Dr Leo Hitchcock
(IT lecturer)
Dr Leo Hitchcock was formerly a Director of Offshore Collaborative Programmes for Auckland University of Technology (AUT) (2009-2020), setting up and directing offshore degree programmes in Vietnam and China, and a senior Computer and Information Sciences lecturer teaching in New Zealand, Vietnam and China (2009-2022), as well as presenting at seminars in Indonesia and in other parts of the world. As well as a PhD, he holds a Master of Education (with Honours), and a Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Teaching. His PhD dissertation is the result of year-long research of cultural immersion study-abroad students and how, through their adaptation experiences, they adapted to living and effecting action in a different culture. Prior to 20 years at the University, Leo spent many years in industry: mainly in the ICT sector working in Information Systems development, implementation and training, and in upper management positions in industry training and development. He has been an AFS Intercultural Programmes student exchanges local chapter president and National Board member.
Currently, Leo holds Tech School teaching and Masters students supervision contracts, and positions on Advosry Committees. He is a director of Athina Academic Management Systems Ltd (https://athina.co.nz/), and Chair of the Advisory Committee and Project Auditor for ReF.team, Singapore (https://ref.team/meet-our-team/).
Academic Background
- Ph.D., Study abroad students’ adaptation to different cultural and academic environments, Auckland University of Technology, 2019
- MEd(Hons), The academic and pedagogical validity of industry certifications, Auckland University of Technology, 2006
Awards and Honors
Media Appearances
Have appeared on Vietnam television talking about the collaborative programme at Vietnam National University, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City.
Research Interests
International students’ adaptation to different cultural and academic environments
Professional Memberships
Member of AFS Intercultural Programmes, New Zealand
Enquiries
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Current Research Projects
Submission of Abstract for APAIE Conference, 2025
Description: Abstract title: Before Covid, during Covid, and now: the experiences of international students and their teachers, and what was learned from those experiences.
Status: Ongoing
Collaborators: Caroline Priyanka, Mohammad Norouzifard, Neel Pandey
Selected Publications
Published Books
- Learning to Live in a Different Culture: A Handbook. Austin Macauley Publishers. ISBN: 978-1-7884-8656-9 (Paperback), 978-1-7884-8657-6 (ePub e-book), 978-1-5289-8773-8 (Audiobook), 2022
- Industry Certification: Stakeholder Value and Pedagogical Validity. VDM Verlag. ISBN 978-3-8364-8648-4. 2008
Book Chapter
Oudshoorn, M. J., Clear, A., Carter, J., Hitchcock, L., Ittyipe, S., Pearce, J. L., & Abandoh-Sam, J. A. Exploring Challenges Faced by International Students in Computer Science Programs: Towards Understanding the Student Perspective. In Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of International Students, Michael Allison (Ed). Nova Science Publishers. 2019.
Significant Journal Papers and Conference Proceedings/Contributions
- Chen Xiaozhu, Kaskenpalo, P. & Hitchcock, L. (2019). A comparison of evaluation indicators of “Graduation Design” in Chinese and Foreign undergraduate education—taking China Jiliang University and Auckland University of Technology as an example. Higher Education Engineering Research, 1, 2019. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTotal-GDGJ201901026.htm
- Hitchcock, L. (2016). A Symbolic Interactionism/Phenomenographic model for learning Intercultural Competence. SIG9 conference, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Hitchcock, L., & Dong Hongbo. (2013). Cross-cultural competencies: A study of three distinctly different values systems. Oral presentation at the Second Forum on International Collaborative Academic Programmes (FICAP-2), China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China, October 17, 2013.
- Hitchcock, J., Hitchcock, L., & Kaskenpalo, P. (Editors). FICAP-1 (First Forum on International Collaborative Academic Programmes) Proceedings: Collaborative Academic Programs as a Contribution to Developing Nations. Proceedings of Forum held at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 8-9 August 2012. Brown-Walker Press e-book. ISBN-10:161233704X. 2013.
- Hitchcock, L., & Du’o’ng Thi Hoang Oanh. (2012). Intercultural competences useful for working in Vietnam. Workshop held at FICAP-1 – First Forum on International Collaborative Academic Programs, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 08 – 09 Aug 2012.
- Hitchcock, L., Vu Hai Quan, & Tran Cong Danh. (2010). Intercultural Competence in Practice: Reflections on establishing cross-cultural collaborative education programmes. ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) ‘Inroads’ Bulletin 1 (3): 85-93.
- Hitchcock, L. (2008). Examining Intercultural Competence. In Shi-xu (Ed.), Journal of Multicultural Discourses, 3(2), 146-150. Multilingual Matters Ltd: Clevedon, U.K.
- Hitchcock, L. (2007). Industry Certification and Academic Degrees: Complementary, or Poles Apart? Paper presented at the 2007 SIGMIS (Special Interest group, Management Information Systems) CPR (Computer Personnel Research) Conference, April 19-21, 2007, St Louis MO. Proceedings published in the ACM Digital Library.
