Abstract:
This poster refocuses attention within international higher education on the specific needs of Third Culture Kids, students who have lived highly internationalised lives but often struggle with belonging and identity. While these students are commonly viewed as globally advantaged, many face emotional dislocation, cultural loss, and difficulty expressing their complex experiences.

Short-term programmes and summer schools are often designed for students encountering international contexts for the first time. As a result, they tend to offer logistical and cross-cultural support that may overlook the deeper emotional and developmental needs of students already shaped by global mobility. These programmes can unintentionally reinforce feelings of detachment rather than provide space for reflection and growth.

This poster draws on student voices and practitioner experience to explore how universities can better support Third Culture Kids. It suggests that short-term international education can be reimagined as a space where identity, belonging, and voice are affirmed. By recognising the layered realities of these students, educators can move toward more inclusive, meaningful, and human-centered approaches to global learning.

Learning objectives:
– To raise awareness of the unique identity and belonging challenges faced by Third Culture Kids in short-term international education settings
– To critically examine common assumptions about globally mobile students and the impact of these assumptions on programme design and student support
– To explore ways in which summer schools and short-term programmes can become more inclusive, reflective spaces for Third Culture Kids
– To highlight practical strategies that educators and institutions can adopt to acknowledge and support the emotional and developmental needs of these students
– To encourage dialogue around holistic, student-centred approaches that move beyond logistical support toward
meaningful global learning experiences

Target audience:
This poster will benefit educators, programme coordinators, and student support staff involved in international higher education, especially those working with short-term and summer programmes. It is also relevant for professionals interested in cross-cultural education, global mobility, and student wellbeing.