Topic: Internationalisation of Curriculum in Practice: A Critical Discourse Analysis of International Students' Perspectives in Finland

Objectives: In an increasingly globalised and market-oriented higher education landscape, institutions strive to equip students with skills for global citizenship and intercultural competence. This study addresses a gap in programme-specific research by examining international students' lived experiences and discourses regarding the internationalisation of curriculum (IoC) within an international master's programme at a Finnish research university.

Research questions: 

• What are the prevailing discourses of international students on the internationalisation of curriculum?

• How do international students construct and negotiate their roles within these processes?

Conceptual and theoretical frameworks: The study adopts a multi-layered theoretical framework to explore the complexities of IoC. Centrally, it draws on Leask’s (2015) Internationalisation of Curriculum (IoC) framework, which emphasises the integration of international and intercultural dimensions into content, pedagogy, and support services. To understand how students navigate institutional structures, the research utilises Archer’s (2003) theory of agency and Fielding’s (2004) typology of student voice. These are complemented by critical pedagogy (Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1988) to analyse how power dynamics and epistemic hierarchies are challenged. Finally, the concept of co-creation is used to examine the potential for students to act as active partners in curriculum design.

European and international dimensions: This research is situated at the intersection of European higher education policy and global market trends. As Finland and the broader European Higher Education Area (EHEA) shift toward "work-based and competence-based immigration," international degree programmes have become central tools for national competitiveness. The study critiques the neoliberal marketisation of Finnish higher education, where students are often positioned as customers rather than active academic participants. Using a case study of a Finnish research university, the study highlights tensions between local academic norms and the global expectations of a diverse student body, particularly regarding the dominance of Western-centric knowledge production. This research contributes to European dialogues on educational equity and the ethical internationalisation of curricula in the Global North.

Research design and participants: This study employs a qualitative case study design focusing on one international master’s programme at a Finnish research university. The participants were 16 international master’s students enrolled in an English-taught programme. Data collection: Data were collected through four focus group discussions, each consisting of three to five participants. Focus groups were chosen for their ability to allow students to articulate views authentically and dialogically, creating a space for collective reflection. The sessions followed a semi-structured format guided by interview prompts and included group activities designed to encourage students to share diverse opinions on their educational experiences and the curriculum. Data analysis: The qualitative data were analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), specifically following Fairclough’s (2010) three-dimensional framework. This method enabled an in-depth examination of how institutional structures, ideology, and power dynamics shape the ways international students construct and express their discourses on IoC. The analysis focused on identifying patterns in student language to uncover underlying assumptions about neoliberalism, equity, and knowledge production within the Finnish university context.

The analysis identified five interconnected discourses that characterize international students' perspectives on the internationalisation of curriculum (IoC): neoliberalism and marketisation, equity and accessibility, power and knowledge production, local versus global priorities, and institutional support. Students critically highlighted systemic challenges, including limited inclusivity and linguistic barriers that hinder full participation in academic life. A significant finding was the perception of epistemic hierarchies, where Western-centric knowledge and methodologies are often prioritized over Global South or indigenous perspectives. Furthermore, students observed a tension between local Finnish labour market needs and global academic aspirations, which often leads to ambiguity in programme objectives. The study also revealed that international students navigate their roles within these structures along a dynamic spectrum. Some students felt positioned as passive or symbolic participants, which is often linked to a "student-as-customer" experience under marketized higher education. Others emerged as critical reformers or empowered co-creators when provided with the necessary institutional support. These findings uncover a distinct gap between institutional internationalisation strategies and the lived experiences of students. The results suggest that for IoC to be truly transformative and equitable, Finnish universities must move beyond surface-level internationalisation by formally integrating student voices into curriculum design and addressing the power imbalances inherent in knowledge production.

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