Tutors as mediators of exchange student experiences: evaluation of the international student tutor system at the University of Turku

As academic student mobility is increasing, improving the functionality of international operations is recognised as a competitive advantage at tertiary education institutions. Although many scholars have researched the experiences of exchange students, the role of student tutors and their contribution to exchange students’ experiences is still an unknown factor. This research examines international tutoring at the University of Turku, and aims to understand better the way tutoring contributes to exchange experiences and to explore the functionality of the tutor system and discover areas for improvements. To achieve these goals, the research seeks to answer the fundamental research question: What is the role of tutors in mediating exchange experiences? The theoretical framework combines literature on mediating exchange experiences, the phenomenon of studying abroad, the process of adaptation, the importance of cross-cultural communication, and the role of student tutors as mediators. Based on the literature review, a theoretical model for studying the mediation of exchange experiences is introduced. The model’s applicability and validity is examined through a case study. Three methods were used in the empirical research: surveys, participant observations, and interviews. These methods provided extensive data from three major parties of the tutor system: tutors, exchange students, and the international office. The findings of the research reveal that tutoring – instrumental leading and social and cultural mediating – generates both negative and positive experiences depending on the individuals’ expectations, motivations, relationships, and the nature of the tutoring. Although functional, there are a few weaknesses in the tutor system. Tutors tend to act as effective instrumental leaders, but often fail to create a friendship and contribute to the exchange students’ experience through social and cultural mediation, which is significantly more important in the exchange students’ overall experience in terms of building networks, adapting, gaining emotional experiences, and achieving the stage of personal development and mental change. Based on the weaknesses, three improvements are suggested: (1) increasing comprehensive sharing of information, effective communication, and collective cooperation, (2) emphasising the importance of social and cultural mediation and increasing the frequency of interaction between tutors and exchange students, and (3) improving the recruitment and training, revising the process of reporting and rewarding, and finally, enhancing services and coordination.

Adapting to a team of host culture domination: Experiences of Finnish and British expatriates

International teams are permanent features of the global market, and multinational companies cannot ignore them. This thesis discusses an individual’s adaptation to a team of host culture domination by looking at the experiences of Finnish and British expatriates. The research question is: How does a foreigner adapt to a Finnish-British team where all the other members are from the local culture? The theoretical framework of this thesis consists of theories on multicultural teamwork and Finnish and British cultures. Based on theories, the impact of diversity on teamwork and whether it improves or deteriorates a team’s performance is unclear but the idea of multicultural teams is not just to live with cultural differences but to use and benefit of them. The main differences between Finnish and British cultures are in management styles and level of hierarchy. Still, these two cultures seem to be very similar. This is a qualitative study and expert interviews were used as a method for data collection. The results of the empirical research showed that Finns and Brits have differences in decision-making, level of hierarchy and communication. None of the informants saw the challenges that they have faced to result from being the only representative of a foreign culture – they only perceived them resulting from the characteristics of the host culture. In addition, all the informants had to change their habits and behaviour in the host culture in order to fit into the new culture and to become a part of the team. However, all the informants saw advantages in cross-cultural teams. Based on this thesis, team members from the host culture do not value cultural differences and they seem to be an issue only for the team member from the minority culture. It seems that a Finn or a Brit adapts to a Finnish-British team where the host culture dominates by changing their own behaviour in order to become a part of the team – even though people often see their own culture’s methods and habits as the right ones. Finnish and British cultures seem to be similar in fundamental issues like views and attitudes, which could mean that it is fairly easy for a Finn to get used to working in a British team and vice versa. Even though there are many challenges in cross-cultural and bi-cultural teams, there are even more advantages.