The Promising Practices of Glocalization in Canadian Higher Education

This paper explores the potential impacts that glocalization, the combination of the ‘global’ and the ‘local’, can have on international student retention in Canadian higher education by identifying the promising practices of glocalization in university teaching and in the broader learning environment. Using Critical Incident Technique, data was collected through semi-structured interviews of 16 international students at a medium-sized, research-oriented university in British Columbia, Canada. Results were consistent with the literature investigating international student retention and glocalization. Twelve promising practices related to university teaching and learning emerged from the analysis. These were categorized into four overarching themes: a) pedagogy, b) policies and procedures, c) learning environment, and d) curriculum. Results suggest that glocalization offers unique platforms for mutual understanding of needs, problems, and solutions, serving as a bridge between international students and the different stakeholders who are willing and able to “think globally and act locally.