ISANA

Jirayu Chotimongkol and Deborah Jones

Abstract : Student clubs available at the universities are an obvious site for students, especially Asian international students
to learn and develop leadership skills through real life experience. However, it is still uncertain how Asian
international students learn and develop the skills through participating in the clubs.
This paper describes a qualitative study which explored a perception of Asian international students on club
participation and how leadership ability was developed. The study also explored relationship between national
and leadership development experience Data was collected through sixteen interviews, observation, and
documentation to create two case studies, the Wellington Malaysian Student Organisation (WMSO) and the
Thai Student Association (TSA).
Empirical findings showed that club participation not only help Asian students to learn and developed leadership
experience but also facilitates their social integration during their study in New Zealand. The study also found a
national background of Asian students shaped their club participation experience. To maximise benefits of club
participation activity, support and assistance from university administrators were found importance in order to
maximise their leadership development and social integration during club participation. Recommendations were
outlined.

Keywords: International students; Malaysian students; Thai students; Asian students; New Zealand; Social Integration,
Leadership Development, Cross-cultural; Qualitative research.

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