Sense of belonging: international students’ experience of intercultural and cultural inclusion in Saudi universities

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the intercultural inclusion of international students in Saudi universities, especially the language and culture barriers while interacting with local peers within and beyond classroom settings. Qualitative data gathered through interviews with 12 international students revealed that the Arabic language, shared human experiences, and a lack of intercultural awareness pose challenges. International students avoid engaging with local peers due to a lack of confidence stemming from their limited language proficiency and the array of accents they encounter. In terms of commonalities, factors such as ethnicity, economic status, and academic performance are considered impediments to seamless intercultural integration.

تبحث هذه الدراسة في تجربة الطلاب الدوليين للإندماج بين الثقافات في الجامعات السعودية، ولا سيما التحديات التي تواجههم أثناء التعامل مع أقرانهم المحليين داخل وخارج الفصول الدراسية، لقضايا متعلقة باللغة والثقافة. تم إجراء مقابلة مع 12 طالبًا دوليًا في الجامعات السعودية، وتوصلت النتائج إلى أن التحديات التي يواجهها الطلاب الدوليين تتعلق باللغة العربية، والقواسم المشتركة بين البشر، ونقص الوعي بين الثقافات، حيث أنهم يتجنبون الانخراط مع أقرانهم المحليين بسبب نقص الثقة لأنهم لا يجيدون اللغة واللهجات المختلفة. أما فيما يتعلق بالقواسم المشتركة، تعتبر الإثنية والوضع الاقتصادي والأداء الأكاديمي عقبات في طريق اندماجهم بين الثقافات أيضاً.‏

KEYWORDS:

• Intercultural
• cultural inclusion
• engagement
• international students
• domestic peers

Acknowledgements

The author extends his appreciation to the King Saud University for supporting this work, and special thanks to all participants who facilitated the data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abdulaziz Salem Aldossari

Abdulaziz Salem Aldossari (King Saud University, College of Education) is an Associate Professor in Educational Policies Department at College of Education, King Saud University. He has PhD degree in social foundation of Education from University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of emerging methods in qualitative research, urban education, cultural issues and community engagement for social change. Dr. Aldossari has completed two translated books on educational policies and equality. He also conducted several research focusing on cultural stigma of vocational education, othering theory and its relation to identity, gender roles and social engagement.