Abstract:

The internationalization of higher education has become one of the defining processes shaping European universities in the 21st century. While much attention has been paid to mobility rates, partnership agreements, and curriculum internationalization, less emphasis has been placed on the human dimension of these processes—specifically, on how internationalization affects the well-being, sense of belonging, and social integration of students. The present paper introduces the first analytical outputs of the research project Internationalization of Higher Education and the Well-being of International Students at Selected Slovak Universities. The study aims to examine how international mobility and institutional culture influence students’ subjective well-being and satisfaction with their academic experience.

The research draws on multiple data sources. The study adopts a mixed-methods design combining secondary Erasmus+ data with an institutional survey conducted at the Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia. Quantitative and qualitative findings are based on Erasmus+ Participant Report Forms and the follow-up survey focused on well-being and internationalization of higher education. The combined dataset allows for a comparison between international and domestic students in areas such as motivation for studying abroad, perceived institutional support, academic supervision, integration into local communities, and access to psychological or advisory services. Preliminary results suggest that international students typically report high personal growth, language development, and enhanced employability through mobility experiences. However, they also encounter persistent challenges in accommodation, financial support, and establishing meaningful social contacts with local peers. Domestic students, on the other hand, express a relatively strong sense of belonging but often identify deficiencies in communication, transparency, and opportunities for informal community engagement within the faculty.

The comparison highlights overlapping determinants of student well-being, including respectful communication, accessible information channels, active teacher engagement, and the availability of psychological and mentoring support. These findings demonstrate that initiatives aimed at improving the experience of international students can also contribute to better inclusion and well-being for the entire academic community. The paper concludes that a truly internationalized university must not only facilitate mobility but also cultivate an empathetic, participatory, and student-centered environment that supports all learners in their academic and personal development. Such an approach represents both a challenge and an opportunity for Slovak higher education institutions seeking to strengthen their role in the European Higher Education Area.

Acknowledgement:
This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the Contract no. APVV-24-0408.

Keywords:

Internationalization, higher education, Erasmus+, student well-being, inclusion, Slovakia, academic culture, student experience.