THESIS: Trends in Higher Education Systems in International Spheres
By THESIS Podcast
THESIS: Trends in Higher Education Systems in International SpheresNov 09, 2022
Egyptian students: Popular international student recruits from the MENA region
Today we speak with Dalia Elgohary, International Relations Executive at EDUGATE, a company based in Egypt hosting Egypt’s largest University fair. We discuss destinations of interest for Egyptian students and reasons why higher education students from Egypt choose to study in different countries, from her perspective.
International students from Lusophone countries in Portugal: Building a new relationship on colonial history
Today the conversation focuses on international student flows between Portugal and what is known as the Lusophone sphere, or countries which share a historical past with Portugal and where Portuguese is still an official language. We speak with Dr. Cristina Sin, Assistant Professor at Universidade Lusófona in Porto, whose research focuses on internationalization in Portugal, and discuss international student flows to Portugal from countries which were former colonies.
Sin, C., Tavares, O., Aguiar, J. & Amaral, A. (2022). More students and more diverse: new trends in international mobility to Portugal. Tertiary Education and Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11233-022-09090-y
Sin, C., Tavares, O., Aguiar, J., Biscaia, R., & Amaral, A. (2022). International students in Portuguese higher education: who are they and what are their choices?. Studies in Higher Education, 47(7), 1488-1501. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2021.1916907
Supporting forcibly displaced students through IIE programming in Mexico
Today we consider forcibly displaced and refugee students. We take a practical approach and hear about an initiative from the Institute for International Education, IIE, to help support this group of students. Our guest from IIE Latin America & Caribbean is César Maldonado, a Senior Program Specialist based in Mexico.
The IIE Odyssey Scholarship program seeks to deliver assistance to these students who come with a unique set of circumstances. Listen to this episode to hear where IIE focuses the most in student journeys and how they can deliver these services successfully.
Dutch election shake-up: Misplaced blame & the implications for internationalization
The dutch higher education system has been known for its practices of internationalization and large numbers of international students and staff. But last November, the end of 2023, the dutch right-wing party became the largest party in the dutch House of Representatives in a snap election, which will likely lead to some big changes. Today I speak with Thijs van Vugt, Director of the Analytics and Consulting Team at Studyportals, who has worked in international higher education for almost 35 years: 16 of these at universities in the Netherlands and the UK and 18 years as a consultant for hundreds of universities around the world, primarily in marketing and recruitment and data analytics and market insights.
0:00 - 1:38: Introduction
1:39 - 10:46: Context - why the Netherlands and Dutch universities want international students, why international students study in the Netherlands
10:47 - 15:29: Dutch politics and policy on international students
15:30 - 24:03: Impacts of policies on Dutch higher education and society
24:04 - 27:30: Perceptions of international students in relation to issues in Dutch higher education and society
27:31 - End: Influential people and experiences in This's career
Resources:
Christian Fanga and Ilse van Liemptb: ‘We prefer our Dutch’: International students’ housing experiences in the Netherlands
Flows of international students between the African continent and China
In this season, we’ve already touched on emerging regional hubs attracting international students from the perspective of India, where policy is pushing for internationalization on campuses. Today, we look at students headed to China from the continent of Africa. With us to discuss these flows is Dr. Benjamin Mulvey, Lecturer in Equitable Education Systems and Policy at the University of Glasgow.
Ben's recent book: Mapping International Student Mobility Between Africa and China (2023)
Other resources:
Mulvey, B. & Li, B. (2023). Social inequality in a ‘hyper-mobile’ society: intra-national mobilities and formal education in China.
Mulvey, B. (2021). Conceptualizing the discourse of student mobility between “periphery” and “semi-periphery”: the case of Africa and China.
Mulvey, B. (2021). “Decentring” international student mobility: The case of African student migrants in China.
Mulvey, B. (2020). International Higher Education and Public Diplomacy: A Case Study of Ugandan Graduates from Chinese Universities.
Out of Nowhere: Norway's Policy Shift on International Student Fees
In today’s episode we speak with Dr. Jannecke Wiers-Jenssen and Dr. Mari Elken about the new Norwegian policy initiating student fees on full-degree seeking international students from outside the European Economic Area in public higher education institutions. The policy was first heard of in the Fall of 2022 and was quickly implemented. Students beginning their degrees at Norwegian public universities began paying tuition in August, 2023.
Dr. Wiers-Jenssen is Head of Research at NIFU, the Norwegian Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, and Dr. Elken is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Studies at the University of Oslo. On behalf of the THESIS team, we hope you enjoy this episode.
