The experience of culturally diverse faculty in academic environments: A multi-country scoping review

Abstract

Evidence supports that the way people work together influences how they perceive the working environment and retention. With increasing migration among health professionals, it is important to better understand the experiences of multi-national faculty in higher education. This scoping review aims to provide a global perspective on the experiences of faculty from diverse cultural backgrounds and explore strategies that promote faculty diversity and contribute to the organizational culture of academic workplaces. CINHAL, PUBMED, and PsycInfo were searched for original studies that examined perspectives of diverse faculty across the world. Seventeen eligible studies were reviewed using PRISMA guidelines. Three themes were extracted: Descriptions of cultural diversity among faculty in the academic workplace, Factors that increase retention among faculty from diverse cultural backgrounds, and Strategies for building an academic culture that values faculty diversity. Faculty reported difficult experiences that limit recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, thus contribute to the lack of faculty diversity and faculty shortages. Expatriate faculty have similar experiences in feeling a lack of support in promoting their professional growth. Still, diversity can also be a positive organizational factor when the commitment of school leaders creates a harmonious work culture for all faculty that fosters and values diversity.

Keywords: Diversity; Expatriates; Faculty; Global nursing; Scoping review.