Sahana Kanabar

Topic

Enhancing the Well-being of Racialized International Graduate Students in a Canadian Post-Secondary Institution

Social Dimensions of Health

Date & location

• Wednesday, June 26, 2024
• 3:30 P.M.
• Virtual Defence

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Denise Cloutier, Department of Geography, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)
• Dr. Athena Madan, Department of Sociology, UVic (Co-Supervisor)

External Examiner

• Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood, Department of Geography, UVic

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Anthony Quas, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UVic

Abstract

Racialized international graduate students, a rapidly growing population within Canadian post-secondary institutions, face systemic institutional barriers to their well-being. Despite the significant role that post-secondary institutions can play in promoting international student well-being, the Canadian educational context lacks standardized best practices that direct the quality of care provided to international students. Through a qualitative case study research approach situated within critical race and decolonial paradigms, this study sought to understand how racialized international graduate students understand well-being, and how their well-being is promoted or hindered within the academic and socio-political conditions of the university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of 22 racialized international graduate students from 16 countries and five continents, studying in 17 programs at the University of Victoria. From a thematic analysis of the interviews, four major themes of well-being arose: Political-Economic Determinants; Academic Institutional Conditions; Socio-Cultural Influences; and Personal Wellness. This research scrutinizes various institutional policies, practices, and actors that play a role in shaping racialized international student well-being, which led to the production of recommendations for institutional-level modifications to enhance the well-being of racialized international graduate students, targeting four key areas: Affordability and Access to Education; Improving Academic and Work Dynamics; Meaningful Inclusion in the Campus Community; and Enhancing Student Services Provision. The findings also uncovered the formal and informal strategies that participants practice to enhance their well-being. While the participants faced challenges in their journey as an international graduate student, they generally felt positively about their experience as it strengthened them and allowed for transformational personal and professional growth.