Applying student development theories : Enhancing international student academic success and integration

Abstract

Student development theories (SDT) focus on the growth and change occurring in students while attending higher education. In this article, we propose that the application of student development theories supports holistic development in international students and helps us understand international students’ academic success and integration. We outline a combination of student development models, derived from SDT, and interact them with concepts from international student mobility and migration (ISM). These models, when applied to student services, may assist higher education institutions (HEIs) in designing student services for international students enhancing academic success and integration.