Developing mutually beneficial understandings of academic cultures in an international higher education Master' s degree programme

Abstract

International degree programmes (IDPs) in higher education institutions (HEIs) are no new concept. They represent teaching and learning environments (TALEs), in which a variety of academic cultures intersect. The research aims to understand this diverse teaching and learning community. The objective of the study is to particularly explore the student perspectives navigating this TALE. It is hoped that this research will help providers of IDPs better respond to the diverse experiences and backgrounds of their participants.

The case study looks at the stories of sixteen students, interviewed in pairs, sharing their academic journey in the Master’s programmes of Educational Leadership and Educational Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Findings are based on a holistic and iterative data analysis process of the collected qualitative data.

The narratives explore a variety of academic and professional backgrounds intersecting in the programmes and influencing the current learning environment. The stories told and the reflection processes within the interviews highlighted key disjunctures; disconnection between what the participants assume, expect and experience in the Finnish TALE.

The study concludes that the academic cultures of the enrolled students and the host HEI need to be more visible and understood at both stakeholder levels, students and staff involved in creating, administrating and teaching. The study closes with a comment on the importance of understanding student viewpoints and perspectives in order to create a mutually beneficial TALE.