Enhancing international student engagement in Australian higher education - Evidence from the 2007 Australasian Survey of Student Engagement

This analysis of data from the inaugural Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) sheds light on the engagement and experiences of undergraduate international students in Australia. This paper first examines the differences in individual characteristics of international and domestic students, and explores disparities in specific areas of course engagement and university experiences of international students when compared to their domestic classmates. The paper then focuses on the six scales of student engagement used in the AUSSE and shows that there are differences within the international student cohort depending on field of study, year level and family education history. It concludes by showing that when university engagement measures are examined in a multiple regression model, student characteristics other than international student status appear to have the most substantial impact on engagement.