Strategic Management of International Student Services: Balancing Institutional Capacity, Scholarship Adequacy, and Student Welfare
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18592/moe.v12i2.20173Keywords:
Higher education internationalization, institutional capacity, international student services, scholarship adequacy, and student welfareAbstract
The internationalization of higher education requires universities to balance their institutional capacity, financial support, service quality, and international student welfare. However, limited research has examined how these dimensions interact within Indonesia’s international student service management. This qualitative single-case study examined international student intake, scholarship adequacy, and integrated support in the doctoral program of an Indonesian state Islamic University. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six purposively selected participants: one academic leader, two administrative staff members, and three international doctoral students. The interviews were complemented by non-participant observations and institutional document analysis. Data were analyzed through condensation, display, thematic categorization, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings indicate that student intake was aligned with academic supervision, learning facilities, administrative readiness, and service quality, rather than continuous enrollment growth. Scholarship support enabled academic participation, although participants reported that the available financial assistance did not always cover daily living costs. Institutional capacity, academic guidance, administrative responsiveness, learning facilities, financial support, and student welfare are interconnected components of service delivery. The study highlights that sustainable internationalization depends on matching recruitment ambitions with coordinated academic, administrative, financial, and welfare support systems.
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