Country-of-origin and International Students’ Motivation in Turkey: A Correspondence Analysis

Abstract

The number of international students in Turkish universities was increased in recent years. Despite the increasing number of international students in Turkey, it is still below from the other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. To understand the reasons of this situation, it is crucial to examine the selection criteria of international students. The main objective of this study was to examine the most important factors that affect students’ choice to study abroad. The study was designed as quantitative research. A correspondence analysis was conducted to identify the information from international students who chose Turkey for higher education. As a multivariate analysis technique, correspondence analysis graphically portrays the choice criteria of international students and their country of residence in a single joint space. A survey was developed by the researchers and distributed to the international students at two public universities in Turkey and the data were collected from 281 international students. The results revealed that the two-dimensional solution was accepted with a significant chi-square value and variances accounted for 99% of the total variance explained. Specifically, the selection criteria for an institution in Turkey and Eskişehir differ with international students’ home country. 

Keywords

• international students,university selection,correspondence analysis

Türkiyedeki Uluslararası Öğrencilerin Memleketleri ve Motivasyonları: Bir Uyum Analizi

Öz

Türkiye’deki üniversitelerinde bulunan uluslararası öğrencilerin sayısı her geçen yıl düzenli olarak artmaktadır. Artan bu talebe rağmen Türkiye’deki uluslararası öğrenci oranı diğer Ekonomik Kalkınma ve İşbilirliği Örgütü’nde (OECD) yer alan ülkelere göre düşüktür. Bu durumun altında yatan sebepleri öğrenmek için uluslararası öğrencilerin Türkiye’yi seçme kriterlerini araştırma hedeflenmiştir. Bu araştırmanın amacı uluslararası öğrencilerin Türkiye’yi yükseköğretim için seçme sebeplerini tespit etmektir. Bu çalışma nicel araştırma modeli olarak tasarlanmıştır. Bu tespit için uyum analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Bir tür çok değişkenli istatistiksel analiz yöntemi olan uyum analizi ile uluslararası öğrencilerin tercih sebepleri ile onların memleketleri arasındaki ilişkiyi grafik biçiminde ifade etmeye fırsat vermektedir. Araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen anket Türkiye’deki iki devlet üniversitesindeki uluslararası öğrencilere dağıtılmıştır ve 281 katılımcıya ulaşılmıştır. Uyum analizi sonuçları gösteriyor ki, iki boyutlu çözüm anlamlı ki-kare değerine sahiptir ve toplam varyansın %99’unu açıklamaktadır. Bu bulgular doğrultusunda Türkiye’ye ve Eskişehir’e yükseköğretim için gelen uluslararası öğrencilerin tercih sebeplerinin geldikleri bölgelere göre farklılık gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• uluslararası öğrenciler,üniversite seçimi,uyum analizi

References

1. Abubakar, B., Shanka, T., & Muuka, G. N. (2010). Tertiary education: an investigation of location selection criteria and preferences by international students–The case of two Australian universities. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 20(1), 49-68.
2. Alfattal, E. (2017). Globalization, internationalization, marketing, and college choice: key factors affecting international students’ mobility (Doctoral dissertation). California State University-San Bernardio, California.
3. Australian Education International (2001). Overseas Student Statistics 2000, Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Commonwealth of Australia.
4. Australian Education International (2004, July). Competitor analysis: Australia’s competitors in international education for the USA, UK, Canada, and New Zealand update. AEI-International Education Network, Commonwealth of Australia.
5. Bowers, T. A., & Pugh, R. C. (1972, April). A Comparison of Factors Underlying College Choice by Students and Parents. Paper presented at the meeting of Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago.
6. Chen, L. H. (2008). Internationalization or international marketing? Two frameworks for understanding international students' choice of Canadian universities. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 18(1), 1-33.
7. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Surveys, longitudinal, cross-sectional and trend studies. Research Methods in Education (7th ed.). Abingdon: Routledge.
8. Çetinsaya, G. (2014). Büyüme, kalite, uluslararasılaşma: Türkiye yükseköğretimi için bir yol haritası. YÖK.

