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torsaffectingthedecision-makingofinternationalstudents.Thetheoryargues
thattherearebasicallytwoforcesatplay:pushfactorsandpullfactors.Thepush
factors“operatewithinthesourcecountryandinitiateastudent’sdecisionto
undertakeinternationalstudy”,whilethepullfactors“operatewithinahost
countrytomakethatcountryrelativelyattractivetointernationalstudents”
[Mazzarol,Soutar,2002,p.82].
Domesticfactorsencouraginginternationalstudentstostudyabroadcanbepush
factors.Pushfactorscanroughlybedividedintopersonalpushfactorsandenvi-
ronmentalpushfactors.Theformerrelatetothepersonalcharacteristics,prefer-
encesandmotivationsofindividualstudents.Theenvironmentalpushfactors
relate,forinstance,tonationalcharacteristics.
Notmuchresearchhasbeendonesofarabouttheindividualpushfactorsof
internationalstudents.Thisisself-explaining,consideringthelargediversityof
theinternationalstudentgroupandtheconsequencethishasfortheextentto
whichresultscanbegeneralised.Whatwedoknowfromexistingresearchon
domesticstudentsisthatstudentscanbeinfluencedbytheirparents’socio-
economicstatus,theirrelatives’levelofeducationandtheirownacademicabil-
ity[Vossensteyn,2005].
AccordingtoChen’sSynthesisModel,thethreemostimportantinfluential
sourcesforinternationalstudentsaretheclassicalpeers–theirfamily/spouse,
otherstudentsorfriends,andprofessors.Chenfoundthatthemostimportant
motivationstostudyabroadarethewishtoacquireanadvanceddegreeforper-
sonalsatisfactionortoimproveforeignlanguageskills,andtheimportanceof
advanceddegreeforthestudent’sfuturecareerandsalarylevel.Inaddition,
studentsfinditvaluabletohaveanadvanceddegreefromaWesterncountry.
Besidesthesepersonalpushfactors,therearepushfactorsthatrelatetotheenvi-
ronment.Althoughbetterdocumented,thesefactorsarerarelytestedempirically.
Theycanincludethefollowing:
•Theunavailabilityof,anddifficultaccessto,highereducation(programmes)
and/orcuttingedgeresearch,
•Thevalueofanationalhighereducationdegreeonthedomesticlabourmarket,
•Alowvalueofanationalhighereducationdegreeand/orworkexperience,
•Alowqualityandreputationofthedomestichighereducationandresearch,
•Highrecognition,acceptanceandperceivedvalueofforeigndegreesbydo-
mesticemployersandhighereducationinstitutions,
•Individualtiestoanotherregion,country,cityand/orinstitution,
•Thedemographic,economicand/orpoliticalclimatewithinthecountryoforigin.
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