Trends in internationalisation in higher education: transnational education to student mobility, internationalising the curriculum and why crossing borders matters


Internationalisation

The globalisation of higher education is not a recent phenomenon, but it is changing. Through collaboration, co-authorship and the digitalisation of university programmes, the physical, geographical and cultural boundaries that once kept institutions distinct are being eroded. This, in turn, means education markets are converging, as THE Consultancy’s&nbsp;TNE 3.0 report states.If markets are converging and boundaries blurring, then the way a university orientates itself in that market is ever more important. As the environment becomes more competitive, differentiation is crucial.&nbsp;It follows that marketing will be an activity that more institutions across the world invest in. However, this type of marketing does not relate to the promotional or brand-related collateral produced by a dedicated team of creatives. Instead, it refers to something far broader – a philosophy that all functions of the university are anchored to, which is demand-focused and responsive to a diverse set of emerging student needs. Through this philosophy, an institution can find its unique position and distinct competitive advantage.&nbsp;When considering the prospective student as a potential consumer, the products available to that student can be overwhelming. With the consumer need now extending far beyond the attainment of a university degree, the solutions that serve that need have been similarly adaptive. In the UK, for example, a prospective student can choose between a degree or a degree apprenticeship. Across Europe, the choice may be between a more traditional and research-led course, or one that is work-based and practical.&nbsp;A traditional approach to analysing these needs may lead to market segmentation, revealing the diversity of requirements to be fulfilled. As well as the 18-year-old undergraduate with post-secondary qualifications, which varies worldwide, segments now include: part-time degrees for students who are employed or have caring responsibilities; continuing professional development courses for the purpose of up-skilling or lifelong learning; and online distance learning, to name a few.&nbsp;Spotlight guide: University marketing and branding that attract attentionWhy you should do a staff mobility programme and how to set one upIs your university worth the investment for international students?While it may be crude to discuss higher education as a product in a marketplace to be consumed by a student, a variety of national policies permit its commodification. The Qatar National Vision 2030 commits to the growth of a “world-class educational system” that can produce a pipeline of graduates equipped with the skills to succeed in the workplace. The Spain 2050 national strategy commits to the development of a university education that teaches “the technical skills of our time”. In both examples, and in the wider story told across the globe, higher education is now indivisible from its contribution to national development and the drive towards a knowledge-based economy. Perhaps implicit in this trend is the increasing accountability placed on universities to consider the long-term impact of their activities in relation to national interests. Market orientation, therefore, has a more holistic role to play.&nbsp;Within this diverse set of market segments, a university may also consider potential markets – whether geographic or consumer focused – that indicate favourable entry opportunities. For example, decisions may be made between domestic or international markets, the delivery of domestic programmes abroad via transnational education, or even online delivery.&nbsp;The traditional marketing mix of product, price, place and promotion is more diverse than ever in higher education’s history. Place, for example, now covers both physical and virtual environments, while product is becoming increasingly indiscriminate. Similarly, the country markets considered for other forms of entry, such as research partnerships or staff mobility programmes, are widening.&nbsp;At THE’s 2024 World Academic Summit, the University of Manchester’s vice-chancellor, Duncan Ivison, proposed that&nbsp;institutions in the Global South are presenting more ripe opportunities for creative thinking and innovative problem-solving to address global challenges than many traditional anglophone universities.&nbsp;The increasing attention given to the whole student experience as a product further embeds university education in the marketplace. The educational part of this product may be mapped onto a value chain, where value-adding activities during a study period include employability support, placement opportunities and extracurricular activities. To view this through a purely economic perspective, post-graduation outcomes may represent the final value-added to the student and broader society.&nbsp;There are challenges to securing a unique competitive advantage in a crowded market. Differentiation may be sought via unique programmes, partnerships or supplementary value-adding activities. &nbsp;The question of how higher education institutions should identify and establish a market orientation is an important one. It must go beyond the elements of brand that we typically associate with marketing activity. Instead, it should be embedded in culture and practice across all departments, functions and relationships. Only when marketing is considered through this lens can universities build long-term, strategic and sustainable thinking into their activities.&nbsp;Emily Owen is a consultant at THE Consulting.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

As higher education becomes increasingly global, universities must adopt a market-orientated philosophy, balancing student needs, national priorities and competitive differentiation, writes Emily Owen

Market orientation must be an institution-wide endeavour

In an increasingly interconnected world, the internationalisation of higher education has evolved from a mere aspiration into an essential strategy for institutional growth and global relevance.&nbsp;Universities have to compete more than ever before for market share, and this means preparing students to thrive in a globalised job market, fostering cross-cultural understanding and establishing a network of partnerships that enhance their global footprint.However, achieving these objectives is not without its challenges. Drawing on my own experience and observations, I propose a framework for effective internationalisation that explores the hurdles institutions are facing and provides actionable strategies to overcome them.&nbsp;Unlock the benefits of multilingualism in higher educationEmpowering international students for global career successHow to support international students’ smooth transition to a new countryUltimately, internationalisation is not just about enhancing the profile of an institution – it’s about empowering students to become genuinely global citizens.The pillars of internationalisationA comprehensive approach to internationalisation hinges on four dimensions: policy, content, context and network.&nbsp;This framework, guided by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), offers a structured pathway for universities to better integrate international aspects into their policies, programmes and networks, as follows:1. Policy: embedding internationalisation at a strategic levelThe first step towards meaningful internationalisation is to articulate a clear, institution-wide strategy.&nbsp;Universities should embed global perspectives into their mission and vision statements, ensuring these commitments translate into actionable goals. For instance, fostering faculty and student exchanges, enhancing campus diversity and promoting international internships should be explicit strategic priorities.Practical measures include revising advisory board structures to incorporate international representation and establishing formal partnerships with accredited institutions worldwide.&nbsp;Initiatives such as Virtual Exchange and Collaborative Online International Learning platforms can foster virtual collaborations, creating opportunities for students to engage in cross-border learning without the need for travel.&nbsp;These measures enable universities to further extend their reach and impact, while reinforcing their commitment to global engagement.2. Content: infusing curricula with global perspectivesTo truly internationalise education, the curriculum must reflect the realities of a globalised world.&nbsp;Institutions can achieve this by integrating international case studies, global learning outcomes and courses co-taught by faculty from international partner universities. This approach broadens students’ academic horizons and exposes them to diverse teaching methodologies and perspectives.Language acquisition is another critical component. Introducing second-language requirements enhances students’ cross-cultural communication skills, which are increasingly valued by employers.&nbsp;In addition, embedding global issues and challenges into capstone projects encourages students to think critically and innovate solutions for worldwide concerns. These curricular enhancements prepare graduates to navigate and contribute to a complex, interconnected job market.3. Context: enriching the student experienceCreating a truly international environment requires universities to cultivate global competencies among all stakeholders.&nbsp;Visiting faculty programmes, whether short-term or long-term, can inject fresh perspectives into the classroom and enrich the learning experience. Alumni testimonies and employer-led discussions on the value of international exposure can further inspire students to seek such opportunities.Initiatives such as a Global Competency Certificate can help formalise students’ international achievements. Such certificates might require a combination of second-language coursework, credits from internationalised curricula, study-abroad experiences and capstone projects addressing global challenges.&nbsp;Recognising these accomplishments during graduation ceremonies underscores their importance and further motivates broader participation.Our Presidential Internship Program has proven transformative. This initiative invites recent international graduates to work within various university departments for a year, contributing to a vibrant and diverse campus atmosphere.&nbsp;Programmes like this, coupled with scholarships targeting international students, bolster the institution’s global reputation and enhance the campus experience for all.4. Network: building and sustaining global partnershipsA robust international network is critical for sustaining long-term internationalisation efforts. Joint degree programmes with partner universities, for instance, allow students to benefit from the resources and expertise of multiple institutions.&nbsp;Collaborations with multinational corporations for international internships provide hands-on experience in global business contexts, equipping students with practical skills and insights.To deepen academic ties, universities can also engage in collaborative research projects, co-host international conferences and participate in global consortia.&nbsp;Such partnerships serve to enhance the institution’s academic profile and expand opportunities for students and faculty to engage in meaningful international activities.Overcoming challenges to internationalisationWhile the benefits of internationalisation are clear, the journey is fraught with challenges. Resource constraints, cultural barriers and infrastructure limitations often hinder progress. However, with a proactive and strategic approach, these obstacles can be mitigated by:Investing in technology: Leveraging technology can bridge gaps caused by physical distance and financial limitations. Virtual exchange programmes and online courses co-taught by international faculty are cost-effective ways to deliver global learning experiences.Faculty development: Providing training and incentives for faculty to engage in international initiatives is crucial. Faculty members are often the driving force behind successful internationalisation efforts and their buy-in is essential.Cross-border collaborations: Partnering with institutions in emerging markets can offer mutual benefits, allowing universities to pool resources and share best practices. Such collaborations also expose students to diverse cultural and economic contexts, enriching their education.Student motivation: Cultivating an international mindset among students requires targeted efforts. Highlighting the tangible benefits of international exposure – such as improved employability and enhanced problem-solving skills – can inspire greater participation.Key benefits of internationalisation&nbsp;Internationalisation offers profound benefits for both students and institutions. It enhances student employability by equipping them with the skills and experiences demanded by a global job market.&nbsp;Exposure to diverse cultures, languages and professional environments fosters adaptability, critical thinking and cross-cultural communication – invaluable attributes in any career.For institutions, internationalisation enhances academic quality and institutional reputation. A globally engaged university attracts diverse talent across students and faculty, creating a vibrant academic community.&nbsp;Moreover, robust international partnerships open doors to collaborative research opportunities, joint ventures and funding sources, further elevating the institution’s standing.Top tips for implementing internationalisation successfullyHere are some actionable recommendations for universities looking to enhance their internationalisation efforts:Begin with a clear strategy: Develop a comprehensive internationalisation plan that aligns with your institution’s mission and goals. Ensure this strategy is backed by measurable objectives and adequate resources.Leverage technology: Embrace virtual platforms to facilitate international collaborations and learning experiences, particularly in resource-constrained settings.Engage faculty and students: Build a culture of internationalisation by involving faculty in curriculum design and motivating students using alumni testimonials and employer-led discussions.Focus on partnerships: Cultivate strategic partnerships with accredited institutions and multinational companies to expand academic and professional opportunities.Recognise achievements: Celebrate and formalise students’ international accomplishments with certificates, awards and graduation events.The pathway to global citizenshipInternationalisation is more than just a strategic imperative; it is a pathway to fostering global citizenship and creating opportunities for meaningful engagement in a complex world.&nbsp;By addressing challenges head-on and adopting innovative approaches, universities can unlock the transformative potential of internationalisation. As we prepare students for the demands of a globalised workforce, we must keep in mind the ultimate goal: not just to build global institutions, but to nurture individuals who can contribute meaningfully to a better, more interconnected future.Wafa El Garah is professor of management information systems in the&nbsp;School of Business Administration at&nbsp;Al Akhawayn University.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Unlock the potential of internationalisation in HE

