Rather than paying attention to the specific approaches emerging from different contexts, current debates tend to privilege Western-universalizing concepts of internationalisation, unproblematically accepted as globally established truths. In South Africa, where the legacy of isolation and the dominance of Eurocentricism in academia have inspired considerable scepticism regarding internationalisation, the challenge is to find innovative approaches that account for its specific context. This article responds to this challenge by examining the emerging concept of internationalisation at Wits. It does so with reference to three questions: What conceptions inform the internationalisation practice at Wits? Does Wits have appropriate strategies in place to promote internationalisation? How do these match its particular circumstances?

On 18 March 2020, all South African universities and colleges were closed due to the COVID-19 virus. By early April, 10 universities announced that they were planning to resume teaching and learning online, including the University of the Witwatersrand (i.e., Wits University), Johannesburg, which is the joint highest ranked university in Africa. Therefore, the purpose of this editorial was to examine the perceptions and attitudes of these students regarding online learning in an era of disruption of COVID-19, uniquely using both multi-mixed methods research approaches (i.e., involving the partial integration of multiple methods research approaches and mixed methods research approaches) and meta-methods study approaches (i.e., involving the full[er] integration of multiple methods research approaches and mixed methods research approaches). A total of 4,419 Wits University students completed an online survey. A principal components analysis of one of survey’s scales, namely, the Attitude of Students Towards COVID-19 and its Impact on Higher Education scale, revealed 2 subscales, namely, Students’ Self-regulation Towards COVID-19-Based Higher Education and Attitudes Toward Teaching, Learning, and Assessment in COVID-19-Based Higher Education. Nonparametric analyses revealed that scores on these measures discriminated gender, age group, level of student (i.e., undergraduate vs. postgraduate), locality status (i.e., local vs. international student), and registration status (i.e., full-time vs. part-time). A multiple analysis of the open-ended responses by the VOSviewer 1.6.14 text mining software program led to the identification of 6 metathemes. Similarly, WordStat 8.0.29 topic modeling yielded 5 metathemes that mapped onto VOSviewer’s 6 metathemes, indicating triangulation of findings. A sentiment analysis revealed negative sentiments that identified not only the biggest challenges for students but also the characteristics of students who experience these challenges. Finally, a cluster analysis, combined with chi-square analyses, led to the identification of 4 clusters of students who differed with respect to their attitudes and online experiences. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Academic mobility and the experiences of foreign staff at South African higher education institutions

This mixed methods research study explored how emergency remote teaching and learning, enacted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impacted university students. We asked: What, if any, challenges did students face that hindered their ability to learn successfully online? In Spring 2021, a Qualtrics survey was emailed to 1,481 undergraduate and graduate students at a university in New York City, and students were asked to forward the survey to friends in and beyond the university. A total of 254 (17.2%) responded; 59.6% were graduate students and 69.9% were full-time students. The survey had closed- and open-ended items. The open-ended item analyzed in the current study asked students to identify any online learning challenges. Responses were analyzed via a fully integrated, four-phase mixed methods analysis: constant comparison; a crossover mixed analysis by two coders that yielded an intensity-based, inter-respondent matrix of themes; descriptive-based quantitizing; and inferential-based quantitizing via a canonical correlation analysis and Fisher’s Exact Tests. The most prevalent findings were No Challenges (34.26%), Living Environment (25.93%), Technology-Related (20.37%), and Overall Learning Experiences (19.44%). Students experiencing No Challenges were statistically significantly more likely to report that they had full access to their own computer (p = .006) and reliable Internet connection (p = .001). For Living Environment, students noted major life issues that created challenges: sickness, crowded spaces, and multiple jobs, including serving as a caregiver. Technology-Related findings revealed student dissatisfaction with the online learning experience. For Overall Learning Experiences, students described their need for interactive learning experiences and responsive professors. A key conclusion is that higher education institutions should create more meaningful student learning experiences, develop student-centered pedagogies, and provide greater equity in university learning communities.