Foreword: Inclusion, Epistemic Democracy and International Students

International student mobility is one of the most prominent, dynamic and complex phenomenon of higher education in the twenty-first century. The rapid growth of international student mobility has affected the educational, cultural, economic and political discourses of both the sending and receiving countries. It has impacted not only on individual student-sojourners and teachers but also teaching and learning practices, institutional operations and practices across various related fields. International students are considered as one of the primary revenue sources for host institutions, especially in the US, UK and Australia, as three top destinations for international students. In rhetoric, international students are often positioned as valuable members of the classrooms and broader communities in the host countries. Unfortunately, in practice, there has been a systemic hegemony that constructs international students as ‘the other’, ‘subordinator’ or ‘second class citizen’ in the host learning community and broader society. This systemic discourse marginalises international students and leads to their vulnerability in the classroom, at the workplace and in the society. How to challenge this systemic discourse and create the platform to engage with international students on academically, culturally, socially and politically equal terms is central to our effort to make international students feel valued, connected, included and productive members in the host community and thereby optimising their transnational academic and social experiences. It is therefore timely and important that Aneta Hayes explores these issues in her most welcome book, “Inclusion, Epistemic Democracy and International Students: The Teaching Excellence Framework and Education Policy”.