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Since the early 2000s, reports of increased rates of mental ill health among young people worldwide have received much attention. Several studies indicate a greater incidence of mental health problems among tertiary students, compared with the general population, and higher levels of anxiety, in particular, among international students compared with domestic students. Australia is host to many thousands of international students of an age when mental illnesses are most likely to surface. However, this issue has received little attention from Australian researchers. This article reports on in-depth interviews with 16 professionals working with international students at an internationalized university.

The security of international students in regional higher education spaces in Australia has been overlooked. Contingency theory provides the framework for this case study to explore the organisational structure and support services relevant to a regional higher education space and how this impacts the security of international students. In-depth qualitative interviews with staff and students offer insights into the small-scale organisation of a regional campus, international students' cultural adjustment and the type and level of support available to facilitate student security in this space. This study challenges ideas that suggest international students are best served by large urban university spaces of education with top-down mechanistic administration. It is argued that the organic structure of a regional university education space is conducive to providing a high level of security for international students.

"International student security" refers to the international student's maintenance of a stable capacity for self-determining human agency. The article focuses on the role of English-language proficiency in the security of students from English as Foreign Language countries, drawing on evidence from a program of semistructured interviews with 200 international students. The interviews show that language proficiency is a pervasive factor in the human security of the international students in all domains inside and outside the classroom. There is a strong link between language proficiency and the capacity for active human agency. Both findings confirm prior research literature. The article concludes with implications for practice and for further research. (Contains 1 table.)

Security is an integral component of the relationships that shape the lives of students hosted by foreign countries. International student security became a source of contention between nations in 2008 when China's Government charged that Australia was failing to adequately provide for the safety of Chinese students. We discuss Beck's theorisation of the "risk society" and Clements' notion of balancing risk with opportunity. We draw on interviews undertaken in Beijing to highlight the importance of student security and the need for hosts to accord attention to the views of parents as well as students. Our findings reveal that parents play a major role in the study-location decision, tend to accord security greater weight than do students when location is being debated within the family, utilise a range of strategies to keep students secure and believe host governments and institutions have primary responsibility for student well-being.

The notion of "security" is an elusive concept that attracts varying interpretations. In this article, the authors adopt a definition that views security as a broadly applicable term that encompasses physical, social, and economic dimensions that relate to human rights, cultural difference, and relocation. The approach embraces the complexities of the security needs of international students in the context of a competitive and volatile education market. As Australia's largest international education provider, Monash University is an ideal setting within which to explore the security issues that arise for international students. Fifty-five interviewees including student representatives, frontline staff, and senior management share their experiences of working closely with Monash international students. The data is used to show that there are complex cultural differences in the notion of "security" and that being in an unfamiliar culture affects students' sense and level of security. Understanding these influences usefully translates into reflections on how well and by whom students' security needs are met.