Insights into the successful integration of foreign-born faculty in Israeli academia: The empowering effect of in-group ethno-cultural similarity

Abstract

Most studies of foreign-born faculty have documented various difficulties in their careers in academic institutions. This chapter offers data regarding the successful careers of foreign-born faculty in the Israeli academic world and identifies the factors that contributed to this success. Our data are based on several measures for success of foreign-born faculty in the studied institution. A statistical analysis was performed in order to examine to what degree scoring on various excellence criteria distinguishes between foreign- and native-born faculty. The research reveals that foreign-born faculty have succeeded in reaching impressive academic achievements. Five complementary explanations for the successful integration are presented, with the most crucial being in-group ethno-cultural similarity of faculty who immigrated from the same country. We conclude by discussing managerial implications for the successful integration of foreign-born faculty in higher education institutions.

Citation

Bokek-Cohen, Y. and Davidovitch, N. (2014), "Insights into the successful integration of foreign-born faculty in Israeli academia: The empowering effect of in-group ethno-cultural similarity", Academic Mobility (International Perspectives on Higher Education Research, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 197-217. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-362820140000011017