For years, student engagement has remained a practical part of my work in higher education. Working with students in Pakistan and, more recently, in the UAE has also made me question a basic assumption: when students participate, are they necessarily engaged?

Universities can count attendance, participation in activities, submissions, and survey responses. These indicators matter, but they mostly capture what is visible. They tell us less about whether students feel connected, intellectually involved, heard, or able to take ownership of their educational experience.

This question becomes more complicated in international and transnational higher education.

If we rely mainly on visible participation, we may unintentionally mistake one style of engagement for engagement itself.

If we rely mainly on visible........

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