An Investigation on determining the factors which affected Iranian and its neighbor countries’ students to choose Finland for study destination

Abstract

Today, the progress of countries depends on the training of people and the use of their capabilities. Sustainable development can be achieved by paying attention to and effectively utilizing the ideas of creative and motivated people. This requires the education of these people in the universities of advanced countries. Fortunately, the number of countries that are actively involved in attracting international students has increased significantly in recent years, and the significant development trend of internationalizing Finnish higher education is not an exception. Given the increasing competition between countries for international students, it has become increasingly important for higher education institutions to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence international students' decision on study destination. According to this issue, the purpose of this study is to understand what factors have attracted students from Iran and its surrounding areas to study in Finland and this will help higher education institutes to formulate better policies and marketing strategies for attracting international students. The data collection process was performed via semi-structured interviews with current bachelor students who study at Seinajoki University of Applied Sciences. The findings indicate five groups of factors that influence Iranian and surrounding areas students’ decisions on study destination, which include the economic, environment of the home country, communication, location, and social factors are influential. The main result of this study is to emphasize the significance of economic factors, such as tuition fees, living expenses, and future employment possibilities, that have a considerable impact on Iranian and surrounding area students' decisions regarding where to study. To develop strategies and policies focused on attracting Iranian and surrounding area students, Finnish universities could benefit from offering more financial aid and scholarships, lowering the cost of living and studying, and improving job prospects.