Matters arising. Australian University Quality Agency feedback in relation to the academic engagement of international students enrolled in onshore university programmes

Abstract

It is now commonplace to find quality audit processes being applied in universities internationally as a means of assessing the quality of teaching and learning. This article draws upon a thematic analysis of 14 second-round Australian Universities Quality Agency reports in order to explore matters arising from the academic engagement of international students against the backdrop of ‘internationalisation’. Given rising international enrolments in universities globally, the discussion in this article is likely to be relevant to other national contexts. The study reveals that university reports and Australian Universities Quality Agency feedback tend to focus discussion of international student engagement and internationalisation around three areas: institutional approaches to defining and responding to internationalisation; the internationalisation of the curriculum; and, in relation to progress, attrition, performance and academic support.

Keywords:

• quality
• international education
• higher education
• student experience
• academic engagement