus internationalization at the University of Minnesota in the US. The authors found that information overload and a busy schedule during orientation, limited airport pickup services, and a lack of short term

accommodation options affected student satisfaction with their arrival experience. In terms of their learning environment, international students indicated that it was highly rewarding to be involved in diverse learning activities and regular scholarly exchanges with faculty and other classmates, which they believe have led to new learning opportunities, cross-cultural

perspectives, and intercultural friendships. While generally satisfied with several aspects of their living experience, the study also found that students struggled to develop friendships with local students and other international students, and often experienced a disconnect with the wider campus community outside of the classroom.