The study-abroad process of international students– towards a conceptual model

Absztrakt

There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of internationalization in higher education. Studies show the importance of investigating international student satisfaction at higher education institutions (HEIs) with service that HEIs can provide. However, little is known about the whole study-abroad process of international students and non-school related satisfaction factors are rarely researched. The aim of this paper is to analyze the literature of international students’ expectations, satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth (WOM), and propose a conceptual model that describes the whole study-abroad process of international students. Furthermore, the paper intends to introduce the qualitative findings of in-depth interviews conducted with international students. Findings show that the literature lacks those studies which are relevant to non-school elements of student satisfaction, even though they could play a critical role in students’ overall perceptions. Based on a thorough literature review and in-depth interviews, definitions of the studied terms are determined, their applicability to be used in the context of higher education is tested, and a conceptual model of international students’ study-abroad process is drawn.