Manuscript received June 2, 2026; accepted September 16, 2026; published October 16, 2026.

Abstract—This paper examines the pedagogical challenges inherent in teaching value-based disciplines such as social work and community services to international students in western higher education contexts. Drawing on established adult learning theories and socio-religio-cultural analysis, it argues that educators must develop a cosmopolitan pedagogical framework that accounts for the complex interplay of eastern and western cultural values. The paper identifies the specific ambiguities that students from developing countries may encounter when navigating western professional ethics, and proposes that transformational, experiential, and social learning theories offer effective frameworks for addressing these challenges. Broader contextual factors, including family expectations, financial pressures, and personal characteristics, are also considered. The discussion, while centered on social work and community services, holds relevance for educators across human service disciplines more broadly.
 
Keywords—cosmopolitan pedagogy, international students, adult learning, transformational learning, social work education, intercultural competence

Cite: Kathy Mendis, "Cosmopolitan Pedagogy: Teaching Higher Education to International Students," International Journal of Learning and Teaching, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 319-322, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).