Identifying and Explaining the Factors Affecting the Educational Quality of International Students: Presenting a Paradigmatic Model Based on Grounded Theory

Abstract

In recent years, the increasing presence of international students in higher education systems has made attention to the quality of education provided to this group of students one of the major concerns of universities. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify and explain the factors affecting the educational quality of international students at universities and to present a conceptual model based on grounded theory. The study adopted a qualitative approach and employed the systematic grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin. The research population consisted of university faculty members and international students studying at universities in Iran, who were selected through purposive sampling and the snowball technique. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 faculty members and 10 international students, and the data collection process continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were gathered through two methods, namely library research and fieldwork using semi-structured interviews. The trustworthiness of the research findings was assessed based on Lincoln and Guba’s four criteria, including credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. Data analysis was conducted through three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. The findings resulted in the extraction of 126 indicators within 28 components and six main dimensions of the paradigmatic model, including the central phenomenon comprising 4 components and 21 indicators; causal conditions comprising 5 components and 24 indicators; contextual conditions comprising 4 components and 20 indicators; intervening conditions comprising 6 components and 24 indicators; strategies comprising 5 components and 21 indicators; and consequences comprising 4 components and 16 indicators. The results indicated that the educational quality of international students is a multidimensional phenomenon influenced by the interaction of educational, organizational, and environmental factors, and that the adoption of appropriate strategies in this regard can enhance learning quality, increase academic satisfaction, and strengthen the international standing of universities. The proposed model can serve as a guiding framework for policymaking and planning aimed at improving the educational quality of international students within the higher education system.