Higher Education Students' Experiences of Internationalization in Kuwait: The case of Arab Open University

When a Western curriculum is implemented in a non-Western context, some challenges may arise due to differences in the educational and cultural systems, including distinct perspectives, attitudes, approaches and objectives. In order to contribute insight into these challenges and how they might be addressed, this case study investigates the internationalization of the business program at the Arab Open University (AOU) in Kuwait, focusing on the experiences of faculty members and students. Drawing on Steiner-Khamsi’s (2014) policy borrowing analytical framework, this study explores the following research questions: How did faculty members implement the imported business curriculum? How did students experience the imported business curriculum through, for instance, textbooks, learning activities, instructional methods, assignments and exams? How did the imported business curriculum influence students' self-perceived academic performance and contribute to their self-perceived personal and professional growth? Mixed methods were used to collect data through a sequential explanatory design. First, quantitative data were collected through surveys (N=333) and analyzed regarding students' perceptions of the curriculum and how it affected their academic performance. Next, semi-structured interviews were employed in order to: (1) provide students with the opportunity to communicate their experiences and perspectives regarding the imported curriculum in their own words, and (2) provide in-depth insight into faculty members’ perspectives regarding the implementation of the imported curriculum. Findings from the data suggest that in order to enhance students’ academic experience, there is a need to recontextualize the imported curriculum, from the original British version, adapted to the Kuwaiti and Arab context. In order to develop a more contextually appropriate curriculum, a key recommendation is for the AOU to co-design the business curriculum in partnership with the original source, The Open University – United Kingdom (OU-UK), taking into consideration: international standards; the local context of the receiving country; and local students' backgrounds and interests.Ph.D