Let’s smash through the barriers to effective internationalisation. Here’s a four-part framework to do so

Unlock the potential of internationalisation in higher education

International student exchanges between universities are relatively easy to set up. Yet, for these international partnerships to become strong partnerships, long-term relationships and real strategic alliances, they require research collaborations.&nbsp;The main challenge is that research collaborations depend on the will of researchers to work together and, beyond this will, on their knowledge of the partner university’s research activities. At UTC, we asked ourselves: how we can boost research collaborations with our international partner universities? The main conclusion was that we needed to connect researchers. The question was how, and the answer we propose is research speed-dating.&nbsp;The idea is to create opportunities to get to know the research at partner universities and to meet their researchers. This process consists of three main activities:online research speed-datingboth-ways mobility for matching researcher(s) to spend a week at the partner universityprovision for support funding for a master’s research internship and for PhD supervision.&nbsp;Online research speed-datingThe online research speed-dating consists of a two-hour online seminar. In the first hour, each faculty member has three minutes to present their research interests. In the second hour, separate discussion rooms are set up for each research domain for free discussion.&nbsp;Spotlight guide: Skills every early career academic needsEquitable international research collaboration is possible – find out howResource collection: How to promote your research for greater impactThe seminar starts with a small introduction to all the tools and funding sources possible for research collaboration between the two institutions and countries. Most of the time, researchers will have their own funding in place, but this introduction to potential funds available encourages researchers’ collaboration. The idea is to ensure that the request is not for them to use their funds but to connect, and the university will aid in securing funds for the first collaboration.&nbsp;Efficient preparation for this seminar is key to the success of the whole process. First, we compare the strategic research topics of both universities and set up a list of research topics of common interest. Then, one university sends an invitation to all relevant faculty to participate, and those interested provide a biography. This list is submitted to the second university, which sends it to all relevant faculty and asks who might be interested in meeting and discussing the research topics with the identified researchers from the partner university. The main idea is to have at least one researcher interested from both universities per research topic.&nbsp;Financial support for researchers to visit a partner university&nbsp;The mobility offer consists of the international office financing three faculty members’ travel for a week each. Each partner university has to offer the same number of places in return.&nbsp;Pairs of researchers are required to submit a one-page proposal of their potential research collaboration within two weeks of the online research speed-dating seminar taking place. It is in a free format focusing only on the research question of interest and the potential topic of research collaboration with arguments on the complementarity of researchers’ work. A jury from both universities studies the proposals and chooses the three most promising ones. Then, the faculty submitting the chosen proposals benefit from the one-week mobility. The researchers are required to travel within six months of their proposal being chosen.&nbsp;For example, three researchers from UTC spent one full week at the partner university, and three researchers from the partner university spent one full week at UTC each. The agenda of the visit is defined by the two professors, and can include participating in courses or giving a seminar, but is mainly focused on visiting the technological platforms, meeting the entire research teams and working on new research ideas.&nbsp;Potential funding for master’s research internship or PhD supervision&nbsp;After the visit, the three pairs of researchers are asked to submit a short report on potential collaborations and what types of funding might be necessary. From the three proposals, one is chosen to receive funding for a master’s student internship for six months and for PhD supervision within the next year. Each partner university offers half the required funds.&nbsp;It’s a match!This research speed-dating was tested between our university and an American partner university. A total of 14 researchers participated in the programme, from which we received three research collaboration proposals. After the six visits, today we are supporting the securing of funding for two research collaborations.&nbsp;Connecting researchers is the key to a long-term successful international collaboration between universities. Student exchange is a first step, but it does not lead to strong partnerships. Hence, finding ways to develop and support research collaborations is key to creating strong, long-term international partnerships. This can only be done through connecting researchers and offering funds for research collaboration development.&nbsp;Joanna Daaboul&nbsp;is director of international relations, assistant professor and coordinator of the Sunrise European universities alliance at Université de Technologie de Compiègne, France.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Researcher speed-dating to find international partners

From meeting online to forming long-term relationships, researchers’ shared projects can foster stronger international partnerships between universities

Researcher speed-dating: developing strategic collaborations with international partners 

I first entered the classroom as an international student in September 1997. It was an introductory level master’s course called “end user computing”, and that two-hour session was a very distressing experience. I&nbsp;could&nbsp;not understand most of what the professor was saying – his accent was difficult to follow, despite my having been educated in English and English being my main language of communication at home. I&nbsp;was worried that after paying international student fees, I&nbsp;was going to fail this course and all the others.I was a mature student with a family, and it was our third day in Australia. I&nbsp;was almost close to quitting, but I&nbsp;wanted to talk to the programme adviser before making a decision. The adviser counselled me to persevere and suggested how I&nbsp;could cope with this situation. It&nbsp;was, she said, a situation common to the many international students she had advised in her long career, but could be turned around with some effort. I&nbsp;did manage to turn it around.Four key hurdles international students face – and what to do about themIt’s all in the presentation: how to engage international students during lecturesWriting courses can be more enriching for international students than you thinkLet’s fast-forward to March 2020. I was applying for academic jobs, and the world around us was changing. On the day of one interview, I&nbsp;was told that it would be on Zoom. I&nbsp;would have to do an online lecture and use the Zoom feature to set up breakout rooms for in-class activities. I&nbsp;hadn’t used Zoom before and didn’t even have a Zoom account. The interview was a disaster.I have recounted these examples from my life to illustrate the experiences that have shaped my approach to teaching, especially when teaching international students online.Challenges for international students are amplified onlineMy personal experience is familiar to many international students. Over the past 25 years, I’ve interacted often with international students, and many of them have told me that their first term or semester is almost a write-off. The challenges they face are so overwhelming, they aim just to pass the courses. These include the challenges of understanding their teachers’ accents, working with multicultural groups and adjusting to different assessment structures and expectations.During the two-year period when international students had to learn online, these challenges were amplified. Students felt distracted and isolated because of the lack of a physical presence, and this curtailed their ability to establish a sense of connection with the teacher and fellow students.Strategies for creating an effective online learning environmentPractical application of both Chickering and Gamson’s seven principles of good practice in education and David H.&nbsp;Rose and Anne Meyer’s universal design for learning offers ways to address these challenges. Developing a learning philosophy, built on a critical analysis of these approaches, helps create an effective online learning environment for international students.Here are my recommendations:During the first session, collaborate with your students and develop a plan to set the boundaries for class discussionSend students personal emails outlining how they can make contact. For example, via phone, email or social media platforms, such as LinkedInProvide comprehensive formative feedback to every studentOffer students a chance to connect through a video call so they can have a one-to-one conversation. This addresses any reluctance they may feel about speaking in online classesApply a personalised mentoring approach to support the diverse range of students.As modern-day academics operating in a global environment, we teach students with different national, social and ethnic backgrounds. This situation entails a differentiated strategy in pedagogy and not the traditional approach for ongoing assessment, group collaboration, recognition of students’ diverse levels of knowledge, problem-solving and choice in reading and writing experiences. The universal design for learning framework provides a guide to designing learning experiences that are accessible and challenging for all students regardless of their background, skills or abilities. We should strive to ensure that students achieve a common level of understanding.One of the reasons I enjoy mentoring is because of the opportunity to offer one-to-one advice to students, which reduces the pressure that can come from studying in a cohort. This can be easily replicated in an online setting. Taking the time to give personalised attention can ensure that every student walks away with something of value to their academic and career pursuits.From wanting to quit as an international student and failing a Zoom interview for an academic position, my journey has progressed to a stage where my Zoom classroom sessions have been highly commended by peers. My learning journey, from an international student to an academic who is regularly invited to offer online sessions to universities across the world, is testament to the fact that we can overcome the challenges of learning online for international students.Rajeev Kamineni is academic director at Adelaide Business School, the University of Adelaide.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Create an environment international students can thrive in

For international students, navigating online learning is just another challenge among the many they’re already facing. Rajeev Kamineni offers advice based on his own learning journey

Create an online learning environment international students feel comfortable in

In the 2022-23 academic year, 763,660 international students pursued degrees in the UK, representing 26 per cent of the total student population. While these figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) highlight the multicultural nature of UK universities, they fail to capture the rich linguistic diversity brought by international students and local multilingual communities. Given the central role that languages play in both academic achievement and social integration, we need to address this oversight.&nbsp;We launched the Multilingual University project to map the range of languages spoken on campus. Led by a team of researchers, this initiative aims to celebrate the diverse linguistic landscape, promote inclusivity and support students’ linguistic identities. Here, we outline practical strategies for recognising multilingualism as an asset and embedding it into university culture.Mapping multilingualism: surveying the linguistic landscapeThe first step in recognising multilingualism is understanding the linguistic diversity in higher education. We conducted a university-wide survey, with 627 participants, including students, academic staff and professional services colleagues. The results revealed a total of 133 languages and 61 language varieties spoken by the university community, highlighting the vibrant linguistic landscape of the institution.&nbsp;For institutions interested in implementing a similar approach, we suggest:Conducting a language survey: Gather data on the languages spoken by students and staff. This can help identify common languages and language needs, which can inform support services, language classes or culturally relevant resources.Engaging schools and colleges across the institution: Share the survey findings with schools and colleges to raise awareness of the university’s linguistic diversity. Encourage them to explore how they can integrate this knowledge into their programmes, support services and student activities, ensuring that multilingualism is recognised and opportunities for language use are expanded.Practical steps for promoting multilingualismAfter collecting data, institutions can take tangible steps to recognise and support linguistic diversity. Effective strategies include:Organise events celebrating multilingualismHost language-themed events: At Westminster, we organised an event in January 2024 to present survey findings and celebrate our multilingual community. Activities included interactive sessions where participants visualised their linguistic repertoires, sharing stories about their language experiences.Incorporate cultural elements: Events can feature cultural performances or storytelling in multiple languages, fostering a deeper appreciation for different linguistic traditions.Make multilingualism visible on campusRedesign signage: The Multilingual University project is working with international students to incorporate multilingual phrases from the Being Westminster 2022-2029 Strategy into campus signage. This initiative aims to make linguistic diversity more visible and foster a sense of belonging.Use multilingual digital platforms: Websites, apps and communication tools can include language options or translations for key information, making the campus more accessible for multilingual speakers.Integrate multilingualism into learning and teaching practicesEncourage the use of students’ home languages in learning activities: For instance, students could be invited to share perspectives from texts in their native language or compare linguistic concepts across languages. This can enrich classroom discussions and support deeper understanding.Provide language resources and workshops: Universities can offer resources like translation tools, workshops on academic writing in different languages, or conversation groups to help multilingual students develop skills in both their home language and English.How embracing multilingualism improves inclusivityPromoting multilingualism goes beyond acknowledging language diversity; it actively contributes to a more inclusive university environment. While English acts as a unifying force, students who can express themselves in their primary language often feel more comfortable and connected to their peers, according to our research. This sense of belonging is crucial for student well-being and academic success.The approach outlined here can:Enhance students’ academic experiences: Incorporating linguistic diversity into teaching can make content more relatable and engaging for students from different backgrounds.Foster a stronger sense of community: Visible signs of multilingualism, such as multilingual signage and language events, signal that linguistic diversity is valued, helping students feel included.Prepare students for a globalised world: Celebrating multilingualism equips students with skills and cultural awareness that are beneficial in international contexts.The Multilingual University project highlights the benefits of celebrating linguistic diversity on campus. By taking practical steps to make multilingualism visible, supporting the use of students’ home languages and integrating linguistic diversity into teaching, universities can create more inclusive and welcoming environments. As the number of international students continues to grow, embracing multilingualism is not just a gesture of inclusivity – it is an essential step towards preparing students for a globalised future.Katherine Mansfield is a senior lecturer and Julio Gimenez is principal lecturer at the Centre of Education and Teaching Innovation at the University of Westminster.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Unlock the benefits of multilingualism in higher education 

