Impact of Cohort Mix on Student Experiences and Educational Outcomes

The student body in higher education institutions around the world is growing and becoming more diverse. At the same time, universities face increasing pressure to provide a high-quality learning experience and student services to remain competitive in the global higher education market.

In this research digest, the term 'cohort' refers to a group of students who study together in the same course, and the term 'cohort mix' describes the socio-demographic characteristics of those students at the course level. Here, the digest considers how the mix of domestic and international students in a cohort impacts the higher-education experience.

This digest:

  • reviews the research literature on student experiences, characteristics and outcomes

  • highlights research trends and directions for future research

  • focuses on previous studies of student experience, elucidating insights into key aspects and research methods

  • points towards new approaches that can be used to incorporate cohort mix into the analysis of higher education experience.

Suggested Citation

Weerakkody, S.U. (2021), ‘Impact of cohort mix on student experience and education outcomes’, International Education Association of
Australia (IEAA). Retrieved from www.ieaa.org.au.

About the Author

S. Umesha Weerakkody (PhD) is a Research Officer in the Not-for-profit sector.

Published: May 2021