Abstract
How do language and culture pose adjustment challenges that hinder the academic success of postgraduate international students? This article answers this question based on a thematic analysis of 55 semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with postgraduate international students and academic and professional staff members at a Malaysian research-intensive public university. The results show that language and culture are influential in a range of academic (language, supervision, research training) and social (group work, friendship) adjustment challenges. The analysis highlights how these challenges hinder academic success as a result of limited or frustrated pathways for students’ linguacultural development. We conclude that future academic research and university policy to support postgraduate international students may pay greater attention to cross-cultural, linguistic, and linguacultural issues.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 444-466 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Journal of International Students |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Keywords
- academic success
- adjustment
- culture
- international students
- language
- linguaculture
- Malaysia
- postgraduate