Consequences of international student fees in Sweden: Lessons learned 12 years later
Today we are talking about the introduction of tuition fees for non-European students in Sweden and the impact of the new policy from 2011. We speak with Per A. Nilsson, an analyst at the Planning Office of Umeå University and former member of the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institution’s expert group for internationalisation issues, and Professor Lars Westin, professor in regional economics at Umeå University’s Centre for Regional Science.
Nilsson, P. A. & Westin, L. (2023). The Swedish Debate on Tuition Fees for International Students in Higher Education.
Nilsson, P. A. & Westin, L. (2022). Ten years after: reflections on the introduction of tuition fees for some international students in Swedish post-secondary education.
India’s Intention to Become a “Global Talent House” through Internationalization
In today’s episode I speak with Dr. Mona Khare about India’s bold policy vision to not only increase the number of international students coming to India, but the country’s broader goals for embedding internationalization into the higher education system.
Dr. Khare has immense knowledge from her research on the context of international student mobility into and out from India.
She was recently appointed to be Director of the University Grants Commission- Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre and is a professor and Head of the Department of Educational Finance at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi, as well as a member of the 15th Finance Commission for Education sector funds estimation, for the government of India.
Finally, she has served as a consultant for organizations including UNESCO, Asia Productivity Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank and government bodies as expert on higher education internalization, Graduate employment and employability, Gender and child Budgeting, Education financing and Regional disparities in Economic development.
Relevant work by Dr. Mona Khare:
Khare, M. (2021). Trends and strategies towards internationalisation of higher education in India.
Khare, M. (2023). External Aid: Shifting Dynamics of India’s Higher Education Cooperation and Exchange. Number 83: Special Issue, The Boston College Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE).
Khare, M. (2015). India’s Emergence as Regional Education Hub.
Khare, M. (2014). Ideological Shift in Indian Higher Education Internationalization. International Higher Education, Number 78: Special Issue, The Boston College Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE).
Khare, M. (2019). Making India a Sought –After Destination for Higher Education, in Laura E Rumbley and Hans de Wit ed “Innovative and Inclusive Internationalisation, CIHE Perspectives" No.11, World Education Services and The Boston College Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE).
Khare, M. (2020). "Inbound Student Mobility In Indian Higher Education: A Concern for Gendered Realities," University News, Vol. 58, No 30, AIU, New Delhi with Sonam Arora.
Recent publications by Dr. Mona Khare:
Khare Mona Ed. (2024). "Sustainable and Dynamic Graduate Employability: A Comparative Overview Across Geographies."
The book is available for pre-orders.
Varghese, N.V., & Khare, M. (Eds.). (2021). India Higher Education Report 2020: Employment and Employability of Higher Education Graduates in India (1st ed.). Routledge India.
Khare, Mona. (2023). “Gendered Concerns of Improved Female Participation in Higher Education.” In George Noblit (Ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. New York: Oxford University Press.
“Investing in education for the common good" in Gerard A. Postiglione,Christopher J. Johnstone, and Wesley R. Teter, (ed) Handbook of Education Policy , Elgar Handbooks in Education, Edward Elgar Publications.UK pp 99-115 (2023).
Borders and Bridges: Global trends in international student mobility with Karin Fischer
Today’s episode is the introduction episode to Season 3, where we will discuss international student mobility. I’m excited that our guest today is none other than Karin Fischer, Senior Writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education, well known in the international education space for her journalism on the topic, particularly through her weekly newsletter, Latitudes. In this episode, we set the stage for the remaining discussions of the season, starting with a brief overview of terms used when discussing international student mobility, then discussing trends Karin is noticing in the space.
Announcing Season 3!
Season 3 will be launching December 7th, 2023, with a fabulous guest and episodes to follow!
BONUS Episode: Arbeiterkind.de, the volunteer perspective
Did you enjoy the episode about Arbeiterkind in Germany with Martina Kübler from Arbeiterkind.de? Were you curious about the perspective of people who volunteer with the organization? Check out this bonus episode where we speak with volunteer Yvonne Hesse about what the work entails and how volunteers support Arbeiterkinder.
ArbeiterKind.de (Deutsch)
(UK & Hungary) Unequal Outcomes: The return to a higher ed degree for First-in-Family students
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Anna Adamecz and Dr. Nikki Shure to discuss using first-and-family as an indicator of widening higher education participation and the labor market outcomes of first-and-family students. We look specifically at the cases of England in the United Kingdom and Hungary. Both of our guests hold positions at the University College of London Social Research Institute, where Dr. Adamecz is a research associate and Dr. Shure is an associate professor, where they collaborate on this research. In addition to her role at UCL’s institute, Dr. Adamecz is a Research Associate at the Institute of Economics Centre for Economic and Regional Studies (KRTK KTI).