To create inclusive campuses, we need to embrace multilingualism. Here’s how the Multilingual University project helped celebrate linguistic diversity and fostered a sense of belonging

Today’s world is interconnected, and in the education space, the pursuit of knowledge knows no borders. However, as researchers increasingly collaborate across continents, bringing together diverse minds from different cultural and academic backgrounds, the challenge of ensuring equity in these partnerships is paramount.The University of Leeds and the University of Pretoria are testament to the ability to create a mutually beneficial, collaborative research partnership – in this case, one formed around expertise in food security and climate-smart agriculture.The ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems, hosted by the University of Pretoria, and the University of Leeds Global Food and Environment Institute&nbsp;boast complementary strengths in food systems research. Since 2019, the institutions have cooperated to find socially just, climate-smart solutions to the global challenge of delivering safe and nutritious food for all.More than 58 per cent of research papers regarding current challenges associated with African climate have no African authors. To address this, the collaboration has strengthened African researchers’ capacities to conduct food systems research, translating evidence into policy solutions and interventions to support UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets. The team has also evaluated the medium- to long-term implications of food system change in southern Africa.As the partnership flourished, the two universities sought to capitalise on other areas of research collaboration. With the world’s biggest radio telescope – the Square Kilometre Array – being built in South Africa, the team spotted an opportunity to embed training of African students and postgraduates through the pioneering radio astronomy project, Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (Dara), into their partnership.Spotlight guide: THE Awards 2024 – resources the best in UK and Irish higher educationThe secret to long-term international research projects is trust and transparencyCommunity-engaged research can give a voice to marginalised peopleTo date, more than 500 students, including 30 master’s and 10 PhDs, have taken part in Dara activities.&nbsp;Leeds and Pretoria links have continued to develop, incorporating other African countries into a pan-African data science and AI hub given how essential these have become to all global challenges.Although the relationship has evolved strategically and practically, it has also faced steep challenges. One key issue relates to sustainability – in the broadest sense. We know that African vice-chancellors place significant value on data science and AI for economic growth across the African continent. The joint data science and AI hub in Leeds has identified degrees that could be made available, but we can’t afford to waive fees for these degrees, especially in the current economic climate. This means that we’re stuck in the model of only being able to provide education to those who can pay for it, even when these are disadvantaged students in the Global South. Despite this, through our partnership with Pretoria, we continue to search for ways to make changes so that higher education becomes more equitable across the board.&nbsp;So, based on the relationship with the University of Pretoria, what is the basis for a successful collaborative research partnership?Collaboration and partnership should be based as much on friendship and trust as they are on research and “business need”. With this foundation, academics and colleagues in professional services will often go the extra mile to keep partnerships on track. Staff in Leeds are driven by a belief that the partnership will develop into a blueprint for a new kind of south-north partnership that is more equitable and driven by shared values that will make a positive difference to the world – not only to our respective universities.Use your respective strengths and be open to how that manifests itself. For the University of Leeds, this meant&nbsp;calling on its International Strategy Fund – £7 million allocated over five years – which enables international collaborations and partnerships to exist while we identify the means to sustain them. The fund is geared towards&nbsp;research and teaching focused on the&nbsp;UN SDGs, so it is both meaningful and financially rewarding. Institutions in the Global South cannot match this financially but, in return, the University of Pretoria has made in-kind contributions in the form of time for researchers, postdocs and administrators to prioritise the partnership. Its Future Africa campus has also been instrumental in enabling us to bring pan-African and UK teams together for discussion and planning.Not surprisingly, funding is an issue, so institutions in the north need to be creative. While schemes such as&nbsp;the Global Challenges Research Fund&nbsp;and Newton have been cancelled, opportunities are available elsewhere, such as through Horizon Europe and the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund. Working with your advancement and major donor teams is also essential to generate those unique moments for engagement.Above all, it’s a “whole university” approach – bottom-up meets top-down – with everybody getting on board. At most universities, layers of advocacy for international partnerships are essential to their success:Academics need a supportive head of school and faculty dean to allow the time and space to persevere with joint research. For us, this ethos has enabled wider academic colleagues to step up as volunteer mentors on various schemes.Other offices involved in international and student work should seek opportunities to align their activities with your work, for example, study abroad and virtual exchanges, to forge a deeper, wider-ranging partnership.Advancement functions also have a key role to play to identify and target opportunities for philanthropic funding.Research and innovation service directors and the deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation can support by recognising the time teams need to support the research development of the partnership despite the difficult external funding landscape.&nbsp;Manuel Barcia is dean of global development at the University of Leeds.The University of Leeds was shortlisted for International Collaboration of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2024 #THEAwards. A full list of shortlisted candidates can be found here.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Lessons on building a successful international research collaboration founded on trust and respect between partners

Equitable international research collaboration is possible – find out how

As an institution, we began working with Ukraine in 2012, and a decade later our European Projects team was leading on three Erasmus-funded projects with Ukrainian partners:DESTIN: Journalism education for democracy in Ukraine – a four-year capacity-building project involving 10 Ukrainian universities, a local radio station, the Ukrainian Association of Students and Ukraine’s Ministry of Science and EducationACCELERATE: Accessible Immersive Learning for Art and Design – a two-year project involving six partners, including two Ukrainian universitiesA staff mobility project involving two universities in the Ukrainian cities of Sumy and Chernivtsi.These projects had already been affected by the pandemic, but the impact of the Russian invasion in February 2022 brought immediate, profound and heartbreaking disruption. Colleagues at our Ukrainian partner organisations were forcibly displaced, including two colleagues who had been visiting Bath at the time, who were helped to find safe passage to family elsewhere in Europe. Three partners faced immediate existential threats: Zaporizhzhia National University, Sumy State University and, most tragically, Mariupol State University. Nonetheless, all of these projects were successfully completed during the following year, demonstrating the extraordinary resilience of Ukrainian universities in the face of immense challenges.Spotlight guide: THE Awards 2024: learn from the best in UK and Irish higher educationPractical ways to develop a comprehensive university ‘sanctuary’ programmeA collective action framework to help Ukraine’s universities survive and rebuildIn the two and a half years since the Russian invasion, Bath Spa University’s European Projects team has continued to provide support and solidarity for our Ukrainian partners. Here is just some of what we have learned in that time:Managing the funding of projects with Ukrainian partnersIf your funding agreement includes a force majeure clause, be sure to invoke it as early as possible. This clause releases participants from liability if an extraordinary event occurs that is beyond their control, disrupting their work. Some funders may need persuading that it is needed.Equipment purchased for a project partner may have been destroyed, moved, repurposed to meet more pressing needs, or put into storage for safekeeping; check if this is the case and document it, as funders may expect reports to include information about use and access of equipment.Purchasing equipment locally will be more complex, slower or, at times, impossible; consult with your funder about how this might affect budgeting allocations or project outcomes.Payments to partners may take extra time or may be subject to extra due diligence checks; also, national restrictions may limit what incoming funds can be used for. For example, staff costs might be permissible, but other types of spending may not be allowed. Work closely with your own finance departments to find solutions to these challenges such as making multiple attempts, using different banks and ring-fencing grant money locally so that it can be paid at a later date.Working with Ukrainian partnersExpressions of solidarity may feel ineffectual given the realities of war on the ground, but they really do mean a lot for partners. Bath Spa University issued a statement of support of Ukraine within hours of the invasion. This was very warmly received by our partners, who continue to mention our support and solidarity as a key element of our relationship.Do not make assumptions about what a partner can or cannot do. In the first weeks of the war, it was all too easy to think that Ukraine’s universities were no longer viable, but within weeks they were back teaching, researching and collaborating. Partners will often want to remain engaged in the project not only to demonstrate their resilience but also to retain a sense of “normality”. Go out of your way to enable them to feel as engaged and active as possible.Ensure that a partner’s contribution is very clear in all reporting and dissemination because this will help build their reputation as a committed and resilient partner.Maintain regular communication with partners so you are aware of changing circumstances and can work on mitigations; this might mean using alternative communication tools such as WhatsApp or Telegram.Always allow time to listen to your partner as they explain their situation and what is happening in the conflict.Make online meetings longer to accommodate the partner’s need to share updates while still contributing to the project’s aims within the meeting.Be aware that power outages and disruptions resulting from attacks will affect the speed of response from partners. Build in longer lead times ahead of important deadlines.Be aware, too, that some communication with the partner will be done on a mobile phone with limited network coverage and bandwidth, and they might not be able to open large files or deal easily with complex documents.In multi-partner projects, speak directly to non-affected partners so that they are aware of the situation on the ground and that they may be asked to take on extra work to meet the project outcomes.You will often feel guilt-stricken when asking for standard reports or official documentation, but the chances are that the partner will want to complete this paperwork as fully and properly as they can to affirm their contribution to the project.Finally, it is important that you and your team also exercise self-care: working with partners during a war will take an emotional toll on you and your colleagues, especially as your life continues as normal.Ian Gadd is a professor of English literature and research lead for the School of Writing, Publishing and Humanities at Bath Spa University. He is also academic director of Global Academy of Liberal Arts.Rachael McDonald is post award and international grants manager in the research support office at Bath Spa University.Bath Spa University was shortlisted for International Collaboration of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2024 #THEAwards. A full list of shortlisted candidates can be found here.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Lessons on supporting universities in conflict zones, drawn from working with Ukrainian institutions after the Russian invasion

