“Looking for a Better Future”: Examining African Portuguese-Speaking Students’ Motivation to Study in Portuguese Higher Education
pp. 68-83 | Published Online: February 2024 | DOI: 10.22521/edupij.2024.131.5
Catarina Doutor, Natália Alves
Full text PDF | 546 | 329
Abstract
Background/purpose. While the existing literature explores the internalization of higher education, a significant gap remains in comprehending the motivations behind international students choosing Portuguese higher education. This study aims to address this gap by examining the motivations of a specific group within Portuguese universities: international students from Portuguese-speaking African countries. Materials/methods. The study was conducted with a qualitative approach using data obtained from biographical interviews with African Portuguese-speaking international students. The collected data were then analyzed according to content analysis. Results. The findings demonstrate that the students’ motivations for studying at Portuguese higher education institutions varied. Their reasons include the international reputation of Portugal, the quality of its education, upon recommendation from family members, the Portuguese language, lower tuition fees compared to their home institutions, cultural proximity, scholarship opportunities, and the perception of Portugal as a safe country. |
Conclusion. Through an examination of the motivation of students from Portuguese-speaking African countries pursuing higher education in Portugal, this study provides fresh perspective on the existing literature concerning international student mobility. Opting to study in Portugal is seen as a chance for African students to access quality higher education and to obtain an academic degree with significant recognition in the country of origin, with anticipated positive impacts on the personal, social, and professional aspects of their lives.
Keywords: Portuguese-speaking African countries students, international students, motivations to study abroad, higher education, Portugal
ReferencesAhmad, S., & Buchanan, F. (2017). Motivation factors in students’ decision to study at international branch campuses in Malaysia. Studies in Higher Education, 42(4), 651-668. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1067604
Alharbi, E. S., & Smith, A. P. (2019). Studying-away Strategies: A Three-wave Longitudinal Study of the Wellbeing of International Students in the United Kingdom. The European Educational Researcher, 2(1), 59-77. https://doi.org/10.31757/euer.215
Alves, E., & Iorio, J. C. (2021). Da Mobilidade Estudantil à Mobilidade Social: os estudantes angolanos, brasileiros e cabo-verdianos em Portugal. Finisterra, LVI(118), 221-239. https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis21394
Alves, E., King, R., & Malheiros, J. (2024). ‘Going to study or plan to stay on?’ Mobility profiles of Angolan and Cape Verdean students in Portugal. Population, Space and Place, 30, Article e2715. https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2715
Amado, J., & Ferreira, S. (2017). Estudos (Auto)biográficos e Histórias de vida [(Auto)biographical studies and life stories]. In J. Amado (Coord.), Manual de Investigação Qualitativa em Educação [Handbook of Qualitative Research in Education] (pp. 171-187). Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra.
Bain, K. (2023). Inclusive assessment in higher education: what does the literature tell us on how to define and design inclusive assessments? Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 27. https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi27.1014
Bardin, L. (2016). Análise de conteúdo [Content analysis]. (5th ed.). Edições 70.
Brooks, R., & Waters, J. (2010). Social Networks and Educational Mobility: The Experiences of UK Students. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 8(1), 143-157. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767720903574132
Carlson, S. (2013). Becoming a mobile student: A processual perspective on German degree student mobility. Population, Space and Place, 19(2), 168-180. https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.1749
Denzin, N., & Lincoln, Y. (1994). Introduction: Entering the field of Qualitative Research. In N. K. Denzin, & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 1-17). Sage.
Direção-Geral de Estatísticas da Educação e Ciência. (2023). Estatísticas do Ensino Superior. Dados sobre inscritos – 2009/2010 a 2022/2023 [Higher Education Statistics. Data on subscribers – 2009/2010 to 2022/2023]. www.dgeec.mec.pt
Flick, U. (2004). Introducción a la investigación cualitativa [Introduction to qualitative research]. Ediciones Morata.
França, T., Cairns, D., Calvo, D. M., & Azevedo, L. (2023). Lisbon, the Portuguese Erasmus city? Mis-match between representation in urban policies and international student experiences. Journal of Urban Affairs, 45(9), 1664-1678. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/07352166.2021.1950544
Furukawa, T., Shirakawa, N., & Okuwada, K. (2013). An Empirical Study of Graduate Student Mobility Underpinning Research Universities. Higher Education, 66(1), 17-37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-012-9586-4
Garvik, M., & Valenta, M. (2023). Drivers and trajectories of multinational migrations of West African international students. Population, Space and Place, Article e2743. https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2743
Glover, P. (2011). International Students: Linking Education and Travel. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 28(2), 180-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2011.546210
Gong, X., & Huybers, T. (2021). International student flows into provincial China – the main motivations for higher education students. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(7), 2170-2186. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1981254
Haugen, H. (2013). China’s recruitment of African university students: policy efficacy and unintended outcomes. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 11(3), 315-334. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2012.750492
Hosgorur, T., & Aysel, I. (2022). Trends for the Segregation Practices of International Students: A Review of Higher Education in Turkey. Educational Process: International Journal, 11(1), 86-104. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2022.111.6
Hovdhaugen, E., & Wiers-Jenssen, J. (2023). Motivation for full degree mobility: analysing sociodemographic factors, mobility capital and field of study. Educational Review, 75(2), 195-216. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.1912712
Huang, Q., Quin, D. B., Liu, J., & Park, H.-J. (2024). Challenges and Resilience of First-Year Chinese International Students on Academic Probation. Journal of International Students, 14(1), 134-151. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v14i2.5282
Huisman, J., Vlegels, J., Daenekindt, S., Seeber, M., & Laufer, M. (2022). How satisfied are international students? The role of town, gown and motivations. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 52(8), 1332-1350. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2020.1867826
James-MacEachern, M., & Yun, D. (2017). Exploring factors influencing international students’ decision to choose a higher education institution: A comparison between Chinese and other students. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(3), 343-363. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-11-2015-0158
Jiani, M. A. (2017). Why and how international students choose Mainland China as a higher education study abroad destination. Higher Education, 74(4), 563-579. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-0066-0
King, R., & Sondhi, G. (2018). International student migration: a comparison of UK and Indian students’ motivations for studying abroad. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 16(2), 176-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2017.1405244
Krannich, S., & Hunger, U. (2022). Should they stay or should they go? A case study on international students in Germany. Comparative Migration Studies, 10(1), Article 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-022-00313-0
Lam, J. M., Ariffin, A. A., & Ahmad, A. H. (2011). Edutourism: Exploring the push-pull factors in selecting review of the literature on higher education marketing. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 19(4), 316-338. https://www.ijbs.unimas.my/repository/pdf/Vol12No1(paper5).pdf
Larbi, F., & Fu, W. (2017). Practices and challenges of internationalization of higher education in China: international students’ perspective: A case study of Beijing normal university. International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, 19(2/3), 78-96. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCED-12-2016-0025
Lima, L. S. (2018). Estudar e Circular entre Fronteiras (In)Transponíveis: A Mobilidade de Mulheres Cabo-verdianas que Cursam Engenharia em Portugal [Studying and Circulating between (Un)Transposable Borders: The Mobility of Cape Verdean Women Studying Engineering in Portugal] [Doctoral dissertation, Universidade do Porto, Portugal]. https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/116444/2/296023.pdf
Maringe, F., & Carter, S. (2007). International students’ motivations for studying in UK HE: Insights into the choice and decision making of African students. International Journal of Educational Management, 21(6), 459-475. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540710780000
Marques, J. C., & Góis, P. (2014). Processos de Admissão e de Integração de Imigrantes Altamente Qualificados em Portugal e a sua Relação com a Migração Circular [Admission and Integration Processes for Highly Qualified Immigrants in Portugal and their relationship with Circular Migration]. ACIDI. https://iconline.ipleiria.pt/bitstream/10400.8/1029/1/ESTUDO%2054.pdf
Massunga, E. (2017). Consumo Mediático dos Jovens Angolanos na Diáspora. Estudos de Caso de Estudantes Universitários Residentes em Lisboa. [Media consumption of young Angolans in the Diaspora. Case studies of university students’ resident in Lisbon] [Master’s thesis, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal]. https://repositorio.ual.pt/bitstream/11144/3208/1/Tese%20Mestrado%20Final.pdf
Matsekoleng, T. K. (2023). Challenges Impeding Technology Education Teachers in Delivering Lessons to Raise Students’ Awareness About Littering. Educational Process: International Journal, 12(4), 99-113. https://dx.doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2023.124.6
Mazzarol, T. W., & Soutar, G. N. (2002). “Push-pull” factors influencing international student destination choice. International Journal of Educational Management, 16(2), 82-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540210418403
Nadă, C. I., & Araújo, H. C. (2018). Migration and education: A narrative approach to the experience of foreign students in Portugal. London Review of Education, 16(2), 308-324. https://doi.org/10.18546/LRE.16.2.10
Nghia, T. L. H. (2019). Motivations for Studying Abroad and Immigration Intentions: The Case of Vietnamese Students. Journal of International Students, 9(3), 758-776. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v0i0.731
O’Neill, M., & Einasche, I. (2019). Walking Borders, Risk and Belonging. Journal of Public Pedagogies, 4, 31-50. https://doi.org/10.15209/jpp.1173
Potts, D. (2015). Understanding the early career benefits of learning abroad programs. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19(5), 441-459. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315579241
Roy, A., Newman, A., Ellenberger, T., & Pyman, A. (2019). Outcomes of International Student Mobility Programs: A Systematic Review and Agenda for Future Research. Studies in Higher Education, 44(9), 1630-1644. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1458222
Schartner, A., & Shields, S. (2023). International Students as ‘Privileged’: Challenging the Narrative. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 23(11), 15-31. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v23i11.6215
Shkoler, O., & Rabenu, E. (2023). The motivations and their conditions which drive students to seek higher education in a foreign country. Current Psychology, 42, 25403-25416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03619-5
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
Sison, M. D., & Brennan, L. (2012). Students as global citizens: Strategies for mobilizing studies abroad. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 22(2), 167-181. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2012.736884
Slotwinski, M., Stutzer, A., & Bevelander, P. (2023). From participants to citizens? Democratic voting rights and naturalisation behaviour. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 49(13), 3184-3204. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2023.2193863
Weber, T., & Van Mol, C. (2023) The student migration transition: an empirical investigation into the nexus between development and international student migration. Comparative Migration Studies, 11(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-023-00329-0
Wiers-Jenssen, J., & Støren, L. A. (2021). International student mobility and the transition from higher education to work in Norway. Higher Education, 82, 1119-1143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00564-9
Wu, D. B., & Hou, S. (2023). International student mobility as “aspiration on the go”: stories from African students at a Chinese university. Higher Education, 85, 759-773. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00864-2
Xu, W., Stahl, G., & Cheng, H. (2023). The promise of Chinese: African international students and linguistic capital in Chinese higher education. Language and Education, 37(4), 516-528. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2022.2074797
EDUPIJ News!
► Journal Metrics
► EDUPIJ Statistics from Scopus
CiteScore: 3.4, view Scopus page
► Educational Process: International Journal is member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
► New issue coming soon! (Volume 13 Issue 3, 2024)