Research

From the variety of research, including theorists, practitioners, and researchers, a synthesis of decades of research and review focused on supporting international students and mentorship is highlighted below.

Introduction

While there have been several studies of international students in higher education around the world, these studies are usually focused on the US, UK, and Australian contexts of education and programs that exist (Akanwa, 2015). The research that has been done in specifically in the Canadian context is fairly limited and often behind other countries in understanding the needs of diverse student populations. The transition of international students to and from higher education involves multifaceted challenges and requires comprehensive support, as indicated by various theoretical perspectives and empirical findings. International students are steadily increasing in enrolment as higher education institutions across the country, with over 350,000 international students in Canada studying at colleges or universities (CBIE, 2021). With these high enrolment numbers, international students make up more than 10% of the student population in Canada (Guo & Guo, 2017).

Often the priority for institutions is to recruit international students (Akanwa, 2015), but it is necessary to shift the focus to retention in order to ensure international students are successfully reaching their goals. It has often been highlighted that international students face different challenges and may require specific support, especially in their transition to Canada and higher education (Akanwa, 2015; Hellsten, 2002). Some of this support looks like social and academic navigation, managing expectations and culture shock, and connections to community (Hellsten, 2002). Ensuring that these supportive opportunities are widely available to international students is the responsibility of the institution (Akanwa, 2015; Outhred & Chester, 2013), and requires a deep understanding of these students’ experiences and recommended practice in order to meet these complex needs (Hellsten 2002).

International students' and the transition into higher education

The transition experiences of international students entering into post-secondary are marked by difficulties and varied experiences (Ecochard & Fotheringham, 2017). Several studies, mainly focused in countries such as the United States and Australia, highlight specific experiences that international students have when they are settling into post-secondary. Across a couple decades of research, there are few common themes, highlighting the academic, social, economical and cultural challenges that international students face as they pursue a post-secondary education (Bender et al., 2019; Jindal-Snap & Rienties, 2016).

International students face a myriad of challenges during their transition to post-secondary education, encompassing many different aspects, and several researches have highlighted common experiences, challenges and barriers. As these experiences are considered, Jindal-Snape & Rienties (2016) highlight the need to consider multiple contextual transitions, drawing on ideas such as acculturation, resilience, and social networks to understand the various factors influencing international students' adaptation. Research further highlights the multifaceted nature of these challenges, including stress, loneliness, anxiety, homesickness, and academic expectations (Arthur, 2017; Sherry et al., 2010; Kwon, 2009). Kowing that students come from all over the world to study in Canada, students have different experiences with transitioning to the culture, expectations, and academic experience in Canada, as Jindal-Snape & Rienties (2015) highlights the importance of acknowledging and understanding the multiple context transitions international students face. Notably, it was found that different identity groups, such as female students and ESL students, faced even higher levels of difficulty across their social and academic transition (Kwon, 2009; Hellsten, 2002). International students are often identified as a vulnerable student population due to the complexity of their experiences in post-secondary (Sherry et a., 2010).

Research highlights a few different ways that international students can be intentionally supported, such as through valuable social connections amongst peers, faculty, and alumni, leadership opportunities, supports to overcome barriers, integrating more global perspectives into classroom and extracurricular experiences, institutional commitments and action toward discrimination (Arthur, 2017; Guo & Guo, 2017). Strong social support is correlated with managing academic and psychological demands of post-secondary (Aruthur, 2017). While most international students are eager to make connections, it is most common for them to make connections amongst other international students with similar shared experience, while they often find it difficult to make connections with domestic students, faculty, and alumni (Akanwa, 2015; Sherry et al., 2010; Arthur, 2017), Leadership opportunities not only provide international students with valuable opportunities to get involved and gain work or volunteer experience, but it's always been proven in research that this is a great way to make connections with their peers, specifically domestic students (Arthur, 2017). International students often face hardship with financial expectations of high tuition fees, homesickness of being far from home, and navigating a new country. Higher education institutions needs to focus more resources and supports on supporting international students in their transitions, and make commitments to implements policies and practices that ensure their success (Akanwa, 2015; Sherry et al., 2010).

