Abstract
Physically mobile international students undergo a complex experience and practice responsibilities as global citizens. In this context, numerous studies have expressed the importance of discovering their ways of sensing and engaging with mobile lives in the host society. Following a qualitative research approach, this chapter discusses the experiences of 18 physically mobile Bangladeshi international students in Australian society as global citizens. It portrays young students' economic and moral uncertainties, hopes, and inclusion and exclusion tensions in a neoliberal globalized society that shape their decisions for the present and future mobilities. Universities and other socio-spatial organizations in Australian society and their linkage with others overseas help develop young Bangladeshi students as global citizens as they face the challenges of homesickness, social exclusion, and the cultural and moral issues related to the Australian labor market. Their new identity as global citizens best fits the privatized, individualized, and fast-globalizing world.
TopHigher Education Students’ International Mobility
One prominent attribute exhibited by capable young people pursuing higher education in the globalized era seems to be their inclination for educational mobility (Brooks & Abrahams, 2018). In examining scholarly literature on international students’ mobility, Islam (2019) identifies three overarching categories, namely culture, course, and career, which encompass the majority of motivations reported concerning international higher education mobility. In a similar manner, international students’ experiences are transforming in light of economic demands and the emotional and ethical dimensions inherent in their lived encounters abroad. Numerous advertisements by universities vying for prominence in the global education market purport to offer students the attributes of global citizenship. However, pursuing worldwide mobility in higher education entails additional economic, moral, and emotional ramifications for these individuals.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Global Citizenship: The concept of global citizenship refers to the collective efforts made by individuals and collectives to address social, environmental, and economic issues while acknowledging the fundamental universal citizenship shared by all human beings.
International Mobility: The phenomenon of international mobility involves the acquisition of educational, professional, social, and intercultural competencies, which equip individuals with the requisite aptitudes to proficiently navigate and adjust to circumstances associated with traveling and relocating abroad.
Social Inclusion: Social inclusion can be described as the systematic endeavor to enhance social engagement, explicitly focusing on individuals facing various forms of disadvantage. This is achieved by augmenting their access to resources, opportunities, and avenues for expression and ensuring their rights are acknowledged and respected.
Globalization: Globalization is a conceptual framework employed to elucidate the phenomenon wherein trade and technology have fostered heightened interconnectedness and interdependence among nations and communities on a global scale. Globalization encompasses the extensive transformations that have transpired in economic and societal realms.
Higher Education: Higher education refers to the educational level beyond secondary school, which encompasses several academic programs that culminate in the conferral of an academic degree. Higher education, sometimes called post-secondary, third-level, or tertiary education, represents an elective concluding phase of structured knowledge acquisition that follows the completion of secondary school.