International competition for quality and cost-effective Economics education is rapidly increasing and the UK faces new challenges in its attempt to remain an attractive destination for international students (see for example Sastry and Bekhradnia 2007). In recent years many UK HE institutions have attempted to raise their international profile by recruiting a larger share of international students. UK Economics lecturers have varied responses to the growing number of international students in the classes with some considering this as beneficial to students' learning and others highlighting the challenges created.
The importance of motivation in academic learning is recognised by many authors (for recent examples see Maclellan 2005 and Lanzt 2007). So what is motivation and why should we consider it within the context of international students in Economics? As a working definition motivation can be considered as 'that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour'; and motivating as 'providing incentives'.
This guide was created by the Economics Network of the Higher Education Academy to provide a guidance to Economics lecturers in meeting the challenge of the increasing importance and number of international students.
