Developing generic skills and attributes of international students: the (ir)relevance of the Australian university experience

Abstract

The mandatory inclusion of generic skills and attributes in policy documents of Australian universities has attracted considerable debate and controversy. One aspect neglected in the discussion is whether generic skills and attributes defined by Western society are relevant for all students, including international students returning to their home country after graduation. Using an interpretive research framework of narrative inquiry and iterative content analysis supported by participant observation, the findings from this study suggest that the Australian university experience is a minor contributor to the development of generic skills and attributes among international students and that the relevance of these generic skills and attributes to the professional careers of international students is dependent on the social and political context, culture, opportunity and individual status within the community.

Keywords:

• graduate attributes
• higher education
• international students
• narrative analysis

Acknowledgement

This research was made possible by funding provided by the Carrick Institute for Teaching and Learning as an award to the author for an outstanding contribution to transnational student learning. Thanks also to the international students who participated in the study and gave freely of their time, company and memories.