Support for universities during a time of war: working with Ukrainian partners

Transnational education, which enables students to complete their studies at an overseas institution while remaining in their home country, has experienced rapid growth since the 2000s. China continues to be the most sought-after market for transnational initiatives, despite significant differences in regulatory, cultural, and educational systems.Establishing and running a successful programme in China is often more challenging than anticipated, reports indicate. To provide a clear understanding of this landscape, we draw on our experiences as a US institution operating a doctor of business administration programme&nbsp;in the Chinese market to highlight the challenges and key strategies for entering this market.Student motivation&nbsp;To understand why Chinese students are attracted to transnational programmes, it’s important to recognise the key motivating factors they commonly mention when applying. For our doctor of business administration programme, these factors include the university's reputation, access to English-speaking faculty, an appealing curriculum design and practical teaching methodologies. Chinese students place a strong emphasis on university rankings, viewing them as a direct indicator of reputation. For our doctor of business administration students, the presence of distinguished alumni further influences their perception of a university’s standing. Therefore, it’s beneficial to include the institution's rankings—both national and regional, as well as overall and specific metrics—along with notable alumni and their achievements in programme marketing materials.Resource collection: The business of online educationInnovative approaches to transnational educationUse Etherpad to improve engagement in large transnational classesFaculty engagement&nbsp;English-language instruction is a major advantage of transnational programmes and the primary reason why Chinese students choose to enrol, even with higher tuition fees compared to local alternatives. However, these programmes must address two challenges related to English instruction in advance. First, some students may struggle to follow English lessons, particularly when dealing with advanced content. Second, it can be challenging to send English-speaking faculty to China for extended periods due to their teaching and family commitments in their home countries. To tackle these issues, based on our experience, programmes could consider several strategies:&nbsp;Employ a mix of English-speaking, bilingual, and Chinese-speaking instructors, especially using bilingual and Chinese-speaking instructors for advanced coursesImplement a combination of regular online classes with English-speaking professors visiting China for short periods to conduct workshops and lecturesAssign a Chinese teaching assistant to each English instruction class to translate teaching materials in advance and facilitate class discussionsUse technology such as AI-powered instant translation in virtual classes to improve communication between faculty and students.By proactively addressing these issues, transnational programmes can better support Chinese students and enhance their educational experience, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and success.Pedagogy&nbsp;The interactive online learning environment is another significant factor that draws students to transnational education programmes. Traditional Chinese classrooms typically focus on instructor-led lectures, with students listening passively. In contrast, Western pedagogy adopts a different approach, prioritising skill and competency development through diverse methods. For example, in our doctor of business administration programme, instructors use case studies to link theory with practice, promote collaborative projects and group discussions, and encourage critical thinking and debate, resulting in a more immersive experience.&nbsp;While transitioning from passive listening to active participation can be initially intimidating for many students, we have observed that most adapt well to Western teaching methods and provide very positive feedback about the interactive nature of the courses. Business students, in particular, who have multiple years of industry experience, value the opportunity to share their practical insights and eagerly anticipate being challenged and inspired by their instructors and peers. For instructors, it is essential to create a safe environment where students feel comfortable challenging both teachers and classmates and demonstrate patience throughout the learning process.Collaborative PartnershipsThe Chinese Ministry of Education mandates that all degree-granting transnational programmes must collaborate with a Chinese partner institution. Transnational education is still a relatively new concept in China, and many students are unfamiliar and unsure about it, especially given the high tuition costs. The Chinese partner plays a vital role in educating prospective students, marketing the programme and providing the necessary infrastructure and resources to support their studies. Therefore, factors such as the reputation of the potential partner, geographic location, and available resources are key considerations when selecting partners.&nbsp;Additionally, other important factors to consider include aligned missions and values, a willingness to understand different educational systems and strong supportive leadership from both parties. Furthermore, we recommend that transnational universities retain ultimate control over academic components of their programme to safeguard their reputation while also being open to making necessary localised adjustments for sustainable growth.&nbsp; Ultimately, successful transnational education in China requires a mutual commitment from both parties at all levels.&nbsp;Future outlook&nbsp;Chinese students are continually seeking international education experiences. The increasing unemployment and economic downturn after COVID are likely to drive demand for locally offered international courses and degrees. Transnational education programmes must understand their target audience and their needs, providing high-quality education to meet them. This understanding is essential for both existing transnational education providers and new entrants to ensure sustainable growth.Zhen Zhang is a professor of management at the University of La Verne, California.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Transnational education in China: keys to success

When branching out to the Chinese market, it is important to understand student motivation, hire the right staff and form collaborative partnerships, as Zhen Zhang explains

Transnational education in China: challenges and keys to success

Motivating team members and satisfying all concerned parties are among the most difficult challenges for a manager of a university administrative office to overcome. On top of that, an administrative office in a university is often neglected as it is not directly related to either academics or research. Often, these offices have repetitive, boring administrative tasks to complete.&nbsp;When I started managing the team, my main concern was how to motivate them and give meaning to their jobs. Drawing on my background in industrial engineering and researching customised products, I tried to put in place a people-driven approach. My research, after all, looks at changing the focus of production systems from process to customer or involved parties.Identify what your team needs and what they doAt first, we needed to re-identify our mission and reframe what we do not as supporting international mobility and international partnerships development administratively at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), but as helping students, staff and faculty live their best international experience to promote intercultural understanding, inclusivity, diversity and open-mindedness. In the end, our job is to help people be happy while facilitating and supporting international activities.&nbsp;Resource collection: how to create welcoming classrooms for international studentsHow can faculty facilitate short-term international student mobility programmes?THE podcast: cross-cultural communication in the international classroomNext, we needed to identify those people: in our case, they included the international office team, the students, UTC faculty and staff, and partner universities.&nbsp;Then we had to find out what each person needed. We might think we know what people want, but often we are mistaken. We started with the international team, with individual meetings to identify what each person likes to do, what their talents are in general, how they want to evolve in their career, what gives them joy and what they hate in their job.&nbsp;Second, we worked with the students via surveys, focus groups and student projects to ask how they choose a destination, what information they need, how the international mobility administrative process can be improved, how our communication is perceived and what makes a good international experience.&nbsp;After that, we went to the faculty to find out what helps them create an international activity, what they need from administration support and how they perceive our work.&nbsp;Finally, we identified gaps between what we do and what is needed to make everybody happy. With lean management approaches, we identified improvement projects and action plans. Each project has a coordinator, who is part of the international team.&nbsp;How did consultation improve the team’s experience of their workThe director assistant, who is active in sustainable development, reshaped our communication, proposed sustainable gifts and actions for improving the office’s environmental impact and worked on new intercultural events at our university.&nbsp;The incoming mobility team – where one member loves decorating and interior design and the other human contact – reworked their process. They improved the information shared by working with international students and including their points of view. They added figures, more videos, more links to interesting websites and information about visiting France and living the best French experience, which was completely omitted before. They created an onboarding guide, suggested a welcome gift, included exchange students in the UTC new students’ integration week and organised a big event every semester (such as the Christmas and Chinese New Year parties).The outgoing team stopped sending long emails and started working on videos. They also started using social media to communicate with the students. They worked with student focus groups to recreate dedicated pages for double degrees, scholarships and international destinations. These were highly appreciated not only by students, but also by faculty members and the head of academic programmes.The office proposed brief, fast, easy-to-read descriptions and guidelines for the faculty on international academic projects. The guideline links what a faculty would want to do, which calls they should agree to and how to do it. Also, to satisfy the request for a brief overview of what is happening, three pages of international news are sent quarterly to showcase successful projects and all that is going on in international relations at our university, with a page dedicated to upcoming international project calls.&nbsp;More Erasmus+ or international academic projects were submitted by UTC faculty with a higher success rate.All this led to happier, more satisfied people. Two years’ work resulted in:More satisfied students, whether incoming or outgoing exchange students, giving recognition to the international teamMore automation in the international administrative processes, freeing up time to do new thingsA happier team, with people doing much more than performing repetitive administrative tasks; they see the results for the students and are touched by their feedbackHigher overall international office performance: more partners, increased mobility, more double degrees, more international projects and more international workshops.Problems faced within the processWhen we ask people what they need to be happy, we somehow commit to providing it, but sometimes it is not possible or takes a long time. How we explain that is important. Feedback is highly important for what has been done, what we decide not to pursue and why and finally how we learn from failures.&nbsp;Dealing with opposite opinions while keeping a happy, safe environment for sharing one’s thoughts, the process for choosing a proposed idea – and explaining the choice – appeared to be the most difficult challenges to overcome. We are still working on it.&nbsp;Finally, sometimes people do not know what makes them happy; hence, we need tools to help them express their needs, requirements and desires. Co-design workshops seem to be a promising idea, but we still need to work on this challenge.&nbsp;Joanna Daaboul is the director of international relations and an assistant professor at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne, France.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Why university administrative tasks should be people-driven

Improving processes can start with an objective to help team members be happy in their jobs while supporting their office’s activities. These steps focus on staff, faculty and students rather than systems

Taking an administrative office performance from process-focused to people-driven

It’s no secret that universities are facing financial pressures. The prospect of some going out of business is a serious concern and could have potential economic and cultural ramifications for their surrounding regions.The debate about retaining international students, especially the “best and brightest”, and the impact of visa changes on migration figures remains heated. International students bring notable benefits. According to Wonkhe, around 79 per cent on the graduate route nationally have paid tax. Sixty-eight per cent are estimated to have worked for at least one month in the year after obtaining their graduate visas, although many are in lower-paid or non-skilled work. Universities UK reports positive outcomes for international students:69 per cent of respondents say they progress more quickly in their careers than peers educated elsewhere82 per cent of graduates say their degrees were worth the investment83 per cent of respondents say their degrees helped them get their jobs.Supporting international student employabilityUniversities must invest the appropriate resources into ensuring international students feel welcome and are well positioned to gain valuable experience and opportunities during their studies and upon graduation. They should measure their efforts through surveys and focus groups and benchmark them against other universities. The International Student Barometer Survey is one way to capture good data and compare student satisfaction and employability perceptions. Likewise, the Graduate Outcomes Survey can gauge progress in student employability in different areas.&nbsp;Setting up international student working groups across universities is also important for gathering and analysing data and forming action plans to improve on these measures and challenges. These groups should include professional services staff, academics, managers and international students who explore key challenges and create feedback loops, and act as sources of positive operational actions. This encapsulates the idea of a whole-university approach to support that works towards a successful employability strategy.&nbsp;Resource collection: Create welcoming classrooms for international studentsHow to support international students’ smooth transition to a new countryHow to help international students prepare for university life ahead of and after their arrivalBuilding and analysing networksSince international students face challenges in finding skilled work, often ending up in lower-paid roles, institutions and organisations must offer greater support in the form of in-person and virtual events that bring together students, staff and employers. At Chester, initiatives such as interactive social media live streams for staff and students feature various internal and external guests discussing topics relevant to international students. We decided to use a tool called StreamYard, which allowed us to live stream and record to multiple social media channels. These included our international centre’s Facebook page, a YouTube channel and LinkedIn. It is important to have a clear plan for each episode and guests who are well briefed. These broadcasts can get a lot of live viewers and prospective students tend to have a lot of questions, so inviting experts on key issues such as employability and the job market is key. For example, we invited an international student influencer with a podcast and social media presence focused on employability. Lastly, ensure you have someone to look after the technology and logistics on the day.International students make up the majority of the attendees at our annual in-person social capital conference, an institutional-level event that aims to connect attendees with one another, employers and support-focused colleagues from the university. To maximise student attendance, it is critical to align in-person events with current activities, priorities and timetables. International students are balancing employment, study and various other responsibilities and are not always on campus. For example, hosting timetabled induction or enrolment events or aligning events with taught sessions is the best way to maximise attendance and engagement. Again, this requires a holistic approach across the university to understand what events are occurring and to plan effectively and prevent overlaps. Capturing event feedback data from surveys and focus groups can also help to refine and improve the experience for everyone.&nbsp;Providing placement opportunitiesThe skilled-work market is competitive, especially for international students. Universities must provide robust support and guidance to help these students secure opportunities. Embedding work placements and work-based projects into the curriculum is a key strategy, though it is sometimes underutilised for international students. For example, Chester offers additional work-based and placement opportunities, allowing international students to undertake research consultancy projects with local organisations. This not only helps students develop real-life skills and experience in the UK, but also supports regional business growth. One recent initiative involved MBA students offering research consultancy for a new social enterprise, Grosvenor Hart Homes. These projects were integrated into research methods and dissertation modules, culminating in student presentations of their findings and recommendations to the client.&nbsp;Building and managing networks of organisations willing to partner on these kinds of projects is essential. Do this by fostering relationships through events and on platforms such as LinkedIn. Encourage business development managers and other staff to get involved with in-person and virtual events and talk to organisations about the potential for placement opportunities.Employability is keyWhile visa changes are beyond universities’ direct control, they can adapt their approaches to enhance employability outcomes for international students. This ensures students are prepared to thrive both in the UK and globally, safeguarding the annual £42 billion economic contribution, as reported in the Financial Times, and the cultural richness international students bring. By maintaining our institutions’ world-class reputations and supporting students’ success, we can foster a brighter future for everyone.Alex Fenton is the associate dean of international and an associate professor for the Faculty of Science, Business &amp; Enterprise at the University of Chester. Trevor Omoruyi is the MBA director at the University of Chester Business School.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Empowering international students for global career success