LINKS:
‘First in family’: higher education choices and labour market outcomes - Project on the Nuffield Foundation website
VIDEO: ‘First in family’: higher education choices and labour market outcomes
Adamecz-Völgyi, A., Henderson, M., and Shure, N. (2022) The Labor Market Returns to 'First in Family' University Graduates. Journal of Population Economics. doi: 10.1007/s00148-022-00908-y
Adamecz-Völgyi, A., Shure, N., and Henderson, M. (2020) Is 'First in Family' a Good Indicator for Widening University Participation? Economics of Education Review. doi: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.102038
Henderson, M., Shure, N. and Adamecz-Völgyi, A. (2020) Moving on up: ‘first in family’ university graduates in England. Oxford Review of Education doi: 10.1080/03054985.2020.1784714
Adamecz, A., Henderson, M., and Shure, N. (2023): Intergenerational educational mobility – the role of non-cognitive skills. Education Economics. doi: 10.1080/09645292.2023.2176826
(China) The Psychology Players in First Generation College Student Job Satisfaction
Today we are speaking with Dr. Ma Yin about first-generation college students in China and their transitions from university to the workforce. We speak about the context of China’s higher education system and labor market, Dr. Ma’s key points regarding the first-generation college student experience in China, and an article Dr. Ma co-authored with his colleagues using the Psychology of Working Theory to understand which psychological factors impact the job satisfaction felt by first-generation college students. Dr. Ma Yin is a Research Professor at Lanzhou University’s School of Philosophy and Sociology in China conducting research in the areas of youth studies, including youth employment and identity, and the sociology of work and education.
Ma, Y. , Huang, G., & Autin K. L. (2021). Linking Decent Work with Academic Engagement and Satisfaction Among First-Generation College Students: A Psychology of Working Perspective.
What it Means to be Black, Female, and First-Gen at a Historically White Institution in South Africa
Today we are joined by Nombasa Mbatyoti, a recent Masters Psychology graduate. We will be discussing her master’s thesis, “Black female first-generation students’ lived experiences at an historically white South African university.” Nombasa will briefly explain the rationale and methodology of her thesis before providing an important context to South African higher education. Then, we will take a deep dive into some of her findings concerning specific lived experiences related to gender and race marginalisation, and how these are compounded when intersecting with their first-generation status. Finally, we ask Nombasa about the implications of her research. If you are left wanting more, you will find a link to Nombasa’s thesis in the show notes.
Nombasa’s Thesis: “Black female first-generation students’ lived experiences at an historically white South African university.”
Contact - LinkedIn
First-Gen University Students in Brazil: Community Support & Student Activism
We are lucky to be joined today by guests Dr. Milena Mateuzi Carmo and Dr. Charles Klein to discuss the roles of community and student activism in first generation students’ experiences in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Mateuzi Carmo holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the Universidade de São Paulo and Dr. Klein is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Anthropology Department at Portland State University in the United States. We are also joined by Thais Tiriba, a doctoral student in social anthropology at the University of São Paulo, who helped us in facilitating a translation from Portuguese to English.
Charles H. Klein & Milena Mateuzi Carmo (2019). “I never thought this could be for me”: aspirational capital, identities, and political engagement among first-generation college students in São Paulo .
Keeping the Hustle: First-Gen Students in Ghana and Zanzibar, Tanzania
Today we are discussing the capacity for first generation students in Ghana and Zanzibar, Tanzania, to "hustle." We are joined by Dr. Millicent Adjei, Director of Diversity and International Programs & Leadership Lecturer at Ashesi University in Ghana and Dr. Emily (Markovich) Morris, a Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Universal Education. Emily and Millicent, who met during their PhD program in comparative and international development education at the University of Minnesota, co-authored a thought-provoking paper titled "First Generation Students Navigating Educational Aspirations in Zanzibar and Ghana” where they developed Dr. Adjei’s concept of “hustle” for first generation students in the Global South context.
Resources:
Adjei, M. & Markovich Morris, E. (2020). First Generation Students Navigating Educational Aspirations in Zanzibar and Ghana. In S. Swartz (Ed.): The Oxford Handbook of Global South Youth Studies, 419-431. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190930028.001.0001.
