Hyper-Visible in Branding yet Invisible in Practice

This chapter interrogates the paradoxical experiences of racialized international students (IS) in Ontario universities, emphasizing how institutions' public commitments to diversity often contrast sharply with IS's actual, conditional sense of belonging. A comparative study of two universities, using Tinto's institutional departure framework and critical race theory, reveals that academic, social, and administrative systems create both hyper-visibility and invisibility for IS. Systemic barriers, such as pedagogical disengagement, cultural isolation, policy inconsistency, and performative diversity, mask the ongoing exclusion of non-white IS. The analysis exposes the disconnect between Canada's higher education narratives and on-the-ground realities, showing how neoliberal priorities commodify IS while neglecting authentic support. Elevating IS voices, the chapter urges intersectional policy reform and a transnational equity approach to foster genuine belonging.