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Social capital renewal and the academic performance of international students in Australia

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  • Neri, Frank
  • Ville, Simon

Abstract

Many believe that social capital fosters the accumulation of human capital. Yet international university students arrive in their host country generally denuded of social capital and confronted by unfamiliar cultural and educational institutions. This study investigates how, and to what extent, international students renew their social networks, and whether such investments are positively associated with academic performance. We adopt a social capital framework and conduct a survey of international students at a typical Australian university in order to categorise and measure investments in social capital renewal, and test a multivariate model of academic performance that includes social capital variables, amongst others, as regressors. Our survey results reveal a high degree of variability in social capital investment across students and, amongst the more active, a tendency to build close networks in the main with students from their own country of origin. Our empirical results suggest that such investments are not associated with improved academic performance but are associated with increased well being.

Suggested Citation

  • Neri, Frank & Ville, Simon, 2008. "Social capital renewal and the academic performance of international students in Australia," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1515-1538, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:37:y:2008:i:4:p:1515-1538
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Marina Murat, 2014. "Soft, hard or smart power? International students and investments abroad," Center for Economic Research (RECent) 107, University of Modena and Reggio E., Dept. of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    2. Marina Murat, 2013. "Education ties and investments abroad. Empirical evidence from the US and UK," Department of Economics (DEMB) 0014, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    3. Rodrigo Martín-Rojas & Virginia Fernández-Pérez & Encarnación García-Sánchez, 2017. "Encouraging organizational performance through the influence of technological distinctive competencies on components of corporate entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 397-426, June.
    4. Ivanova Polina, 2020. "Civil Society Groups Involved with International Students in Japan: Typology and Social Capital Generation," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, October.
    5. repec:mod:depeco:0014 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Marina Murat, 2014. "Soft, hard or smart power? International students and investments abroad," Department of Economics 0043, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    7. Rodrigo Martín-Rojas & Virginia Fernández-Pérez & Encarnación García-Sánchez, 0. "Encouraging organizational performance through the influence of technological distinctive competencies on components of corporate entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-30.
    8. Potts, Danielle & Martensen, Malte, 2020. "Skilled migration: Bridging the conceptual gap between friendship, social capital, and employability," IU Discussion Papers - Human Resources 4/2020, IU International University of Applied Sciences.
    9. Kirsten Calleja Salerno & Ma. Teresa Tuason & Bridget Stanton & Sara Buchanan, 2024. "What Makes an International Student in the U.S. Have Less Psychological Distress?," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, September.

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