Socio-cultural integration of international students in Europe: A systematic review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v38i1.1128

Keywords:

Europe, incoming students, international student mobility, socio-cultural integration, systematic review

Abstract

International student mobility (ISM) has gained increasing importance in the last decades, while the integration of international students remains a key area of research in the literature. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the socio-cultural integration of international students in Europe by examining how transnational mobility influences the socialization among students, what factors influence and hinder social and cultural integration during ISM. Following the application of exclusion criteria, a total of 103 articles retrieved from six databases were analysed. Findings reveal that while ISM fosters cross-cultural interactions, various factors, such as institutional support, language proficiency, and social networks, play a crucial role in shaping integration experiences. Challenges such as discrimination, cultural distance, and limited engagement with host communities can hinder effective integration. By synthesizing existing research, this review contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of international student integration, offering insights for future studies and institutional policies. Additionally, the review provides recommendations for higher education institutions to enhance their support systems, promote inclusive campus environments, and develop strategies to facilitate the successful integration of international students.

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Author Biographies

Anita Kéri, University of Szeged, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

Anita Kéri is an Assistant Professor at the University of Szeged, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, where she teaches marketing-related subjects. Her research interest is international student mobility and higher education marketing.

Betül Bulut Şahin, TED University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Betul Bulut-Sahin is a scholar-practitioner in higher education internationalization. She conducts research on international student mobility, institutional policy, and global engagement strategies. With extensive experience in both academic and administrative roles, she bridges theory and practice to foster inclusive and effective internationalization processes. She currently teaches at TED University and serves as the director of international office, contributing to both institutional development and international education research.

Ana Iolanda Voda, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University

Ana Iolanda Vodă is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania, with over 19 years of teaching and research experience. She obtained her Habilitation in Business Administration in 2021 and a Ph.D. in Economics in 2011. She has been actively involved in research and project management, serving as project director or management committee member in international projects funded by Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Actions, Horizon 2020, and COST programmes.

Ani Chelishvili, Business and Technology University

Ani Chelishvili is the Head of Development and International Relations Office and Erasmus+ Institutional Coordinator at Business and Technology University, Georgia. With 17 years in higher education management, she leads the university’s internationalization efforts and major global projects, including Erasmus+ and Jean Monnet Actions. She champions women’s inclusion in STEM, driving strategic partnerships, innovation and global collaboration to empower the next generation of leaders.

Anna Becker, Institute of Slavic Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences

Anna Becker is an Assistant Professor and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Polish Academy of Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Education and a Diploma in Higher Education and Educational Technology from the University of Fribourg. Her research bridges applied linguistics, multilingualism, and international education. A certified teacher, she has taught languages across multiple countries. She is Managing Editor of European Education, Co-Chair of CIES’s Language Issues SIG, and a Scholar-Researcher with ICBERG.

Barış Eriçok, Ordu University, Faculty of Education

Barış Eriçok is an Assistant Professor at Ordu University, Faculty of Education. He holds a BA in English Language Teaching and both an MA and PhD in Educational Administration, with his doctorate focusing on higher education internationalization. His research interests include teacher education, leadership, policy, AI in education, inclusive practices, internationalization, and mobilities. He completed his postdoctoral research on the internationalization of teacher education at PH Wien (Pädagogische Hochschule Wien).

Başak Coşkun, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University, International Relations Office

Başak Coşkun is an Associate Professor in the field of educational administration and supervision. She is the head of the international relations office. Her research interests covers a wide range of topics while her main appeals are organizational behavior, gender, diversity, inclusion and equality in educational institutions.

Dangeni, School of Education, Anglia Ruskin University

Dangeni is a higher education researcher-practitioner with a focus on inclusion and navigating the experiences of international and minoritised cohorts. Her research explores the intersections of higher education, internationalisation and inequalities.

Elina Apsite Berina, University of Latvia

Elina Apsite-Berina is an Associate Professor at the Department of Geography, University of Latvia. Her research focuses on spatial population dynamics, migrant well-being, emigration and immigration motivations, and return migration strategies in the context of Latvia's socioeconomic and historical developments. She is a Latvian Geographical Society board member and Managing Editor of Folia Geographica.

Elżbieta Gajek, Warsaw University, Faculty of Applied Linguistics

Elżbieta Gajek is a University Professor at the Institute of Applied Linguistics University of Warsaw, Poland. She is Head of Department of Language Acquisition Studies. Her main areas of research cover Computer Assisted Language Learning, and Distance Learning and Mobile Assisted Language Learning. She has been involved in the eTwinning programme as a Polish National Expert since 2004.