Morris, E. (2021). Re/writing gendered scripts: A longitudinal research partnership reshaping gender and education policy in Zanzibar, Tanzania. In M. J. Maynes, D. Levinson, & F. Vavrus (Eds). Children and Youth as Subjects, Objects, Agents. Palgrave Macmillan.
Problematizing “Dropout”: Zanzibari Youth Narratives on Being Pushed Out of School
Fellow page and blogs at Brookings.
(Chile) Policy Impacts on First-Generation & First-Generation Indigenous Students
Today we are speaking with Dr. Andrea Flanagan-Bórquez and Dr. Andrew Webb about different policies and their effects on first-generation and first-generation indigenous students in Chile. Our guests provide the context of Chile’s higher education system and indigenous communities and proceed to share findings from their research and discussions with first-generation students. Dr. Andrea Flanagan-Bórquez is a Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Valparaíso where she conducts research on first-generation students and comparative education, and Dr. Andrew Webb is an Associate Professor at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, where he focuses on the educational trajectories of Mapuche youth.
Webb, A. (2022). Indigenous Identity Formation in Chilean Education: New Racism in Schooling Experiences of Mapuche Youth. (Book)
Flanagan-Bórquez, A., Rojas-Murphy Tagle, A., Guzmán-Valenzuela, C., & Varas-Aguilera, P. (2023). Análisis crítico del estado de la investigación sobre estudiantes de primera generación en Latinoamérica. (Article)
Guzmán-Vlaenzueal, C., Darwin, S., Flanagan, A., Aguilera-Muñoz, A., & Geldres, A. (2022). (Un)Limited choice: analysing the strategic choices fo first-in-generation students in neoliberal higher education.
Segovia Gonzalez, F. & Flanagan-Borquez, A. (2019). Challenges of Being a First-generation Indigenous Student in Today's Chilean Universities.
(Finland) First-Generation Immigrant Family Students in Higher Education: Repositioning and Success in the Educational Journey
In this episode, we speak with Golaleh Makrooni, who finished her doctoral dissertation on the experiences of First Generation Migrant Family Students on their educational journey in Finland in 2022. Golaleh's research provides a deeper understanding of how these students perceive themselves before and during their higher education experiences. One concept we didn't discuss in this episode is what Golaleh calls "outsider support," which she defines as the people who are always in the life story of these students, influencing their perceptions and decisions to continue their education successfully. Make sure to share this episode with anyone you know who teaches or otherwise works with First Generation Migrant Family students to help spread awareness around how this group of students experience and find success in their journeys through higher education.
Golaleh’s Doctoral Dissertation: First-Generation Migrant Family Students in Higher Education on Their Higher Educational Journey in Finland
How to Get in Contact:
Golaleh Makrooni (LinkedIn Profile)
Defining "1.5 Generation College Student": The Case of Filipino Students in the US Context
Today on THESIS we speak with Dr. Tracy Lachica Buenavista about the term used in the US context: 1.5 generation college student. Dr. Buenavista is a Professor of Asian American Studies at the California State University, Northridge, where she also teaches courses on Educational Leadership and is the Co-principal investigator for the CSUN DREAM Center, the Asian American Studies Pathways Project, and the Ethnic Studies Education Pathways Project. Dr. Buenavista has conducted ample research on Asian American student experiences in higher education, and in this episode we discuss her work focusing on the experiences of 1.5 generation college students whose parents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines.
Arbeiterkinder in Germany: A Conversation with the Not-for-profit, ArbeiterKind.de
Today on THESIS we will be discussing what the term "Arbeiterkinder" means in Germany with Martina Kübler, a Regional Coordinator at ArbeiterKind.de, a not-for-profit organization which works with universities and organizes volunteers to support first-generation students throughout Germany in navigating higher education while these students are in secondary school and, or, attending university. In this conversation Martina shares the advantages Arbeiterkinder possess in learning to navigate through barriers to and challenges within higher education, and she additionally explains where vocational education in the German system fits into the equation.
ArbeiterKind.de (Deutsch)
Hochschulbildungsreport 2020 (Deutsch)
OECD - Tertiary Education Attainment Data (English)
(Australia) Supporting First-In-Family Students: Practitioner Experiences & Research Findings
In today's episode we discuss first-in-family students in Australia with Professor Sarah O'Shea and Dr. Kylie Austin. Professor O'Shea has published a significant amount of research on first in family students in Australia and in Europe. Much of her work observes how first in family students are intersected by other categories and groupings that can lead to educational marginalisation; this includes the six equity groups currently identified in Australia. Dr. Kylie Austin is the Associate Director of Student Equity and Success at the University of Wollongong where she has led programming efforts to support and celebrate first in family students, or "First Gen" students as they are called at the University of Wollongong.
