Higher education abroad: experiences of Afghan international students in Bangladeshi universities

Abstract

Pursuing higher education abroad has become a common desire of students globally, especially, among students in developing countries of which Afghanistan is a part of them. Due to the low quality of higher education at most universities in Afghanistan, Afghan students prefer to pursue their higher education overseas. As every year a considerable number of Afghan students come to Bangladesh to continue their higher education, the title; Higher Education Abroad: Experiences of Afghan International Students in Bangladeshi Universities is chosen to explore Afghan students` experience at universities in Bangladesh. This study examines Afghan students` experiences of the universities` learning environments, cultural behaviour, opportunities, challenges, and coping strategies. To conduct this research, a qualitative research method is used. Simi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) are used as tools to investigate Afghan students’ experiences. The findings of this paper show that Afghan students have better learning resources than in Afghanistan. These students found both people and students respective towards their culture, however, some of the students sometimes disrespect their language. Afghan students experienced many opportunities that helped them to boost their academic and personal skills. Meanwhile, they faced language, cultural, unfamiliarity with the education system, financial, accommodation, and social interaction challenges, which led them to go through different coping strategies during their education journey in Bangladesh.