Supporting our students to prosper and thrive is not only beneficial to them but also to the broader community

Awa Dembele came to the US from Mali in 2022 with intermediate English skills (her third language). Within a year, working part-time on campus to support herself, she advanced her English and was accepted into a computer science programme. I saw her soon after she got the good news. “I’m so excited and a little nervous,” she said with a signature exuberant laugh, and then mused quietly: &nbsp;“As a kid, even in my small town, we all dreamed of studying abroad.”&nbsp;Few from her hometown reached the goal; in Mali, one of the poorest countries in Africa,&nbsp;Unicef reports that only 12 per cent of girls and 23 per cent of boys complete secondary school.&nbsp;

  
      
  
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International student Awa Dembele. Photo courtesy of Georgia Tech

&nbsp;Dembele’s story vividly illustrates a pressing challenge and opportunity that universities worldwide are just beginning to recognise: the exponential rise in the number of young Africans seeking higher education or vocational training. While most global regions face an ageing population, Africa faces the opposite challenge:&nbsp;its median age is about 19. By 2050, its working-age population is expected to make up 25 per cent of the global workforce.&nbsp;As I see it, universities have two divergent options in planning for these global trends. One strategy is to recruit students from African countries through traditional channels, focusing on the short-term internationalisation goals and funds of the host university. This approach has begun;&nbsp;in 2022, the number of university students from Sub-Saharan Africa in the US increased 18 per cent.Resources on how universities can support the UN Sustainable Development GoalsTHE podcast: cross-cultural communication in the international classroomAdvice for teachers around English as a second language in higher educationA different approach is possible. What if universities and colleges worldwide met the opportunity of educating Africa’s youth with a sustainable vision? The&nbsp;United Nations Sustainable Development Goals&nbsp;(referenced by many universities in their strategic plans) delineate the term sustainability into 17 goals that will result in net positive educational, economic and environmental outcomes for developing countries. In this vision, international education is a global partnership that addresses the real risks for the sending countries, namely the Global South-to-North brain drain, while still meeting the receiving universities’ goals.&nbsp;This sustainable vision could include the following practical strategies and resources. They are based on my experience teaching and organising campus support for international students on two US campuses, writing about sustainability, and working with women and youth in Malawi.Expand global access to higher education – especially for African women&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Effectively contributing to education in Africa demands expanding access beyond the privileged few. Although educational attainment gains across the continent have been dramatic in recent decades, in 2021 only one in two children aged 14 and above attended either upper secondary school or higher education, according to Unicef figures. Moreover, education access for women has stalled.&nbsp;In 2020, gender parity in higher education across Africa was 7.6 (compared with 1.1 worldwide), as reported in the World Bank’s Gender Data Portal.&nbsp;Forward-looking institutions have modelled effective ways to expand access to university and vocational education in Africa in several ways.One proven method is improving information flow through mass media. Well-targeted media campaigns are critical in marginalised rural and urban areas seldom reached by face-to-face resources.&nbsp;Institutions must also seek and develop scholarship sources for women. There are African organisations that curate lists, such as&nbsp;Advance Africa. Many emerging funds also target women, such as the US Department of State’s African Women's Entrepreneurship Program&nbsp;and Zawadi Africa education fund.Expand appreciation of African cultures on campus&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While Western media is beginning to move&nbsp;beyond the single story about Africa, more profound knowledge about the continent’s 54 countries should be a priority for international educators. An innovative, university-based method with proven success in reducing bias and stimulating intercultural exchange is structured storytelling. These examples are a good place to start.Storytelling pedagogy is a well-documented classroom method for intercultural communication. I have observed how the&nbsp;“I am from” activity can enhance trust and knowledge across cultures in just an hour or two of shared reflection.&nbsp;Structured but informal round-table discussions led by trained student facilitators. One university offered these as a monthly multicultural coffee hour, with tables organised by language.&nbsp;Expanded promotion of local resources. Many colleges have staff and students of African heritage, and faculty with specialised knowledge but, as with other resources, they tend to get siloed.Seek partnerships with African universities and other institutionsLast, a sustainable vision for African higher education demands an alternative to expanding the Global South to North stream of youth seeking opportunities. Instead, a two-way pipeline is possible through long-term relationships and educational exchange. The following is an initial list of university resources for exploring these options.The Hali Access Network is a coalition of&nbsp;non-profit organisations and schools that support high-achieving, low-income African students and help recruit universities to connect with students.African faculty development and exchanges:&nbsp;the Schlumberger Foundation provides training and networking for female faculty in STEM fields in developing countries.Expanding access to online training in Africa: to meet the exponential expansion of the youth population, African countries seek to expand affordable, scalable training that meets local employment demand. Foreign universities have begun to partner to meet this demand.As I have witnessed among many international students, Awa Dembele’s ambition is matched by a deep desire to help her community. “The basic value I learned growing up was helping others whenever you see a need,” she reflected. She already dreams of applying her computer science skills to help bridge Mali’s digital and educational divides. Universities should imitate her values in their strategies to partner sustainably with African countries to meet their rising educational demands.Melissa Aberle-Grasse is a senior lecturer in the Georgia Tech Language Institute at Georgia Institute of Technology.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Welcoming the next generation of African students

Young women and men from African countries will soon comprise the most significant group of globally mobile students. What if universities met them with a sustainable, positive vision for their communities and the host institutions? Here are practical strategies and resources

A sustainable strategy for educating the next generation of African youth

Podcast: cross-cultural communication in the classroom

Whether it’s teaching creative writing and media in a multilingual course or providing future doctors with clinical communication skills, two experts share tips for connecting with students and bridging language and culture divides

THE podcast: cross-cultural communication in the international classroom

More than 16,000 new schoolteachers graduate from Australian universities every year. Each of them must meet a range of professional standards, including knowing how to teach students from “diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds”. This is important considering that 38&nbsp;per cent of Australia’s school students come from language backgrounds other than English. Naturally, new teachers are enthusiastically urged to “embrace” children’s diverse languages and cultures in the classroom. In reality, however, few new teachers graduate knowing how to do this in practice.Developing culturally and linguistically competent student teachers should be something Australian universities are very good at. After all, almost a quarter of our students come from overseas. Yet, standard Australian English-only norms and practices remain the status quo on our campuses, according to research from Curtin University. Multilingual students’ language abilities are, at best, ignored and, at worst, openly discouraged, meaning they are vulnerable to academic and social discrimination. Many students go as far as to actively hide their multilingual abilities, so they can blend in with the monolingual English mindset.The potential of translanguagingTranslanguaging offers a powerful way to teach student teachers about cultural and linguistic diversity. It represents a total shift in the way we understand, use and teach language. A teacher who uses translanguaging creates a learning environment that celebrates and includes multiple languages, even when English remains the main language of teaching. It benefits both multilingual and monolingual student teachers. Multilingual students get language support and feel more included in the classroom, while monolingual English students get to learn more about different cultures and languages, and the challenges of learning through English when it is not your first language.Resource collection: English as a second language in higher educationWriting courses can be more enriching for international students than you thinkBreaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking studentsThis approach does not come without its challenges. Both monolingual and multilingual students and lecturers have to confront deep-seated beliefs about English as the dominant language. And then there is the pragmatic hurdle: just how does one do translanguaging at university?What does translanguaging look like in university classrooms?One practical translanguaging strategy is to run multilingual group discussions in tutorials. Students who can discuss new knowledge and ideas in their first language (L1) will be able to reason and argue more confidently, without having to struggle with language barriers. Using what they already know in their L1 will help them to understand new theories and concepts more easily.But what if lecturers aren’t fluent in students’ first languages? They don’t need to be. They simply need to adopt a translanguaging stance, by making space for students’ multilingualism and ways of understanding and embracing and valuing all the languages they speak. This creates a classroom environment in which students can access the languages in which they think most logically and effectively.Another approach is to provide textbooks, journal articles and multimedia resources in students’ first languages as well as in English. This will help them to grasp and consolidate new knowledge in their L1 before having to write about it in English. In this way, they build their language skills at the same as improving their academic performance. Reading and studying materials in multiple languages can also help to improve students’ critical thinking as they compare how knowledge is developed and expressed in various cultures. For example, how are Aboriginal ways of knowing in mathematics different from Western understandings? Why is English writing often direct, linear and structured when Chinese writing is more poetic and metaphorical? Considering these types of questions helps students to develop intercultural competence, a vital 21st-century skill.Finally, and perhaps most controversially, universities can use translanguaging as a tool for assessment and evaluation. This could mean providing exam or essay instructions in multiple languages or allowing students to answer sections of an assessment in a language in which they can best demonstrate their understanding. In the same way, students could be offered a choice of assessment modes, such as multimedia or oral presentations, rather than only written work. Multilingual university assessment practices are already used in countries such as Belgium, South Africa and Canada.Re-evaluating standard Australian practices and normsWhether or not Australian universities choose to use translanguaging, it is clear that they need to at least re-evaluate their English-only practices if they want to develop culturally responsive teachers. Our students bring rich cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge to our campuses, yet these are rarely tapped by university lecturers. Their over-reliance on standard Australian English practices and norms prevents all our students from benefiting from genuine intercultural exchange and learning.One of the world’s wicked problems is inequality in education. Australian universities, with their increasingly multicultural student populations, are well poised to address this problem, provided they don’t underestimate the role of language in both promoting and preventing access to education. Translanguaging offers a concrete solution towards welcoming, supporting and nurturing the diverse cultures and languages of our students.Sue Ollerhead is a senior lecturer in language and literacy education, and the programme director for secondary education (undergraduate) in the School of Education at Macquarie University, Australia. She is co-editor of peer-reviewed publication TESOL in Context.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Multilingualism needs more support than lip service