In this episode our guests reference a forthcoming, open-access book on first and family students and an app for first in family students currently in its pilot. When links to these resources become available, they will be added to the show notes of the episode.
- First-in-Family Website
- First Gen at the University of Wollongong (website)
- O’Shea, S., May, J., Stone, C. & Delahunty, J. (2017). First-in-Family Students, University Experience and Family Life: Motivations, Transitions and Participation (First Edition). Springer.
- ** The second edition is forthcoming and will be posted in the show notes once it is available!
- About Sarah O’Shea
How to Get in Contact:
Professor Sarah O’Shea
Twitter: @seos895
Sarah O’Shea (LinkedIn Profile)
Dr. Kylie Austin
Twitter: @kyausti
Defining “First-Generation Student” & Mapping Out the Research Space (USA)
To start off this season focusing on First Generation or First in Family Students, we sit down today with La'Tonya Rease Miles. LT has focused on the first generation student experience in the United States both as a researcher and as a practitioner, and advises universities around the United States on supporting first generation students. She is currently the Director of University Partnerships at Re-Up Education. In this episode we discuss the definition of "first generation student" and mention a couple other definitions used around the world, and LT highlights the trends in the research and practices around this group of students.
Empowering First Generation College Students (Facebook Group)
NASPA Center for First-Generation Student Success: Annotated Bibliography
First Gen & Juice (Instagram profile)
Campus Service Workers Supporting First-Generation Students (Book edited by Georgina Guzmán, La’Tonya Rease Miles and Stephanie Youngblood)
How to Get in Contact:
Twitter: @drltmiles
La’Tonya Rease Miles (Website)
La’Tonya “LT” Rease Miles (LinkedIn profile)
Season 2 Trailer: First-Generation Students
We'll be speaking with researchers and practitioners about the history and context surrounding the first-generation student experience, different definitions used, the support networks of these students, the challenges they face and how they overcome these challenges, as well as the implications of policy focused on first-generation students.
This season is packed with fantastic guests from the USA, Germany, China, Chile, Australia and more. We can't wait to share these conversations with you!
THESIS Interlude: Organization of Climate & Development Research through Centres of Excellence in Africa
THESIS Interludes are episodes occurring in between seasons where we feature students in the process of developing their research projects in the field of higher education. Guests are asked what the research topic is, why they chose it, which methods they are using, what challenges they have faced, and what they have learned thus far in the process of their projects.
The podcast team is starting with featuring our very own masters theses.
Today's episode features Kelly Davis, who is conducting a case study on the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence for Climate and Development (ARUA-CD) to understand its organizational structure and how that structure might support the researchers involved in having impact with their climate and development research. The ARUA-CD is a collaborative effort between institutes at the University of Nairobi, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Ghana.
If you’d like to support our guest today in their research efforts, send us an email stating how you think you can help at thesishigheredpodcast@gmail.com.
Today’s THESIS episode does not take position on the issues discussed on the podcast. Opinions expressed on this episode are solely those of the guests or hosts. If you liked what you listened to today, please follow the podcast and feel free to leave us a rating or a comment.
This podcast is produced and edited by Ekaterina Kurinskaia, Ayla Rubenstein, Tracy Waldman, Kelly Davis, and Maria Angeles Hidalgo. Original music is produced by Petter Strom.
THESIS Interlude: Mobility Motivations for International Students Selecting Norwegian Masters Programs during COVID
THESIS Interludes are episodes occurring in between seasons where we feature students in the process of developing their research projects in the field of higher education. Guests are asked what the research topic is, why they chose it, which methods they are using, what challenges they have faced, and what they have learned thus far in the process of their projects.
The podcast team is starting with featuring our very own masters theses.
This week features Tracy Waldman, who is focusing her thesis on exploring the reasons why international students from outside of the European Union / European Economic Area chose masters programs in Norway during after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you’d like to support our guest today in their research efforts, send us an email stating how you think you can help at thesishigheredpodcast@gmail.com.
Today’s THESIS episode does not take position on the issues discussed on the podcast. Opinions expressed on this episode are solely those of the guests or hosts. If you liked what you listened to today, please follow the podcast and feel free to leave us a rating or a comment.
This podcast is produced and edited by Ekaterina Kurinskaia, Ayla Rubenstein, Tracy Waldman, Kelly Davis, and Maria Angeles Hidalgo. Original music is produced by Petter Strom.
