Studying Engineering Abroad: Intersectionality and Student Support

Abstract

What is it like to study engineering in Ireland when you are female and you come from somewhere far away, in the Middle East, which has different social customs and norms? What is your lived experience? What aspects of the experience are common to Middle Eastern women across your course? As education researchers, we aim to understand the essence of the experience these foreign women have had studying engineering in Ireland-what life has been like for them and what unique challenges they have faced that may be invisible to us as instructors. This article reports preliminary analysis of 13 interviews that we conducted with eight women from Kuwait and Oman during their first three years studying engineering in Ireland. It is geared toward educators-teachers, administrative staff, and support providers-who want to better understand the experiences and perspectives of international students. The paper culminates with advice distilled from literature and our own analyses regarding how to support students working in groups, with an eye toward helping international students achieve success and feel supported and included.