How international students’ attitudes and orientations towards cultural differences and multiculturalism affect their engagement with learning

There is a cluster of research in international education suggesting that the resulting quality of learning and engagement of international students is closely linked to their attitudes and orientations towards cultural differences and multiculturalism. In this paper, I provide further empirical evidence on this specific issue, particularly in the way it affects students’ learning outcomes. A culturally diverse sample comprising 18 students from nine countries of origin where interviewed and their learning behaviours observed during a semester term at two qualitatively different Australian universities. The findings show fresh arguments about social and cultural issues that currently affect international students’ learning journey and what it implies in terms of the type and complexity of support that they might need