Perceptual differences between expatriate faculty and senior managers regarding acculturation at a Korean university

This research compares the perceptions of expatriate academics and senior managers at a Korean university vis-a-vis the acculturation experience of expatriate academics there. Analyses, based on interview data, depict expatriate faculty who are trying to integrate, but who feel uninformed and pessimistic about trust building and opaque promotion processes. Departments are concerned with maintaining the status quo. Management is cogent of several problems voiced by expatriate faculty, particularly issues revolving around language, but there is evidence of perceptual differentiation concerning several other facets related to expatriate faculty acculturation. A patchwork of support infrastructures leading to varying degrees of expatriate faculty inclusion and marginalization results. Recommendations forwarded include targeted hiring of high-potential early and mid-career expatriate faculty going forward; the hiring of one bi-lingual assistant in each college dedicated to expatriate faculty support; improved transparency of promotion and tenure review documentation and procedures; and the resolution of the Korean language dilemma.