Studying Abroad: Experiences of International Students in a Turkish University

The political economy of globalization has brought about sweeping transformations in higher education and international education has dramatically expanded in volume, scope and complexity, with globalization being in the center of this transformation. Universities have made various efforts to recruit more international students as a means of generating income and adding diversity to the student body. Turkey is one of these countries attempting to increase international student recruitment and to become a regional center for higher education. In recent years, Turkey has taken important steps in terms of international students to increase the number of international students and also to improve their conditions. Yet, despite the expansion of Turkish higher education and the country's steady path toward its enrolment targets, there are some challenges that need to be addressed. For Turkey to better use its potential in the region, research on international students should be increased and regulations should be adjusted accordingly. In this context, experiences of international students should be researched for analyzing existing situation and designing more appropriate policies. Accordingly, this paper aims to reflect international students' opinions with regard to their experience on studying abroad in Turkey through the findings of a questionnaire carried out in 2016 in a Turkish state university, Süleyman Demirel University