How can we train Australian schoolteachers in cultural and linguistic diversity if our universities are English-only zones? Embed translanguaging practices in our courses, writes Sue Ollerhead

Australian universities need to do more than pay lip service to multilingualism

We spend lots of time crafting our presentations for lectures and seminars, but what may be intellectually and aesthetically pleasing to us may create barriers to learning for international students, many of whom are learning in their second or even third language. And that is further complicated by the lecturer’s idiosyncrasies and a potentially perplexing PowerPoint presentation they must simultaneously decode.&nbsp;The visual presentation is, for many of us, a crucial element of our lectures, forming the basis of the spoken dimension of the lecture, summarising key points and allowing us to present tables and diagrams to support the content. However, we must take care not to overload our students cognitively, and in doing so completely negate our hard work. So, even before preparing lectures, I would suggest being clear about the purpose of your presentation and how it will relate to the spoken element of your lecture. Share your thinking with students – if the slides are merely an aide-mémoire for you, tell them and then they will know to give you their full attention.Here are some of the simple approaches I use to keep students engaged throughout lectures:Keep slides simple: I see so many slides that include mostly spurious and at best vaguely related images. These are often “suggested” by the presentation software or come as part of pre-formatted slide decks, the purpose being mainly to prettify the slides. They may look attractive but they can cause issues. They use up space and distract the student, requiring them to work out the relevance to decode their meaning and fathom how they fit with the content. Only include images that are directly relevant to the lecture and that you are going to discuss. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Keep slides accessible: in a previous role, I followed the guidance from the British Dyslexia Association when producing presentations, and I soon realised that these principles were helpful to my current students. Their dyslexia-friendly style guide focuses on written materials but I apply these to visual presentations. I keep slides simple, use simple language whenever possible, choose simple sans serif fonts (such as Arial, Calibri or Verdana) and I do not overcrowd my slides. Leaving spaces to reduce clutter helps all students. This makes the slides easier to read and translate. Also, bear in mind that some students will want to use their phones to provide visual translations of the slides, and so simplicity further helps them. You can also use an ivory background to slides (as opposed to white) by using the hex code #FFFF0. Another tip is to avoid text in green or red/pink; students with colour vision deficiencies find these colours difficult to read.&nbsp;Resource collection: English as a second language in higher educationEleven ways to support international students who use English as a second languageHow to support multilingual international students in the classroomProvide access to presentations: many of us share our presentations with students after lectures and seminars, but it is good practice to do so beforehand. This gives students time to read and translate slides before lectures and allows them to pay more attention to what you’re saying during the lecture, as opposed to translating and understanding the visual elements of the presentation. If you are not willing or able to do this, ensure you give students time to read your slides in lectures; take them through the content and explain any technical language or peculiarities of English.Punctuate presentations: lectures are cognitively demanding, especially when being delivered in an unfamiliar language. They require a high level of attention from students, making them a tiring experience. Where possible break up your lecture with different tasks, to give students breathing space and enhance the learning experience. Of course, the size of the group will often determine the practicality of different activities, but I find using online questioning packages, such as Vevox, allows students to engage in the lecture, gives them time to think and provides me with some simple feedback as to the success, or otherwise, of the lecture. At some point during the lecture, you could ask students to contribute to shared online spaces using Padlet, Jamboard or a shared OneNote, or you could give them a short discussion exercise. Videos can also provide a helpful break, especially if you share a link to the video and the video platform can provide a real-time translation. This way, you lower the cognitive demand.Following up: if you are using lectures as a core mode of delivery (as I do) there’s a chance that some of your students will not comprehend everything you say and that key messages will be lost. Sharing the presentation materials helps, but the slides on their own will never replace the depth of the lecture content. I have taken to producing shortened recorded presentations using Teams (I am the sole attendee of a Teams meeting and I record it). I then download the transcript and place links to both the recording and transcript on our virtual learning environment.&nbsp;Simple actions, which may seem commonsensical, can significantly improve the experience of international students. Improving accessibility will enhance engagement and attainment and show students that we care about their learning and progress.&nbsp;Mark Whalley is senior lecturer in education at the University of Chester.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to engage international students during lectures

The visual dimension of lectures and seminars can create additional challenges for international students, but simple strategies can help in creating useful presentations that support learning

It’s all in the presentation: how to engage international students during lectures

NCUK has long held a mission to bring together people from different backgrounds on university campuses through its network of university partners and pathway qualifications. The organisation’s first pathway programmes were established in 1987 by a consortium of universities, with the purpose of broadening access to higher education for international students. “We were a very early entrant into the pathway market, and we have a deep and unique perspective on the value of pathway routes,” explains NCUK CEO Stuart Smith. “Pathway education is critical in supporting the diversity of international higher education.”&nbsp;

NCUK has released a report, co-authored with management consultants Nous, titled the Power and Impact of International Pathways. The report describes pathways as a route for students who need further academic or language support, or as a bridge between local qualifications and destination countries’ education systems. For example, students might have completed 12 rather than 13 years of secondary education in some countries.&nbsp;“NCUK supports students of all abilities, empowering each student to achieve their university ambitions,” Smith says.

NCUK works with university partners to set clear and transparent entry requirements for students to join their pathway programmes, so that the content and structure of programmes give them the best chance of success once at university. Quality assurance processes ensure that qualifications awarded are robust and offer high-quality learning experiences.&nbsp;

“The quality of students entering our pathway programmes is critical to their potential to progress,” Smith adds. “We have established entry requirements from over 150 international qualifications and the content and delivery of our curricula recognises the diverse learning and teaching needs of international students. We are proud of our pathway routes, providing a bridge for international students to gain a university experience in any of the top global study destinations, and sparking the start of a journey of transformation.”&nbsp;

NCUK’s in-country pathway offering helps to accommodate more students from diverse backgrounds and educational systems into international university study. NCUK qualifications are taught at over 120 schools, colleges and universities in more than 40 countries. “This means our students can choose to study closer to home initially if they wish. This is an important part of our offer, considering the multiple political and economic factors – such as cost of living – that are currently driving changing student demand. Equity of access to international higher education is an important driver for us,” Smith explains. Pathways support universities’ diversification goals and, in 2023, NCUK placed students from 77 different nationalities with its university partners.&nbsp;

To demonstrate the value of its pathway routes, NCUK is now embarking on a project to gather and analyse data on its students’ outcomes. Ninety-five per cent of international year-one students passed their course, and 89 per cent of those who graduated from university partners in 2020/21 achieved a 2:1 or above. “We are proud of the success of our amazing NCUK students. Let’s continue to celebrate the power and impact of the role that pathway routes play in transforming lives through education,” Smith says.

Read the Power and Impact of International Pathways.

NCUK has released a new report, titled the Power and Impact of International Pathways, which outlines the benefits of pathway routes for students, universities and the economy

Pathways widen access, support diversity and empower students to succeed at university

During their higher education experience, students look forward to experiential learning that extends beyond textbooks and the classroom; they are eager to explore the world and expose themselves to different cultures. A short-term international experience can enrich their lives, push them out of their comfort zones and boost their independence. It can also change their outlook on life. How do we guide a student who comes to us looking for opportunities? As faculty, we can facilitate this in simple ways.The challenges around student mobilityStudents, parents and faculty members often don’t realise the huge potential a short-term international experience can have on the development of a student because the challenges associated with student mobility cloud their judgement. The financial cost and fear of sending their children alone to a new place make the parents hesitant, while students themselves might be put off by poor foreign language competency, competitive entry-level requirements, insufficient funds, separation from social circles or a lack of confidence in venturing into an unknown place. For faculty members, it might be a lack of understanding of the possible options.Other obstacles might include mismatched application timing, limited places, regulatory concerns and policies of the host country, global political situations and difficulty in integrating mobility plans into the existing academic structure, among others. Although finance is undeniably a huge concern, there are scholarships out there. Some academic and research student mobility options offer to cover travel and living costs and provide allowances to students during their experience.Identify your students’ needsWe need to support students in finding an opportunity that helps them work towards their future goals. One of the first steps we can take when assisting is to understand what they are looking for. Are they seeking an opportunity within their specialisation or something different? Often, students opt for an employability-focused activity that they can add to their CV, and they might decide on their country of choice based on their future plans. We need to help students decide on the best options for them from the platter of available opportunities.Some of the opportunities that we can educate students about include:Observership programmes in which students can watch experts in their field at workTraining courses that provide students opportunities to build skills beyond those taught in an academic contextStudy abroad programmes at other institutionsSummer/winter school opportunitiesInternational volunteering opportunitiesCultural immersions that help students experience and appreciate diversityInternational contestsOverseas clinical placementsInternshipsVirtual courses.The opportunities we suggest need to align with the academic calendar. We can also look into the possibility of the student being able to accumulate credits from the experience. Other things to bear in mind are the language in which the experience will take place and whether taking part is within the student’s budget.Content for higher education professionals on internaionalisationWhy you should do a staff mobility programme and how to set one upHelp students make the most of studying overseas at branch campuses and beyondFind opportunities for student mobility programmesWe can look for collaborators who can help us create mobility options within our networks. They might be adjunct faculty, a research collaborator, an academic point of contact or a professor we met at a conference or on a networking platform. Opportunities could even arise through alumni working in other universities we can work with to co-create short modules for students from both universities or organise joint events such as student conferences or a research colloquium that brings together students and faculty members from different institutions.We should also follow and keep track of notifications we receive from our university’s international or research office. There might be calls for applications and fellowships that are in line with our students’ objectives.Regularly check the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) and AIESEC, both of which provide summer programmes and volunteering opportunities.Partner with other universitiesIt is important to be well-informed about the internationalisation policies of our universities and those we form collaborations with. This will help us find opportunities that align with our objectives.An existing general agreement with a partner university facilitates easier discussion around collaborative options. If no such agreement exists with a university you are considering collaborating with, have an initial discussion with your point of contact at the potential partner university on areas of collaboration and bring the proposal to your university’s international office.If your university doesn’t have an international office, you should help your department and institution as a whole develop a positive attitude towards internationalisation by encouraging student mobility initiatives. These small efforts can also have long-term impacts on collaboration between universities, visibility and global ranking.Identifying appropriate opportunities for our students means extra time and effort from us. However, going the extra mile could have huge benefits. Let us pave the way for student mobility options to help our students make the most of their university experience and build the foundations for a successful future.Sunila John is an associate professor in the department of speech and hearing and an institutional chairperson of international collaborations at Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to facilitate short-term student mobility

Let us pave the way for student mobility options to help our students make the most of their university experience and build the foundations for a successful future, writes Sunila John

How can faculty facilitate short-term international student mobility programmes?

