Abstract

South Korean higher education institutions (HEIs) have implemented internationalization strategies to boost their domestic rankings and global reputation by, in part, recruiting foreign professors to publish in international journals, leverage their professional networks, teach in English, and attract and support international students. However, the population of foreign professors has steadily declined in recent years amid reports of challenges due to language barriers and cultural differences. This study applies a framework synthesis guided by the information domains framework to identify the information needs and behaviors of foreign professors in existing research on the experiences of foreign university professors in Korea. The findings suggest language and information barriers, cultural differences, lack of institutional support, and interrelated feelings of isolation, frustration, and helplessness impact the social, individual, and signification domains of international faculty. Recommendations for academic libraries, HIEs, and international faculty to improve inclusion and information access are discussed.