Acculturation Strategies and Perceptions of Academic Success Among Sri Lankan International Higher Education Students in New Zealand

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63608/ssj.3957

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of acculturation strategies on the perceived academic success of Sri Lankan students enrolled in higher education study programs in New Zealand. Employing Berry’s acculturation model, the study examined the following strategies: integration, marginalisation, assimilation and separation to understand their impact on perceived academic success. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey approach was used, and the analysis revealed that engaging with both Sri Lankan and New Zealand academic cultures or adopting integration strategy was most frequently used and resulted in the highest levels of perceived academic success. While adoption of the marginalisation strategy was extremely rare in the sample, all strategies other than integration were found to result in a lower level of perceived academic success. The study highlights the importance of institutional support, such as culturally inclusive programs, mentoring, and counselling services in promoting successful integration.

 

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Author Biographies

Zarqa Shaheen, ICL Graduate Business School Auckland

Zarqa Shaheen holds dual PhDs in Media, Film and Television and Communication Studies. An internationally recognized scholar, she has presented her research in 23 countries across five continents and has published extensively in leading international journals. She has contributed to books published by Nordicom and Projectverlag, served as Editor of the ICL Journal (New Zealand), and currently serves on editorial boards and as a reviewer for international journals. She previously served as Vice Chair of the Digital Divide Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR). Her research focuses on media and communication, social media, ICTs, education, gender, tourism, climate change, and disaster risk reduction.

Kumar Laxman, ICL Graduate Business School Auckland

Dr Kumar Laxman is currently an academic and curriculum development lead at ICL Graduate Business School, Auckland, New Zealand. He graduated with a PhD in instructional design and technology from Macquarie University, Australia.  He has worked in various capacities and roles, including leadership in learning/training and development in corporate, governmental and tertiary settings globally. He has widely published his research work in reputable journals and presented at numerous international conferences. 

Priyal Nanayakkara, ICL Graduate Business School Auckland

Priyal Nanayakkara, CA ANZ, is a Chartered Accountant based in New Zealand with over a decade of experience in accounting, finance, and management reporting across New Zealand and international organisations. He currently works in finance and business support roles, specialising in financial reporting, cash flow forecasting, payroll, taxation, and business performance analysis. Priyal holds an MBA from ICL Graduate Business School, Auckland, and his research interests include international education, student success, acculturation, and organisational performance.

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Published

15-06-2026

How to Cite

Shaheen, Z., Laxman, K., & Nanayakkara, P. (2026). Acculturation Strategies and Perceptions of Academic Success Among Sri Lankan International Higher Education Students in New Zealand . Student Success. https://doi.org/10.63608/ssj.3957

Issue

Online First

Section

Online First

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Zarqa Shaheen, Kumar Laxman, Priyal Nanayakkara

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the Journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution International Licence (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.