Assuring the quality of transnational education (TNE) has become a growing issue within the university sector in the UK and abroad. The challenges include geographic, cultural and institutional differences when it comes to optimising student experience and establishing effective higher education (HE) partnerships. Seeking to embed a strong communities of practice approach to transnational education, we have developed a professional development series (PDS).Given that those working in HE are typically time-poor, we needed a simple approach to both running and participating in our programme. We decided on 12 hour-long sessions focusing on learning and teaching, qualitative and quantitative research skills, embedding employability within the curriculum and working successfully within partnership educational arrangements.Resource collection: The business of online educationInnovative approaches to transnational educationUse Etherpad to improve engagement in large transnational classesDrawing on our experiences, we share 11 steps for engaging partnership educators. These are aimed at colleagues globally working with educators on the front line of TNE partnerships.1. Establish a support team of educators at the host institutionDraw on the expertise of colleagues from your own institution who can support relevant sessions. This can be framed as a professional development opportunity; participants can use the experience to apply for senior or principal fellowship of Advance HE. Our PDS involved a team of five educators who delivered around two sessions each.2. Identify front-line educators at your partnership institutionExplain that the project involves delivering sessions and participation will build valuable skills and a community of practice.3. Identify educator needs and knowledge gapsUse a survey or email to establish what kinds of educational development provision will be useful to your front-line partnership educators. This should strike a balance between prompts (“Would a focused session on supervising dissertation students be useful?”) and more open-ended questions.4. Define the scope and focus of the educational development sessionsUse partnership colleague feedback, internal discussion and your experience to develop your session schedule. Our PDS programme covered sessions focused on education (for example, “Evaluating the quality of learning and teaching”, “Supporting learners who are struggling with their studies”), research (such as “Understanding research ethics”, “Exploring quantitative research”), graduation plans (“Embedding employability in HE curricula”) and partnership work (“Working successfully in partnerships”).5. Clarify the best times for sessions to maximise attendanceFacilitating sessions that cross geographic and time zones clearly brings challenges, so work with TNE partners to identify one or two weekdays (and times) when teachers are available to attend. Consider session regularity; our PDS sessions ran twice a month, but your sessions might work best weekly, bi-monthly or less regularly.6. Maintain a consistent branded promotional approachEnsure that promotional messaging for your programme is consistent across all elements (including pre-session activities and meeting hyperlinks) and communicates its coherence. In messages, always thank relevant educators on all sides for their time and contributions to the educational development series.7. Use CPD sessions to model effective learning and teaching practicesEducational development sessions for partnership educators can also be a chance to share best practice, develop communication channels and build communities of practice. Sessions provide an opportunity for the host institution to demonstrate key pedagogic principles of good teaching and learning that partnership educators can use in their own practice. Align each session with Advance HE’s professional standards framework, so those attending can use this as evidence of engaging in continuous professional development.8. Host session-related educational resources onlineYour platform that houses online resources should ideally be open and accessible. We used Padlet as a dedicated collaborative online platform to host session slides, session recordings, session-based activities and additional resources such as articles, and learning and teaching resources.9. Ask for session evaluations as you go alongEach of our sessions included a form to generate quantitative and qualitative feedback. Session attendees were prompted to complete these at the end of each session.10. Record, reflect and use the experience to improve the educational development programmeKeep partnership in mind when you come to validate your host institution teacher qualification, recognition and accreditation, so that it’s a strategic whole-institution approach to developing partners, too. View the educational development initiative as a step in a longer pedagogic journey. As the creator, reflect on how future educational development initiatives could work. Doing this with the PDS has led to generating ideas to “scale up”, reconfigure and build on the ambitions for our programme’s next iteration.11. Co-construct future sessions with partnership educators and learnersPart of building successful communities of practice involves a shared domain, community and practice. We have increasingly explored possibilities for co-constructing session materials and co-facilitating sessions with partnership educators.Our practical guidance here is to explore possibilities with partners far in advance of sessions and assume that time and discussion will be required to overcome potential obstacles. We also suggest that initial co-facilitated sessions focus on relatively straightforward topic areas (such as assessment feedback) so that both sides of the partnership can readily draw on recent experiences to contribute understanding and insights and learn from each other.Dom Conroy is a principal lecturer for collaborative partnerships in the School of Social Sciences and Professions, and Santanu Vasant is head of educational development and digital education, both at London Metropolitan University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

How to co-create transnational professional development

Co-creation with TNE partners allows both front-line educators and host institution opportunities for quality assurance and pathways to build communities of practice. Here, Dom Conroy and Santanu Vasant outline 11 steps to working with international partners

Crossing time zones: developing a transnational professional development series 

For international students whose first language is not English, a writing course can be among their greatest challenges. In particular, first-generation learners may need help adjusting to a new learning environment made up of various languages and ethnicities. However, the impact of a writing course can go far beyond its learning outcomes, helping students form bonds with those from other countries and enriching their&nbsp;international experience.&nbsp;Writing courses involve working with students to make their English error-free and polish their style. Teaching a writing course to a diverse group of students comes with its own challenges, especially when the class speaks and interacts in many languages as well as English. Although the presence of multiple languages and cultural contexts could be considered an impediment to learning, this diversity can actually be helpful in speeding up the process.Supporting international students in their transition to US institutionsBreaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking studentsIntroducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismHere are some strategies that can help a diverse group of students transition to university, while also meeting the learning expectations of the course.Pair upInternational student groups&nbsp;tend to divide themselves along ethnic, linguistic, gender or religious lines. Students can benefit from international exposure by mingling with their counterparts from different backgrounds. For a writing course I recently ran, I divided the class into pairs and named them writing buddies. Given the strict deadlines of the semester and limitations on the instructor as to how much personal attention can be given, this peer group worked wonderfully. But it’s important to choose the writing partners carefully – here’s how:Choose partners of similar ability based on an ungraded writing and speaking test, because&nbsp;the pressure of grades could&nbsp;hinder the process of getting to know the students better (including their academic and social background).Harness the diversity of the classroom when forming partnerships. For instance, I paired Indian boys with Zanzibari boys, Zanzibari girls with Indian girls, Zanzibari girls with Zanzibari boys. One of the immediate results of this process was that everyone started pronouncing each other’s name correctly.In some cases, the pairing might not work and the instructor should strive to find out why. For example, two students from different countries may not want to be paired up and will only work with students from the same country –&nbsp;you can discourage this line of thinking. But if both the students are introverts and find it extremely difficult to communicate with each other, alter the pairing.Adapt the syllabusStructure the course syllabus with tasks designed to be done together. Students tend to only focus on their own writing and how they can rectify their mistakes. The writing buddy experiment forces a change in this approach. In giving feedback to their partner, students can become more aware of the writing process as they’re faced with their own errors. For example, one student, while correcting the other’s excessive use of commas, became aware of his own punctuation mistakes, specifically the use of periods.Texts from diverse backgrounds can be used so that students can help each other understand cultural references.&nbsp;I chose reading materials from African and Indian contexts, allowing buddies to explain cultural peculiarities and connotations in measurement units such as&nbsp;feddan, cow dung cakes known as uppala, used as fuel&nbsp;in India, and&nbsp;food items such as&nbsp;pakori&nbsp;(fritters). Students were also able to find common ground with similar kinds of foods and eating habits through these discussions, which led to writing about food and memory. This kind of exercise helped in expanding vocabulary, writing with care, cultural sensitivity and forging bonds based on similar experiences.Change the grading patternThe weekly course material should provide discussion points, which can be themes for the partners to write on through the week. That way, the course material is woven into their writing practice and graded.Of course, there should be individual grading depending on the nature of the class but this kind of group writing exercise can be assessed throughout the semester. Factor in the amount of work put in by the partners and the quality of feedback they receive. I witnessed remarkable growth in both the supposedly weak students and the “better” ones, not only in terms of grades but in self-reflexivity.&nbsp;By the third week of my class, students began making jokes about their partners, acknowledging their strengths while admitting their own weaknesses – a welcome change for a class that had previously stuck to their own homogenous groups. Gradually they overcame their initial reluctance and started to help each other.&nbsp;This went beyond the writing course. In other classes, too, some of them sat together and helped each other with their studies. Some joined the jogging club and became running mates.&nbsp;The time frame may differ depending on the nature of the classroom, but learning together for many first-generation learners in an international university set-up can ease the transition to university. Peer group networks, besides being sites of solidarity, can be turned into valuable resources and avenues of knowledge-sharing.Umasankar Patra is&nbsp;assistant professor of English&nbsp;at IIT Madras.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Writing courses can be enriching for international students

For many international students, English writing courses are a requirement. While such courses can help them polish their definite articles, they can do so much more. Umasankar Patra suggests harnessing the diversity in your classroom

Writing courses can be more enriching for international students than you think

Universities have always been cosmopolitan places, and this is something that we need to preserve. I was an international student myself decades ago. I came over from Canada as a graduate student in the 1990s. There is nothing new about student immigration.The increase in the flow of international students is something we must embrace. Over the past few years it is certainly true in various jurisdictions, and it is not unique to the UK, that international student fees have effectively supplanted or supplemented the spending that compensated for the domestic spending constraints. In this article, I will share some of my observations and tips on increasing international student recruitment, based on my experience as a former international student, a current academic leader and an international researcher.How international students contribute to our labour market and societyA reason that is often understated or mischaracterised in the UK debate is the economic benefits and graduate outcomes of international students. The data suggests that international students do a very good job of getting into the labour market and getting well-paid jobs. And I think London has a particular role to play in that outcome. Most international students are MSC or MBA graduates. Many of them have done undergraduate degrees and then got a more specialist master’s degrees at institutions such as King’s College London or the University of Sussex. Most of them study business subjects, engineering or computer science.How to build a stronger pipeline for international student recruitmentHow bespoke collaborations can boost your international recruitmentBusiness school recruitment: disrupt to diversifyTips on recruiting more international studentsHere are some of the activities that we have found effective in enhancing international student recruitment at the University of Sussex Business School.1. Organise visits for senior faculty: we regularly visit partner institutions and potential markets to meet prospective students and alumni. We also promote our visits through social media, webinars and local media outlets. This helps us to raise our profile, showcase our expertise and build relationships with key influencers.2. Build partnerships with overseas institutions: we have established important partnerships and have long-standing research links with several reputable institutions around the world, such as Tsinghua University and Renmin University of China in Beijing, Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). These partnerships enable us to offer study visits, exchange programmes, research collaborations and other educational opportunities. They also enhance our reputation and visibility in the global market.3. Publish international students and alumni interviews and success stories: we regularly feature the stories and achievements of our international students and alumni on our website, newsletter and social media platforms. We also invite them to share their experiences and insights with prospective students through online events, blogs and podcasts. This helps showcase the diversity, quality and impact of our international community, and to inspire and attract more applicants.4. Organise summer schools and tailored programmes: we offer a range of summer schools and tailored programmes for overseas students who want to experience studying and living in the UK. These programmes cover various business, management and economics topics, including academic, cultural and social activities. They also provide an opportunity for students to network with our faculty, students and alumni and to learn more about our programmes and facilities. This summer we hosted the second bespoke summer school with SNU faculty and students with our science policy research unit.&nbsp;5. Offer scholarships for international students: we offer several scholarships and bursaries for international students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and social impact. These scholarships range from partial to full tuition fee waivers and we award them competitively. They help us to attract and support talented and deserving students from different backgrounds and regions. We host many international Chevening scholars who share their stories about studying at the business school.6. Use collaborative online international learning (COIL): our use of this pioneering interactive learning methodology enables us to interact with other international universities and professional institutions online. For example, our COIL partnership with UNAM was based on a simulation game in which international business students competed in groups of five or six as they made decisions about their respective companies. Students from UNAM joined teams as consultants to offer guidance and strategic advice. The great thing about COIL is that you can facilitate international collaboration by using platforms that students are already familiar with such as WhatsApp, Facebook or Viber.The Financial Times recently reported on the UK’s skills shortage, which is currently being addressed, at least partially, by highly qualified international students who do well in our labour market. I am in favour of international students, and encouraging them to apply to study at our institutions is even more important in today’s political climate.Steven McGuire is the dean of the University of Sussex Business School.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Six ways to boost international student recruitment 

