Abstract:

The research paper investigates visiting students’ perception of course experience at their home institution – the University of St. Gallen – and their host institution – Harvard College, compared to their peers at the home and host institution respectively. First, individuals were surveyed to state their priorities of different factors of course experience. The analysis of the differences in responses between groups gives strong evidence that students’ priorities for the evaluation of course experience differ conditional on institutional exposure. Also, the analysis suggests an acculturation process of exchange students, in which they adapt their priorities according to which they evaluate experiences to the ones of their host peers. Second, individuals were surveyed to state their evaluation of course experience at both institutions. The analysis of the different responses between groups suggests that visiting students’ perceptions of course experience is conditional on their exposure to both institutional environments. This gives evidence that exchange students – who were exposed to two institutional environments – are in a unique position to compare institutions, experience quality in a relative and comparative manner, and ultimately adapt their perceptions of their home and host institutions respectively. With respect to both parts of the analysis, the data suggests that the processes of acculturation and relative perception do not follow simple logics but are dependent on the individual experience made with respect to different factors of course experience in different institutional contexts.