Challenges of culturally and linguistically different healthcare students in learning environments

The increased number of international students in higher education systems is recognized as beneficial not only economically but also in terms of preparation of the workforce for the global environment. It is believed that diversity in the student cohort can also be beneficial for domestic students in terms of increasing cultural awareness and achieving cultural competency goals. Culturally and linguistically diverse students (CALD) include students whose first language andor culture is not of the country they study in (1). There are 55,000 international students in Iran, of whom 26,000 have enrolled in universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, 10,000 in different branches of Islamic Azad University, 2,000 in universities affiliated to the Ministry of Health, and 17,000 in Almustafa International University (2). According to the latest data from the UNESCO, more than 82% of the international students in Iran come from Afghanistan, 8.7% Iraq, and 6% Syria, Lebanon, and Pakistan combined (3). Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education follows a plan for expanding international medical education in eligible Iranian universities of medical sciences and, hence, concentrates on mechanisms to align the universities with international standards. Although economic, political, and societal factors in both the host and home countries influence international students’ decision to select the host country, it is necessary that the authorities address their needs and problems and then take some measures to solve them in order to increase the number of foreign applicants in Iranian universities.