‘Integration is not a one-way process’ : students negotiating meanings of integration and internationalization at home (IaH) in Finnish higher education

Abstract

Internationalization at home (IaH) policies in higher education institutions (HEIs) are rarely negotiated with and by students. Therefore, students’ takes on such policies could be missed opportunities for HEIs. This qualitative study investigates international and local students’ negotiations and meaning-making of integration and IaH as stated by institutional policies. The data consist of online forum entries and reports from small group discussions between 40 students in English medium master’s programs in Finland (Europe). The key concepts of ideology and imaginary serve as entries into data analysis, which consists of enunciative discourse analysis. The findings indicate a perceived hierarchy of mutual but not equal integration between university staff, local and international students. Furthermore, the categories of ‘international as guests’ and ‘local students as hosts’ are challenged by the participants. Local students are considered as ‘guests with more privilege’ and international students as ‘guests with less opportunities’. The responsibility to achieve IaH goals is perceived to be unequally distributed among these actors. Practical implications include reconsidering the categories of ‘international’ and ‘local’ students and how IaH policies could share the responsibilities to achieve their goals more equally among students and staff.