Collaborative learning advancing international students: a multidisciplinary approach

Abstract

Universities are making great efforts in order to improve their rates in terms of internationalization. With the rise of international mobility, among students, new challenges are emerging on the high education system. In this sense, this paper aims to show some key strategies in terms of teaching methodologies that Universities should follow forward to a better internationalization performance. It is based on the case of University of Beira Interior in Portugal, in a multidisciplinary approach, which involves scholars from the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and from the Department of Mathematics, teaching at the Civil Engineering studies. The main research questions of this paper are the following: are the currently used teaching methodologies prepared to accommodate international students who have different standards of proficiency whether in terms of language or in basic knowledge of mathematics? Which are the challenges of high education system, in order to improve the performance of international students, engaging them as part of a collaborative learning approach? The conclusions show that there is the need of following new teaching methodologies in a more collaborative approach, in order to promote the integration of international students.