THESIS Interlude: Exploring Language Policy in Practice at the University of Oslo
THESIS Interludes are episodes occurring in between seasons where we feature students in the process of developing their research projects in the field of higher education. Guests are asked what the research topic is, why they chose it, which methods they are using, what challenges they have faced, and what they have learned thus far in the process of their projects.
The podcast team is starting with featuring our very own masters theses.
This week features Ayla Rubenstein, who will share with us some of the details about her thesis focusing on language policy in Norwegian higher education and how policies requiring international academics to “master” the Norwegian language are put into practice.
If you’d like to support our guest today in their research efforts, send us an email stating how you think you can help at thesishigheredpodcast@gmail.com.
Today’s THESIS episode does not take position on the issues discussed on the podcast. Opinions expressed on this episode are solely those of the guests or hosts. If you liked what you listened to today, please follow the podcast and feel free to leave us a rating or a comment.
This podcast is produced and edited by Ekaterina Kurinskaia, Ayla Rubenstein, Tracy Waldman, Kelly Davis, and Maria Angeles Hidalgo. Original music is produced by Petter Strom.
THESIS Interlude: Discovering Discourses on Academic Sanctions in Norway
THESIS Interludes are episodes occurring in between seasons where we feature students in the process of developing their research projects in the field of higher education. Guests are asked what the research topic is, why they chose it, which methods they are using, what challenges they have faced, and what they have learned thus far in the process of their projects.
The podcast team is starting with featuring our very own masters theses.
This week features Ekaterina Kurinskaia, who will tell us about her thesis focusing on how Norwegian debate positions higher education institutions and academics when it comes to sanctioning higher education in Russia.
If you’d like to support our guest today in their research efforts, send us an email stating how you think you can help at thesishigheredpodcast@gmail.com.
Today’s THESIS episode does not take position on the issues discussed on the podcast. Opinions expressed on this episode are solely those of the guests or hosts. If you liked what you listened to today, please follow the podcast and feel free to leave us a rating or a comment.
This podcast is produced and edited by Ekaterina Kurinskaia, Ayla Rubenstein, Tracy Waldman, Kelly Davis, and Maria Angeles Hidalgo. Original music is produced by Petter Strom.
Funding as Soft Power: The Role of International Funding of Higher Education in Cambodia
Today we feature a conversation with Dr. Will Brehm, Associate Professor at the University College London and host of the FreshEd Podcast, about the role of international influence in the Cambodian higher education system. Dr. Brehm received his bachelor and master degrees from Lehigh University in the United States and completed his doctorate in International and Comparative Education at the University of Hong Kong. He has worked for universities in Japan and consulted for a number of NGOs and the World Bank on education in the southeast asian region. He is author of the book, Cambodia for Sale: Everyday Privatization in Education and Beyond .
Other sources used by the THESIS producers for this episode:
Brehm, W. (2019). Chapter 12: Cambodian Higher Education Governance: The Politics of Global Summitry and Clientelism. In: D. S. L. Jarvis & K. H. Mok (Eds.) Transformations in Higher Education Governance in Asia: Policy, Politics and Progress (pp. 229-243). Hong Kong, China: Springer.
Edwards, D. B., Brehm, W. C., & Storen, I. (2018). The national politics of educational advocacy in the context of global governance: international funding and support for civil society engagement in Cambodia. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 48(2), 171-188.
Sen, Vicheth. (2019). Hybrid governmentality: higher education policymaking in post-conflict Cambodia. Studies in Higher Education, 44(3), 513-525. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2017.1379985.
The State of Higher Education During Times of National Conflict: The case of Syria
Today we are speaking with Oudai Tozan, who is originally from Syria and moved to the United Kingdom in 2015 where he is now a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. The topic of our discussion today is the state of higher education in Syria before and after 2011 when the conflict started, which Oudai embeds in the context of Syrian higher education in the second half of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century.
Oudai Tozan previously co-founded and managed the International Syrian Association for Education Development. He has taught courses on sociology, migration and mobility, and research methods. He recently launched the Syrian Researchers and Academics Network, UK, which aims to bring together Syrian researchers interested in working on topics related to Syria.
Show Notes:
- Tozan, O. (2023). The impact of the Syrian conflict on the higher education sector in Syria: A systematic review of literature. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 4, 100221.
- Center for International Higher Education Webinar: The Role of Academic Diaspora in Times of Global Crisis (Youtube link)
- Milton, Sansom. (2019). Syrian higher education during conflict: Survival, protection, and regime security. International Journal of Educational Development, 64, 38-47.