Esma Şenel Bingül, Izmir Democracy University, School of Foreign Languages

Esma Şenel Bingül is a lecturer at İzmir Democracy University, School of Foreign Languages, and a PhD candidate in English Language Teaching at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. Her research focuses on academic writing, peer review, scholarly communication, teacher education, and educational technologies. She has published in international journals and presented at numerous academic conferences. She is the founder of Peer Review Lab and serves as a trainer in the U.S. Embassy’s RELO initiatives.

Martina Chrančoková, Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences - Institute for Forecasting, Slovak Academy of Sciences

Martina Chrančoková is researcher with the Institute for Forecasting of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. She studied Statistical Methods in Economics at the University of Economics in Bratislava in 2010-12 and later she studied her Ph.D. in 20013 - 16 in Spatial Planning at Institute of Management of the Slovak University of Technology. She currently teaches the subject of statistical methods at the Faculty of Management of Comenius University in Bratislava.

Nazife Karadağ, Adıyaman University, Faculty of Education

Nazife Karadağ is faculty at the Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Adıyaman University. She completed her undergraduate education at the Classroom Teaching Program at the Faculty of Education, Gaziantep University, and her postgraduate education at the Department of Educational Administration, Supervision, Inspection and Planning at Gaziantep University. She received her doctorate degree in Educational Administration and Supervision at Gazi University. Her research interests include teacher education, leadership, politics, internationalization and mobility.

Özer Çulhaoğlu, Bartin University, Quality Office

Özer Çulhaoğlu works as a lecturer at Bartın University Quality Office. He holds a master's degree in Professional Development in Education. He is a PhD candidate in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education. His research interests include quality studies in higher education, internationalisation in higher education, teacher education, lifelong learning and adult education.

Robert G. Valls-Figuera, University of Barcelona

Dr. Robert G. Valls-Figuera is an associated professor at the Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Barcelona. He is a member of the TRALS research group (Academic and Labour Transitions) research group and specialises in guidance and transition processes for international students.

Rosa M. Rodriguez-Izquierdo, University Pablo de Olavide

Rosa M. Rodriguez-Izquierdo is currently a Full Professor at the University Pablo de Olavide in the Department of Education and Social Psychology. Her research interests centre on the intersection of education and migration and socio-cultural diversity in education.

Seda Okur, Ankara Music and Fine Arts University

Seda Okur is an experienced international office professional and academic at Ankara Music and Fine Arts University. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction and specializes in teacher education, global competencies, and international student mobility. With over 10 years of experience, she actively coordinates Erasmus+ and non-European mobility programs. Dr. Okur is dedicated to supporting internationalization in higher education and developing innovative training programs for international office professionals and youth workers.

Zahide Erdoğan, Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, Sociology Department

Zahide Erdoğan is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Policy and has extensive experience in diaspora engagement. A former visiting academic at University of Oxford COMPAS, her research focuses on migration sociology, including diaspora policies, international student mobility, refugee students and transnationalism. She currently serves as the regional coordinator for the EU-funded ESPS project, contributing to collaboration on refugee education.

Zeynep Köylü, University of Basel, Department of English

Zeynep Köylü, Ph.D. is a Swiss National Science Foundation Professor at the University of Basel, Department of English. She is an applied linguist specializing in second language acquisition and English as a lingua franca (ELF) in multilingual settings. She also leads Working Group 3 in ENIS. She has extensively published on study abroad and second language development, ELF, and intercultural awareness in top-tier journals such as Language Learning and Studies in Second Language Acquisition.

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2026-04-23

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Kéri, A., Bulut Şahin, B. ., Iolanda Voda, A. ., Chelishvili, A., Becker, A., Eriçok, B., Coşkun, B., Dangeni, Apsite Berina, E. ., Gajek, E., Şenel Bingül, E., Chrančoková, M., Karadağ, N., Çulhaoğlu, Özer, G. Valls-Figuera, R. ., Rodriguez-Izquierdo, R. M. ., Okur, S., Erdoğan, Z., & Köylü, Z. . (2026). Socio-cultural integration of international students in Europe: A systematic review. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 38(1), 138–166. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v38i1.1128

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Vol. 38 No. 1 (2026): April 2026

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Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Anita Kéri, Betül Bulut Şahin, Ana Iolanda Voda, Ani Chelishvili, Anna Becker, Barış Eriçok, Başak Coşkun, Dangeni, Elina Apsite Berina, Elżbieta Gajek, Esma Şenel Bingül, Martina Chrančoková, Nazife Karadağ, Özer Çulhaoğlu, Robert G. Valls-Figuera, Rosa M. Rodriguez-Izquierdo, Seda Okur, Zahide Erdoğan, Zeynep Köylü

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