Conceptual Framework for Implementation of Internationalization in Dental Education with Foundations in Dental Student Life

Abstract

The integration of internationalization within higher education has gained attention in both international and local programs, which allows the enrichment of the institutional quality. Previous literature reveals multidimensional considerations to determine the level of internationalization, considered as pre-existing performance indicators, including: (1) ‘Curriculum and academic offerings’; (2) ‘Collaboration and partnership’; (3) ‘Student and academic staff mobility’; (4) ‘Institutional policy’; (5) ‘Resources’; (6) ‘Campus life’; and (7) ‘Performance review and accountability’. This study aimed to investigate the impact of performance indicators of internationalization on academic performance and extracurricular activities among dental students. A validated online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to dental undergraduates. The data from 93 students (response rate: 96.86%) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regressions. The findings demonstrated that all performance indicators appeared to have significant impact on self-perceived participations of extracurricular activities (p < 0.05), while only ‘Collaboration and partnership’ (p = 0.016), ‘Student and academic staff mobility’ (p = 0.009), ‘Institutional policy’ (p = 0.008), and ‘Campus life’ (p = 0.005) significantly affected actual participations. None of them appeared to be significant predictors for actual and self-perceived academic performance (p > 0.05). The statistical model constructed in this research can be utilized as a conceptual framework in the future establishment of internationalization among dental schools.