Mechanisms of the process of adaptation of foreign students at the University of Murcia, Spain

Abstract

Academic mobility for the Universities of Higher education one of the great challenges that contribute to the process of internationalization. Given this, the present articles aim to establish the factors associated with the process of cultural adaptation at the University of Murcia, by graduate students from the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations who completed an academic mobility. The theorical data of this research include models, theories and previous research linked to the process of university selection and cultural adaption. This methodology used for this research was phenomenological qualitative, through the technique of in-depth semi-structured interviews with a categorization analysis, associated word and interpretation of data. Among the main findings was found that the similarity of the language facilitates the process of adaptation, while the host institution and teachers represented a great challenge for the students, as well as the degree of experience that each of the students sough to gain during their mobility. In conclusion, this research provides tools to students who make an academic mobility abroad, also determinates specific characteristics for the country Spain.