International students' and the transition into a career

Looking beyond the post-secondary transition, there are a few researchers that have shed light on the career transitions of international students (Arthur & Nunes, 2011, 2013, 2014) There are a few gaps in this research area of international experience with a significant lack of research in this area, but some recent studies have highlighted the complex perspectives and difficulties that international students face when considering their future careers after post-secondary. A large portion of international students studying in Canada want to stay in the country to work after graduating (Arthur 2012), and there are several supportive gaps that need to be filled to ensure their success. The most influential factors for international students to want to stay in Canada after studying are job opportunities and increased quality of life (Arthur & Nunes, 2011). All international students experience a variety of barriers and opportunities when consider post-graduation employment. Across both barriers and opportunities, there are themes of quality of life, relevance of experience, employment conditions, and stability of conditions (Arthur & Nunes, 2011).

Gribble, Rahimi, & Blackmore (2016) focus on the post-study employment of international students in Australia. Findings revealed that there needs to be more intentional and supportive programming outside of the classroom, such as networking, career exploration experiences, and skill-building workshops for international students to be successful in their field (Gribble et al., 2017). They advocate for increased host community engagement, as connections within the community play a crucial role in students' employability. As a result of a few qualitative studies focused on exploring international students' experience with post-graduation employability, there is an emphasis on the importance of relationships, both personal and professional, in the university-to-work transition (Arthur & Nunes, 2011, 2014; Lertora & Sullivan, 2019). It has been highlight in research that strong connections locally with peers, supervisors, and mentors had the biggest impact in decisions to stay in Canada and pursue a career after studying (Arthur & Nunes, 2014). Mentoring, especially by international alumni, is seen as instrumental in helping students navigate the complexities of career decisions.

Mentorship support for international students' and their transitions

Mentorship emerges as a crucial element in supporting international students during their transition. Various studies, including Popadiuk & Arthur (2012) and Thomson & Esses (2016), underscore the significance of mentorship in different aspects of the student journey, specifically for international students. Many international students find it hard to connect with others outside of their own social groups, that are often formed around a shared identity of home country, language, and culture (Akanwa, 2015, Yan & Sendall, 2016). Having a structured and accessible mentorship program is a great way to provide space and an opportunity for international students to build connections with others, have the support of an upper-year student, and learn and grow in a safe environment (Thomson & Esses, 2016; Yan & Sendall, 2016).

Through two focus groups across an academic year, it was found that international students experienced increased adaptability and decreased stress when paired with a mentor that actively engaged in planning activities and engaging sessions (Thomson & Esses, 2016). Another study found that international students benefited from meeting both international and domestic upper-year peers, and had better academic performance when engaging in activities in a structured support program, such as a mentorship opportunity (Yan & Sendall, 2016). Collaboration between international and domestic students, along with a focus on understanding different learning cultures, is crucial (Akanwa, 2015). Building strong friendships, collaborative decision-making in career choices, establishing relationships with supervisors and mentors for career opportunities, developing relational networks for finding the first job, and early connections in programs all contribute to a smoother transition. Moreover, mentorship from international alumni is identified as essential for providing role models and valuable insights. Meaningful connections, both with peers and mentors, contribute to a sense of belonging and facilitate smoother transitions (Popadiuk & Arthur, 2012; Thomson & Esses, 2016).

Akanwa (2015) underscores the responsibility of institutions in providing adequate support for international students, emphasizing the changing landscape of international education experiences. International student populations in Canada are becoming more diverse, and are presenting a variety of different and complex needs (Akanwa, 2015; Popadiuk & Arthur, 2012). Higher educational institutions need to focus on the lived experiences of international students to provide opportunities such as mentorship programs in order for international students to successfully navigate different transitions they will face during their studies (Sherry et al., 2009; Akanwa, 2015). The implications of all this research call attention to learning more about barriers that international students face, the opportunities they seeking, and how institutions can provide more programs of support through mentorship programs.

Conclusion

Supporting international students during their transition involves recognizing the unique experiences of international students, acknowledging the challenges in their transition, and implementing effective mentorship programs that foster connections and provide guidance throughout their academic journey and beyond (Jindal-Snape & Rienties, 2016). Designing and implementing a supportive program for international students through their transition into university and subsequent career paths requires a comprehensive approach. It involves addressing academic, cultural, and social aspects, fostering a supportive campus culture, and providing targeted interventions such as mentorship programs and career services. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by international students and implementing inclusive practices can contribute to their overall success and well-being (Arthur, 2017). In identifying and understanding the factors, challenges, supports, and possibilities, the international students’ transition can be examined as an ongoing process in which the institution, service departments and student success priorities should be key stakeholders in.

As an outcome of the highlighted research, a mentorship program was designed as part of this capstone project. The intention is to encourage institutions to implement a program like this that is supported by research and best practices to ensure international students can adjust to higher education, find a sense of belonging and academic success, and move on to a meaningful career.