The Sociocultural Needs of International Students in Higher Education: A Comparison of Staff and Student Views

Abstract

The following article examines the sociocultural needs of higher education students on an international degree programme delivered jointly by a post-1992 university in England and a polytechnic institution in the Netherlands. A brief discussion of relevant literature is followed by a methodological overview, detailing the qualitative research design, sample, and method. Results from the focus-group interviews indicate that the majority of students attach great significance to their sociocultural needs in all years of the programme. A number of specific social support mechanisms were identified by the students, as was a greater need for staff assistance in helping the learners create and maintain their social networks. Student views are subsequently compared to those of teaching staff, who articulate a more general awareness of growing student needs and dependency on staff. The article examines these disparities in understandings and discusses staff perceptions of the ways in which institutions might resolve such tensions.