Risa Haridza, Andriansyah Andriansyah, Sidrah A. Rachman
This chapter reimagines engagement as relational and identity-rich, offering strategies for higher education institutions to enhance persistence, well-being, and inclusion among international students navigating challenges of faith, family, and cultural adaptation. Using narrative inquiry and an intersectional lens, it reconceptualizes engagement as a dynamic, identity-embedded process rather than a set of static behaviors. Focusing on Indonesian Muslim doctoral students in the U.S., the study reveals how participants balanced faith practices, parenting roles, gender norms, and language barriers to build meaningful academic and community connections. By centering Global South voices, the chapter advances understanding of engagement as contextual and relational, calling for culturally responsive support, inclusive pedagogy, and community-building that honor students’ holistic presence in higher education. Copyright © 2026, IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia, Indonesia; Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry, Indonesia; Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia
