The Unnoticed Semiotics: Exploring the Role of Notice Boards in Fostering Sense of Belonging Among International Students

Universities are the contested sites where pedagogical practices and diversity norms do not merely determine knowledge production; however, heterogeneous ethnic constellations significantly reconfigure the socio-spatial landscape of the campus. The growing presence of international students, particularly Asian and South Asian students, in European universities can be seen in the mobility framework. However, such student groups struggle to navigate the everyday social spaces of university campuses. Often, the mobility of international students has been subjected to the study of how they are accommodated among diverse ethnic groups and collectives in university spaces based on diversity norms, curriculum, and support systems. However, inadequate attention has been paid to studying the everyday experiences of international students. Based on the secondary literature and in-depth interviews with international students at Bielefeld University, this study attempts to explore the role of notice boards in fostering a sense of belonging among international students. Taking notice boards as a semiotics of inclusion-exclusion, I argue that German universities, where the majority of administrative processes, newsletters, socio-cultural activities, academic events, and job opportunities have been advertised on notice boards primarily in the German language, reasonably affect the everyday sense of belonging among international students.