Browsing by Subject "ulkomaalaiset tutkinto-opiskelijat"

International student action is characterised by cross border mobility and maintaining contacts around the world. English language is a significant aspect of internationalisation of higher education and an important factor in students’ endeavours of mobility. Transnationalism examines mobility through networks of interaction and dependence that span across state borders. In the context of the individual this means social connections formed and maintained simultaneously to country of origin and new place of residence. The purpose of this study is to describe the motives and experiences of foreign degree students at the University of Helsinki. This study examines especially two topics that affect foreign degree students in Finland, transnationalism and language. Qualitative research methods were used in this master’s thesis. Traditionally ethnographic methods are in the centre of anthropological inquiry. Because of the nature of the subject of this study the majority of data was collected using interviews. For this study ten foreign degree students from different stages of their studies were interviewed using a thematic interview. Additionally observations from international student events were used as data. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings of this study describe foreign degree students’ motives of mobility, forms of life management and relevance of language in their experiences. The findings show that for students coming to Finland, significant motivators are lack of tuition fees, ability to study in English, appeal of country, valuation of higher education, and personal and professional benefits. The important factors in relation to life management are adapting to a new environment, social networks, and a sense of having two homes. Additionally experiences of studies and support services as well as thoughts about the future affect life management. English language was found to facilitate forming social relations in a new environment, networking within the university and multicultural communication. On the other hand, lack of Finnish skills marginalizes foreign students in Finnish society. The importance language skills is emphasised for students who want to stay in Finland after completing their studies. This study shows the significant role language plays in the different aspects of a foreign students life. The university community offers a basis for adapting through social inclusion of students into the international student community at the university. However, further integration into Finnish society requires initiative and effort. In this study, transnationalism appears especially in the social connections maintained with country of origin, for example via social media. Social connections with homeland are significant when faced with difficulties, while social connections formed locally gain significance over time. Social relations and familiarisation with new environment enhance feelings of belonging.