- Buckner, Elizabeth. (2013). The seeds of discontent: examining youth perceptions of higher education in Syria. Comparative Education, 49(4), 440-463. DOI: 1080/03050068.2013.765643.
- Syrian Researchers and Academics Network - UK (SRAN-UK)
Contact Information:
Donation Resources: Aftermath of Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria:
Internationalization in Post-Conflict Societies: Iraq and Tajikistan
Today’s episode features two guests, Dr. Hayfa Jafar and Dr. Emma Sabzalieva, who co-wrote a paper titled, “Faculty Experiences of Higher Education Internationalization in Post-conflict Iraq and Tajikistan.” Dr. Jafar is currently the Director of Institutional Effectiveness at the American University of Iraq - Sulaimani, and Dr. Sabzalieva is the Head of Research and Foresight at UNESCO’s International Institute for Higher Education. Both Dr. Jafar and Dr. Sabzalieva received their PhDs in Comparative and International Higher Education from the University of Toronto.
Show Notes:
UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC)
UNESCO IESALC’s podcast on Anchor - Perspectivas: Global talks on higher education
The Impacts of Corruption in Higher Education in Bosnia & Herzegovina
In this episode, our guest, Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, shares her perspective on the links between the conflicts of the 1990's in former Yugoslavia, the resulting political system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the impact of this political system and recent history on corruption in higher education.
Dr. Ambra Sabic-El-Rayess grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina and survived the war and genocide in the 1990's. She moved to the US in 1996 where she received her bachelors, masters, and doctorate, and she now teachers at Columbia University. Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess's research focuses on the role of education in rebuilding societies. She serves as the Global Ambassador of the Congress of Bosniaks of North America. Her latest book, titled Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing up on the Eve of the Bosnian Genocide, for middle-aged youth on her experiences growing up prior to the outbreak of the war, will be published in May, 2023.
Other books and articles by Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess:
The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival
(2013). When Corruption Gets in the Way. Befriending Diaspora and EU-nionizing Bosnia’s Higher Education. European Education, 45 (2), 6-27.
(2014). Acting and Reacting: Youth’s Behavior in Corrupt Educational Settings. Peabody Journal of Education, 89 (1), 70-85.
Sources (a selection of) used to prepare for this episode:
Chapman, D. W. & Lindner, S. (2016). Degrees of integrity: the threat of corruption in higher education.
Guthrie, C., et al. (2022). Education systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: Bosnia and Herzegovina. (See a diagram of the political system.)
Kreso, A. P. (2008). The War and Post-War Impact on the Educational System of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (See a diagram of the education system, p. 361.)
Global Corruption Barometer 2013. Transparency International.
Corruption Perceptions Index 2020. Transparency International.
Reading on discrimination in the Bosnian political and education systems:
Keil, S. (2021). “Equality and Inequality in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
Hadžić, F. (2022). Educational segregation and discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina and critical peace: transgression of ethno-ideological utilization of youth.
Women's Empowerment in Changing Times in Saudi Arabian Higher Education
Today we are joined by Dr. Fawziah Al-bakr to discuss the changing rules, roles, and opportunities within and beyond higher education for women in Saudi Arabia, especially in light of the Saudi Vision 2030. The Vision has opened access for women to pursue degrees in different disciplines, and changes to gender segregation in the labor force mean significantly increased opportunities for women both with and without postsecondary degrees.
Dr. Fawziah Al-bakr is a professor of the Sociology of Education at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She achieved her bachelor and master degrees in Saudi Arabia and received her PhD from the University of London. Dr. Al-bakr has researched and written extensively on education and women and gender studies. In 2013, she was named as one of 125 Most Influential Women in the World by Newsweek.
Relevant Works by Dr. Albakr:
Al-bakr, F., Bruce, E. R., Davidson, P. M., Schlaffer, E., & Kropiunigg, U. (2017). Empowered but not Equal: Challenging the Traditional Gender Roles as Seen by University Students in Saudi Arabia. FIRE: Forum for International Research in Education, 4(1), 52-66.
Wiseman, A. W. & Al-bakr, F. (2013). The elusiveness of teacher quality: A comparative analysis of teacher certification and student achievement in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. PROSPECTS, 43, 289-309.
Defining Academic Freedom in Governmental Policy in Québec, Canada
Our guest Today is Dr. Martin Maltais, professor of financing and education policies at the Université du Québec à Rimouski, where he used to be the head of the department of Education and of the School Manager's program. He is currently a member of 3 important groups of research in Québec : the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur la science et la technologie, the Laboratoire interdisciplinaire de recherche sur l'enseignement supérieur and the Observatoire du numérique en éducation.
