1. Family a powerful influence on study abroad decisions 16 Oct 2012 http://monitor.icef.com/2012/10/family-a-powerful-influence-on-study-abroad-decisions/ KEY POINTS: While students clearly play an important role in deciding where to study abroad, it is often the parents that have incredible influence over the final choice of study destination. In fact, as ICEF Monitor reported in August, a recent study in China revealed that 65% of the time, the final decision with respect to destination country, programme, and educational institution was made by the parents. Family connections are emerging as a powerful factor influencing international students’ choice of destination, reports The Australian. A survey of 2,160 international students in Australia conducted last month showed that nearly one in five of them had a sibling who was studying or had studied in Australia. In addition, 77% were studying in the same city as their sibling, with 38% attending the same institution. Further, one in four had a close family member living in the student’s destination city. The research was presented by Rob Lawrence, from Prospect Research and Marketing, at the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) in Melbourne earlier this month. “We need to start realising we are not serving just individuals, but entire families. (Universities) have got to put strategies in place that recognise and engage with families,” stated Mr Lawrence. Ultimately, engaging parents – and siblings for that matter – is a potentially powerful student recruitment strategy that should not be overlooked or underestimated. 2. The Influence of Family, Peers, and Education Agents on Thai Students’ Choices of International Education Nattavud Pimpa Monash Centre for Research in International Education, Faculty of Education Monash University, VIC 3600 [email protected] http://aiec.idp.com/uploads/pdf/Pimpa_p.pdf KEY POINTS: Several studies concluded that family, peers, and agents have an impact on education choice and affect the persistence of students in the education system (Hayes 1989; Joseph and Joseph 2000; Mazzarol and Soutar 2002). Most studies in this field, nevertheless, mention only two aspects of family influence: (recommendation and financial support) and one aspect of peers and agent influence (information). In contrast, research on interpersonal influence has identified that various family members, peers, and other significant persons impact one’s behaviour in many ways. In this light, it is reasonable to assume the influence of family, peers, and agents on students’ choices of international education extends well beyond only the mentioned aspects. Results and Discussion The study suggests that, on making choices of international education, Thai students were influenced by their family by means of finance, expectation, competition, persuasion, and information. The details are presented as follows. Family: finance Respondents stated that parents were one of the most important personal sources of influence, mostly due to financial factors. The choice of studying at home or going overseas largely depended on the financial capacity of the family. Students opined financial factors encompassed family support for tuition fees, living costs in a foreign country, and other related expenses. My mother is the major financial source during my study period in Australia. She told me that I had to choose either New Zealand or Australia because she believed that both are among the cheapest countries with the best education quality. Personally, I believe that Australia is better than New Zealand so I told my mother that I wanted to study here, and she approved. (Jang, 22, female postgraduate student) Many referred to the post-economic crisis in 1997 as a barrier preventing them studying in destination countries other than Australia. Their most preferred destinations were America or the United Kingdom, however, their families could not afford it because of the devaluation of Thai baht. Therefore, the choices of international education were limited by external factors such as the national economy. Family: expectation Further, familial referents also influenced students by way of expectation. In some cases, to study abroad was planned by the parents or relatives of respondents from the time the students were young. Many said they were told, since childhood, that overseas education is better than local education. This stimulated the desire to pursue an overseas qualification. Furthermore, family expectation was found to stem from the perceived advantages of students obtaining an overseas academic qualification, fluency in a foreign language and life experience. Students explained the expectations of different family members to study abroad. I was expected by my aunt since I was in high school that one day I must have an overseas qualification, preferably an American, English, or Australian degree. I, sort of, knew a long time ago that I had to reach this aim, as I did not want to let her down. (Jab, 26, male postgraduate student) Apart from my parent's financial support, I think I wanted to make them feel good to see me having a high level of education from overseas. My father did not attend any university, so he transferred his hope to me, to have a good education and speak English fluently. Besides, my sister was also very keen to follow me to study in Australia, so I think it is an expectation from many people in my family that I should study overseas. (Aey, 19, female undergraduate student) Family: competition Thai families also encourage students to choose to study overseas because of competition among family members. A few students stated that competition among family members was a catalyst in their decision-making process. I think family anticipation and competition is part of my decision. Looking at my situation, after working for a few years, many of my relatives went to Australia and `America. Besides, my girlfriend often said that she wanted me to have an overseas qualification. (Boi, 25, male postgraduate student) Furthermore, many students mentioned that international degree is seen as a tool to maintain their high status in Thai social hierarchy. Family: persuasion Interviewees reported two major forms of family persuasion, and frequently referred to “opinionates”. They articulated their parents used expressions of like or dislike in relation to their decision to study abroad. The following excerpt eloquently depicts the use of opinionating of the parents A: My parents told me that it is good to study abroad and they mentioned that they are my parents so their ideas are always right (A, 29, male postgraduate student) Also, family persuasion in the form of “everyone else” was mentioned by many of the students. Their parents tried to convince them to study abroad because “everyone else” was doing so. My parents kept telling me over and over again that everyone else could go and study abroad so why their daughter could not do it. They frequently mentioned sons or daughter of their colleagues who has gone to America and became successful. (Pam, 18, female undergraduate student) Family: information Information from family was yet another factor mentioned by the Thai students. Although many participants felt that information from their families was not the most important factor, it exerted a certain persuasion for many. The perceived most trustworthy information source for students was family members experienced in study abroad. These individuals encouraged students to study overseas by providing information on country, university, and course. Many students stated that information influence was reflected in family members’ enumeration of specific information concerning the various alternatives. For example, relatives who had studied abroad might have convinced the prospective student that he/she was more knowledgeable concerning the education services by presenting detailed information about various aspects of education services. It seems that providers of information also can exert an influence on other key players who, themselves, would influence students’ choices. I have three relatives studying abroad. When they came to Thailand for vacation they met my parents and they started talking about studying abroad. They instilled the idea of studying abroad in my parents and they provided my parents with the international student prospectuses of many universities. My parents then encouraged me to study this course (Bachelor of Business) in this Australia. (Pat, 20, female undergraduate student) 3. Factors Influencing the Choice of Overseas Study by Undergraduate and Postgraduate Chinese Students Abstract Yilin Lu Renmin University of China [email protected] Felix T. Mavondo Monash University, Australia [email protected] Lily Lin Qiu GICC International, Australia [email protected] http://www.duplication.net.au/ANZMAC09/papers/ANZMAC2009-740.pdf KEY POINTS: The opinions of family members may exert different types of influence on one’s behaviour (Bearden and Etzel 1982). Family recommendation and opinion influence students’ options of their host institutions (Bourke 2000; Moogan, Baron and Harris 1999). This is largely because the nuclear familiar is small, parents have to fund the education hence both the cost and psychological separation play an important role. The influence of family and friends are all related to the importance of word-of mouth communication which is seen as objective, reliable and not commercially oriented. These sources are much easier to trust as they are seen as not motivated by profit. Other sites: Moogan, Y. J., Baron, S., and Harris, K. (1999) Decision-Making Behaviour of Potential Higher Education Students. Higher Education Quarterly, 53(3): 211-228.