‘So far so good’: Aotearoa New Zealand’s tertiary vocational sector academic migrants relate their experiences of relocation

Abstract

Tertiary education providers increasingly recruit international teaching staff in their drive to fill skills gaps and build institutional knowledge and research capacity but literature examining the adjustment experiences of these academic migrants remains limited. This multiple case study focuses on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ITP (Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics) sector and explores how the experience of migration has impacted on four long-term academic staff with a range of industry, teaching and research experience. 
 Adapting to student-centred teaching and managing diverse student groups have presented some initial challenges for these migrant teaching staff, but their overall experience has been positive. The study highlights how these teaching professionals have contributed significantly to the academic life of their institution, particularly in the area of curriculum development.