9. Daily, C. M., Farewell, S., & Kumar, G. (2010). Factors influencing the university selection of international students. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 14(3), 59.
10. Greenacre, M. J. B. (1994). Correspondence analysis in the social sciences: Recent developments and applications. Academic Press.
11. Greenacre, M. J. B. (2000). Correspondence analysis of square asymmetric matrices. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series C (Applied Statistics), 49(3), 297-310.
12. International Development Program of Australian Universities and Colleges (2002). International Students in Australian Universities, Semester 2, 2002 National Overview.
13. 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.
14. Jiani, M. A. (2016). Why and how international students choose Mainland China as a higher education study abroad destination. Higher Education, 1-17.
15. Joseph, M., & Joseph, B. (2000). Indonesian students’ perceptions of choice criteria in the selection of a tertiary institution: Strategic implications. International Journal of Educational Management, 14(1), 40-44.
16. Kara, A., Kaynak, E., & Kucukemiroglu, O. (1996). Positioning of fast-food outlets in two regions of North America: A comparative study using correspondence analysis. Journal of Professional Services Marketing, 14(2), 99-119.
17. Kondakci, Y. (2011). Student mobility reviewed: Attraction and satisfaction of international students in Turkey. Higher Education, 62(5), 573.
18. Krueger, R., & Casey, M. (2009). Focus groups: A practical guide to applied science. Thousand Oaks: California.
19. MacGregor, K. (2014). Research universities in developing and middle-income countries. International Higher Education, 74, 4-6.
20. 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.
21. Mazzarol, T., Savery, L. K., & Kemp, S. (Eds.) (1996). International students who choose not to study in Australia: An examination of Taiwan and Indonesia. AEIF Policy, Research and Analysis Section.
22. Mazzarol, T., & Soutar, G. N. (2002). “Push-pull” factors influencing international student destination choice. International Journal of Educational Management, 16(2), 82-90.
23. Mazzarol, T., Soutar, G. N., & Thein, V. (2001). Critical success factors in the marketing of an educational institution: A comparison of institutional and student perspectives. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 10(2), 39-57.
24. Nachatar Singh, J. K., Schapper, J., & Jack, G. (2014). The importance of place for international students’ choice of university: a case study at a Malaysian university. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18(5), 463-474.
25. Nkoko, M. M. (2016). Yurtdışında eğitimin zorluklari: Türkiye, akdeniz üniversitesi uluslararasi öğrenciler örneği (Master’s thesis). Akdeniz University, Antalya.OECD. (2016). Education at a glance 2016. Organization for economic Co-operation and development.
26. Özdamar, K. (2013). İstatistik paket programlarıyla veri analizi 2. Nisan Kitabevi: Eskişehir.
27. Özoğlu, M., Gur, B. S., & Coşkun, İ. (2012). Küresel eğilimler ışığında Türkiye'de uluslararası öğrenciler. SETA.
28. Özoğlu, M., Gür, B. S., & Coşkun, İ. (2015). Factors influencing international students’ choice to study in Turkey and challenges they experience in Turkey. Research in Comparative and International Education, 10(2), 223-237.
29. Padlee, S. F., Kamaruddin, A. R., & Baharun, R. (2010). International students’ choice behavior for higher education at Malaysian private universities. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 2(2), 202.
30. Radmard, S. (2012). Türkiye üniversitelerinin uluslararasilaşma politikalari bağlaminda uluslararasi öğrencilerin yükseköğretim taleplerini etkileyen etkenlerin incelenmesi (Doktoral dissertation). Ankara University, Ankara.
31. Shanka, T., Quintal, V., & Taylor, R. (2006). Factors influencing international students' choice of an education destination–A correspondence analysis. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 15(2), 31-46.
32. Soutar, G. N., & Turner, J. P. (2002). Students’ preferences for university: A conjoint analysis. International Journal of Educational Management, 16(1), 40-45.Turkiye Bursları (http://www.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr).
33. Yavas, U. (2001). Patronage motives and product purchase patterns: A correspondence analysis. Marketing intelligence & planning, 19(2), 97-102.
34. Yıldız, Z. (2004). Eğitim düzeyi ile suç türü arasındaki ilişkinin araştırılması. Kuram ve Uygulamada Egitim Yönetimi Dergisi, 10(2), 278-291.Council of Higher Education (http://yok.gov.tr).
35. Wilkins, S., & Huisman, J. (2011). Student recruitment at international branch campuses: Can they compete in the global market?. Journal of Studies in International Education, 15(3), 299-316.