Proximity manager, Dr. Maltais is a key player in the development of higher education and digital policies in Québec (Canada). A member of the Québec Council on Science and Policy, he is the author of several papers and communications concerning education and higher education policies and funding as well as distance education. Over the last ten years, he was appointed at different moments in time as counsellor and/or chief of staff in the cabinet of four ministers, mainly with the responsibilities of Education, Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology.
We will be discussing Bill 32, a bill that passed in Québec on June 3rd of 2022. This bill defines academic freedom for Québec universities and binds higher education institutions to protect academic freedom by the state. It is the first of its kind in Canada.
Student Movements, University Autonomy, and Neoliberal Reform
In today’s episode, we discuss the topic of university autonomy and student protests in past and present Nicaragua. Our discussion is focused on intense, at times emotional topics, and is information sensitive. We ask our listeners to be mindful of where they share this episode, and to avoid sharing it to social media platforms, for the sake of the safety of our guest.
Signs of Democratization? Online Student Protests in Uzbekistan
Today’s episode features a conversation about the development of Uzbekistan’s higher education system since a change in government in 2016, looking at the parallel trends of internationalization and democratization seen through the government’s response to student protests that occurred online in the summer of 2020.
Our guest and expert on these issues is Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, who is originally from Uzbekistan and is currently a PhD candidate, Sessional Academic and a Learning Advisor at the Australian National University. Dilnoza is also a Fellow of UK Higher Education Academy.
Previously Dilnoza has worked as a Lecturer in Uzbekistan's higher education system. Her research focuses on internationalization in Uzbek higher education, as well as relationships between education, civil society, and democratization, topics which we’ll discuss today in the context of the question of how higher education impacts democratization, and vice versa.
She is originally from Uzbekistan, where she achieved a masters in English Linguistics from Uzbekistan State World Languages University, and later completed her second masters in International Studies at the University of Tsukuba in Japan.
UNESCO Data - Education Enrollment Rates in Uzbekistan
Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva. (2021). Student online protests in Uzbekistan: democratization of higher education as concomitant to the COVID-19 crisis? Central Asian Survey, 40(3), 382-399.
Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva. (2022). Ideological discourses in post-Soviet Uzbekistan: internationalisation of higher education as a threat. Journal of Political Ideologies, DOI: 10.1080/13569317.2022.2104996.
Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva. (2020). "Franchise" Branch Campuses in Uzbekistan: The Internationalisation of Higher Education as a Solution? Central Asian Affairs, 7 (2), 152-174.
Supporting Ukrainian Students in Norway
Today we discuss how higher education in Norway, particularly the University of Oslo, has responded to the invasion of Ukraine in terms of providing opportunities for Ukrainians to pursue higher education degrees in Norway.
Our guest is Dr. Bjørn Stensaker, who is currently the Vice-Rector at the University of Oslo, serving a 4-year term until 2025. Dr. Stensaker is also a professor of higher education organizaiton and governance, and has previously lead the Center for Learning, Innovation, and Academic Development, otherwise known as LINK.
The Impact of Conflict on Student Exchange in the Arctic Region
Today, we have two guests. First, you will hear from Runar Kliff Berg, who is working as the international student coordinator in the faculty of social sciences at Nord university in Bodø, Norway. He is offering study guidance for all students in the Nordic area, and additionally serves as a student counselor for the circumpolar studies program. Runar is set to complete his Masters of Social Sciences, majoring in International Relations, in 2023, when he is due to complete his thesis on how authoritarian regimes use hybrid warfare against liberal democracies.
Our second guest is THESIS’s very own Ekaterina Kurinskaia, known by her classmates as Katya. Katya has two bachelor degrees: one in circumpolar studies and the other in pedagogy, and a masters in European studies with an arctic focus. She is currently working on her second masters, studying higher education, at the University of Oslo.
Introduction Episode: Higher Education in Domestic and International Politics
This introductory episode sets the stage for the theme of the first season of THESIS: the role of higher education in domestic and international politics. Our guest is Dr. Peter Maassen, professor of Higher Education Studies at the University of Oslo in Norway and Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. In this first episode, Dr. Maassen provides an overview of higher education’s relationship with politics. Thanks for joining us in listening to THESIS.
THESIS Trailer
What is THESIS about, and who are the creators of THESIS? This short trailer informs the audience of the podcast's goals and aspirations, introduces the researchers and producers, and provides a brief description of the podcast's first season to be aired in the Fall of 2022.