Conference Agenda

The international mobility of students plays a crucial role in the ongoing process of the internationalisation of higher education, garnering growing attention and interest (Bista et al., 2018). This phenomenon exhibits a significant and widespread presence of international students across diverse countries (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2021). In 2019, the enrolment of international students in higher education institutions reached 6.1 million, reflecting an annual growth rate of 5.5% from 1998 to 2019 (OECD, 2021). The trends, however, were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Kanwar & Carr, 2020). Nevertheless, the reopening of borders has offered hope for a potential reversal in the pandemic-induced decline. New Zealand, for instance, experienced a 33% decline in international enrolments between 2019 and 2021. However, international student visa applications soared from 7,710 in October 2022 to 43,541 by July 2023 (Education New Zealand, 2022; 2023). This trend mirrors a global pattern, supported by a significant increase in international student numbers in OECD countries (OECD, 2023).

Research on the experiences of international students is crucial for informing policies and practices (Deuchar, 2022). Yet, a challenge lies in defining the term 'international student.’ This definitional challenge not only presents a semantic hurdle but also complicates the development of targeted strategies to address their diverse needs. The prevailing definition focuses on individuals pursuing education outside their home countries, often emphasizing the geographical dimension and using criteria such as visas or national affiliations (Bista et al., 2018). Despite seemingly clear criteria, the term's inherent ambiguity persists, and interpretations may vary based on the specific context in which it is used (OECD, 2021).

A common tendency is to view international students as a uniform group, hindering effective university responses (Lausch et al., 2017). Advocates for a nuanced viewpoint argue that this simplification overlooks the complexities of the international student experience (Heng, 2019). Additionally, while existing research has explored the experiences of international students, their own viewpoints and narratives have received limited attention (Koo & Mathies, 2022). Language and ethnicity are often used to generalize the identity of international students (Tavares, 2021). Broad categorizations may not fully grasp how some students shape identities in new socio-cultural settings and fail to capture how personal characteristics and experiences influence their perception of self (Tian & Lowe, 2009). Furthermore, the dominant deficit-oriented view of international students, focused on challenges and generalizations, neglects their individual identities (Tavares, 2021).

This paper reports findings from a qualitative study using phenomenology to explore the experiences of 12 international undergraduate students at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand, delving into their perspectives on being 'international.' While focused on a specific university, the insights gained have important implications for policymakers globally, nationally, and institutionally. They guide the development of more informed and tailored strategies to enhance the overall international student experience.

The findings challenge the conventional notion that the label international student should exclusively define individuals based on visa status and shared characteristics. Instead, they emphasize the nuanced complexity of international students' experiences, questioning the tendency to homogenize this diverse group. It not only identifies elements contributing to a collective group identity but also recognizes those shaping individual identities. In doing so, the study illuminates the rich diversity within the international student community in higher education, emphasizing the significance of individual experiences and unique perspectives in shaping their sense of self.

Volunteering has played a key role in the historical development of communities. It is an act of civic engagement that involves pro-social, planned and long-term behaviours with the aim of altruistically benefiting other individuals or groups in a particular organisational setting (Penner, 2002).

In the university context, volunteering is formal due to its organisational characteristics, through programmes managed by higher education institutions (HEIs) through their services or departments in collaboration with non-profit organisations (United Nations Volunteers [UNV], 2015). In general, volunteering programmes make it possible to articulate processes of collaboration and reciprocity between students, institutions and social organisations that benefit all the actors involved (Haski-Leventhal et al., 2020). In view of the challenges posed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, volunteering expands and mobilises the university community to provide an effective response to global challenges (United Nations, 2021).

The development of transversal competencies -called in research soft skills, transferable skills or generic competencies- has become a crucial factor for the employability and social inclusion of university students in the current context characterised by globalisation, digitalisation, social exclusion, unemployment and precariousness of European and especially Spanish youth (García-Álvarez et al., 2022). These can be defined as a "dynamic combination of cognitive and meta-cognitive, interpersonal, intellectual and practical skills" that "help people to adapt and behave positively so that they can deal effectively with the challenges of their professional and everyday life" (Haselberg et al., 2012, p. 67).

In European policies, volunteering is a recurring training strategy in search of more opportunities to promote young people's social participation and employability by developing competencies in a lifelong learning approach (European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2021). In the same way, universities have added to their agendas, alongside volunteer, service-learning or entrepreneurial initiatives, work placements or internships for students to gain experience in real learning environments (Evans & Yusof, 2022; Holmes et al., 2021).

In this sense, the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE, 2021) has highlighted the need to keep working on the development of undergraduates' skills, not only through teaching projects, but also through other actions such as volunteer work. The aim is to improve their skills (upskilling) or acquire new skills (reskilling) for effective action in uncertain environments.

Reflecting the public interest of voluntary activities, the scientific literature contains numerous studies on the impact of such activities on participants' satisfaction, physical and mental wellbeing, self-awareness and self-reflection, altruism, intercultural competence, democratic participation, academic performance, moral development, social responsibility, employability, career development and higher levels of self-efficacy (Evans & Yusof, 2022; Haski-Leventhal et al., 2020; Holmes et al., 2021).

Overall, studies on the link between volunteering and the development of transversal competencies have focused on non-formal learning contexts, i.e. initiatives organised by non-profit organisations or other public or private institutions (cf. Santos Rego et al., 2018; Souto-Otero, 2016). As a result, there is less evidence that highlights the impact of these experiences from the management of university services (i.e. Khasanzyanova, 2017), particularly in the Spanish context.

In light of the above, this study aims to analyse the transversal competencies that students develop through their participation in volunteering programmes managed by higher education institutions in Spain. In this sense, the study addresses a main research question (RQ): What are the transversal competencies that students develop through their participation in volunteer activities managed by university services?

This research is the result of the specific collaboration agreement between the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Universitat de Girona and Fundación Mutua Madrileña for the development of the study "Volunteering and Social Participation in University Studies". Ref. (2022-CL060).

The global COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected education systems worldwide, leaving an enduring impact on students across diverse grade levels. Extensive literature, including reports from the World Economic Forum (WEF, November 14, 2022) and UNESCO (2021), underscores the widespread consequences of the pandemic, revealing significant learning losses at all educational stages. Notably, lower grades have experienced more substantial setbacks than higher education (HE), particularly in subjects like Mathematics and Reading.

The swift transition from traditional to online or hybrid learning formats, imperative for curbing the virus's spread, posed considerable challenges for students. The urgency of this shift, exemplified by Portugal's one-month adaptation period, emphasized the critical need for students' access to digital resources. Unfortunately, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds encountered heightened barriers, resulting in severe learning setbacks and diminished motivation.

A comprehensive literature review (Fricks, C. (2020), Garcia, E. & Weiss, E. (2020), UNESCO (2021), Dorn et al. (2021), Stark et al. (2022)) demonstrates the exacerbation of inequality in learning and access to Higher Education (HE) due to COVID-19.

This research builds upon prior studies exploring factors influencing academic achievement, dropout rates, and delays in HE enrollment, demonstrating how these factors vary with economic cycles. In this study, we aim to assess the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified these existing challenges. Additionally, we will evaluate the effectiveness of measures taken by the Portuguese government to address pandemic-induced learning losses by comparing academic performance trends from 2018 to 2022.