International students bring diversity, talent and economic value to our universities and society. Here are some ways to encourage them to apply to your institution

Staff-mobility programmes greatly influenced the course of our careers and challenged us to grow personally and professionally. Shelini was first introduced to the opportunity of exploring new cultures and travelling through the staff-mobility programmes promoted at her university.&nbsp;Her passion for experiencing diverse cultures took her to China, Helsinki and the US during her PhD to attend workshops and have new teaching experiences.When she joined the University of Surrey in 2020, Shelini quickly signed up for the Erasmus+ staff-mobility scheme. Through this programme, she embarked on three transformative trips abroad: she participated in a mindfulness workshop in Romania, gaining global networking and work-life balance insights; in Sweden, she discovered student hackathons that offered students credits and prizes, inspiring her to establish a similar programme at her university; her immersion in the local culture of Trinidad and Tobago led to a collaborative online international learning (COIL) project involving students from Surrey and Trinidad. Her times abroad exemplify the personal enrichment and professional growth that staff mobility programmes can offer.Tips for mastering the Global Shared Learning ClassroomBringing international and intercultural dimensions into your programmesSocial mobility via social media: opportunities for career servicesMeanwhile, Paul used staff mobility to fortify research connections, engaging in exchanges across Brazil, Germany and the US, focusing on cancer health. The mobility experiences allowed him to build his professional network and exchange ideas in science. He was able to develop his confidence in laboratory techniques and build up his scientific portfolio.The benefits of staff-mobility programmesJust as mobility exchanges bring unique benefits to students’ learning experiences, staff mobility exchanges can open your mind to new ways of working. Including:New research collaborations: diverse collaborations spark fresh insights and growth in researchFostering cultural understanding: interactions with diverse cultures cultivate empathy, tolerance, cultural understanding and inclusivity among educatorsProfessional development: mobility programmes offer growth through seminars, workshops and courses, enhancing teaching skills and competenceSkill development: exposure to diverse teaching environments hones skills such as adaptability, intercultural communication and problem-solvingElevated teaching quality: new insights enable educators to share best practices and fresh perspectives with their departments upon return.&nbsp;How to set up a staff mobility exchange programmeWith the loss of Erasmus+ funding to the United Kingdom, it’s crucial for UK universities to explore cost-effective avenues for both in-person and online mobility exchanges. Consider starting with teacher exchanges with nearby universities or any institutions with which you have an existing partnership. Seek financial support for short academic exchanges.Before you create a teacher exchange programme, set goals and objectives. Do you aim for participants to partake in knowledge sharing? Cultural immersion? Curriculum development? Research collaboration? Or something else?Look for institutions that are aligned with your focus, academic approach and shared interests. Reach out to them and express your interest in establishing a staff mobility exchange programme, highlighting the mutual benefits of the partnership. Emphasise how it contributes to professional development, cultural understanding and educational enrichment for both parties.Hammer out the practical details, including the length of the exchange, specific activities that it will involve (such as teaching specific courses, conducting research or cultural immersion activities) or any responsibilities the staff will have (for example, attendance at department meetings, submission of progress reports or active engagement in the host institution’s academic community).Once you have agreed on the length of stay, objectives and finances of an exchange, draft terms and conditions for the partnership, with help from your international office, that include the post’s responsibilities, expectations and any financial arrangements.Ensure staff attend pre-departure orientation sessions and receive comprehensive guides. These should cover cultural sensitivity, administrative procedures, host institution requirements and practical aspects such as navigating daily life (grocery shopping), obtaining local communication (how to get a SIM card) and understanding customary gift-giving practices.If going abroad is too much of a stretch, online mobility initiatives can be incredibly impactful. Start small with a pilot study, focusing on a specific theme, and bring together educators from around the world for virtual career and professional development sessions. The Active Learning Network, for example, is currently piloting a virtual teacher exchange programme across 50 institutions globally. This initiative pairs educators from diverse backgrounds in a buddy system, fostering best practice exchange and mutual mentorship on a bi-monthly basis, without any costs.How to overcome resistance to staff mobility programmesThere are many obstacles to going abroad. Time constraints, administrative duties, workloads and childcare responsibilities can all get in the way of these enriching experiences. Some staff might be resistant, have funding concerns or face logistical hurdles.It’s crucial that programme leaders emphasise the long-term benefits of staff mobility and how it contributes to a more internationally focused teaching career. Clear communication and awareness-raising efforts within the institution are essential to address these concerns. Share past success stories and note that a mobility trip could be paired with student recruitment or research collaborations, ensuring financial justification and added value.Securing financial support for staff mobility programmesBegin by exploring institutional budget allocations within your college or school. Additionally, reach out to your international exchange office to enquire about existing funding opportunities. Seek external stakeholders who might be interested in supporting such initiatives – we recently went on a trip to India and one university we visited had institutional funds to bring in teaching staff for knowledge exchange.Craft a compelling case for your mobility, outlining the purpose of the trip, anticipated gains and how that knowledge and insight will be put into practice when you return. Share success stories and highlight the tangible benefits that staff mobility brings to the institution.The decision to go abroad is a powerful catalyst for personal and professional growth, providing a gateway to a world of knowledge, experiences and connections. By taking the leap, we can transform our teaching practices, broaden our horizons and contribute to a more globally engaged academic community. Universities can help staff to embrace these opportunities through clear planning, financial support and relevant pre-departure information.Shelini Surendran is the associate dean for the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, International at the University of Surrey.Paul Townsend is the executive dean for the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Surrey.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Why you should do a staff mobility programme

Whether you participate in an exchange or a traineeship, mobility programmes offer teachers unparalleled growth, but there are obstacles universities should help staff overcome

Why you should do a staff mobility programme and how to set one up

Technological advancements have globalised higher education. It is becoming increasingly common to collaborate with universities in online classrooms that bring together students and teachers from all over the world. In the autumn, Monterrey Institute of Technology ran 12 online international classes, and next semester, we will run 13. This enriching practice allows us to broaden students’ horizons and prepare them for a global and multicultural world. But it also brings challenges, so it is crucial to collaborate effectively with other educators when planning your courses.Factors to take into consideration when planning an international online courseFirst and foremost, clarify the theme and focus of the course with your teacher collaborator/s. Then, decide on the duration of the collaboration and identify the characteristics of your prospective students, including their ages, academic backgrounds and language proficiency.Another aspect to consider is that there may be time differences between the universities involved. In this case, you could use tools such as YouCanBookMe or Calendly to streamline the coordination process.The ratio of students from each university also plays a crucial role in an online classroom. We recommend at least one to three to ensure a meaningful experience.If you are considering involving more than two classes or universities in the collaboration, be prepared for a more complex planning and implementation process.Resource collection:&nbsp;Creating online learning communitiesResource collection: The business of online educationCreating a welcoming and inclusive online learning communityFacilitate collaboration with teachers and between studentsIt is essential to build and nurture a relationship with your teacher collaborators from the outset. Hold regular check-ins for updates, distribute responsibilities among the team to leverage diverse skills, and be flexible in your approach to promote a productive partnership.Designing collaborative activities to encourage interaction and idea exchange among students is important. They should be adaptable to different disciplines to enrich students’ knowledge and experiences. Brainstorm ideas with your teacher collaborator and establish a common repository of activities with instructions that are accessible to all universities involved. Tools such as Miro, Padlet, Wakelet and Flip work well for online collaboration.During classes, providing a welcoming environment for students is essential. This involves designing introductory activities, such as icebreaker videos using Padlet or Flip, and encouraging students to connect with their collaborative partners using Zoom, Google Meet or other meeting platforms. This cultivates mutual understanding among students, enhancing the overall learning atmosphere. You can assess the effectiveness of these activities by seeking feedback via platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams or by holding brief, follow-up meetings with students.During international collaborations, effective communication is key. To mitigate language barriers, we recommend using translation and automatic subtitle tools, such as those available in Zoom and PowerPoint. Additionally, encouraging the use of review and translation tools such as Grammarly can enhance students’ writing.Continuously look for ways to improve your international courseRecord sessions where possible. Having these recordings to look back on and see what has worked well and what hasn’t will help you improve your course. Hold weekly meetings to keep students engaged and give them a chance to ask any questions or raise concerns.After the collaboration ends, we suggest holding a debrief with the other teachers involved. During this session, you can evaluate the overall experience, identify areas for improvement and set out the next steps. The feedback you collect is invaluable for improving future collaborations. Continuously reviewing and improving your course also encourages long-term academic collaboration between institutions.Careful planning and the use of appropriate tools are essential when it comes to facilitating international collaboration. Continuously improving these aspects will enable us to prepare students for an ever-changing multicultural and globalised world.Nelly Ramírez Vásquez is a tutor professor at Monterrey Institute of Technology. Mariana Estefanía Elizondo García is a tutor at Monterrey Institute of Technology.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Make online international courses a success 

How can we ensure teachers and students have positive experiences in online international classrooms? Here, Nelly Ramírez Vásquez and Mariana Estefanía Elizondo García share some tips

A good plan is essential to make online international courses a success 

International students enrich the social and cultural vibrancy of the UK’s universities, its cities and regions. They enhance the learning experience, offering diverse perspectives and viewpoints.

Nowhere is this more true than in Sheffield in northern England. Every year, students from more than 150 countries come to study in the South Yorkshire city. Not only this, but international students offer significant support to the local economy. The 2021-22 cohort brought a net economic benefit of £516.8&nbsp;million across all constituencies in Sheffield.


	The hows and whys of improved interactions with international students
	What will it take to ensure that international students are treated fairly?
	Supporting international students in their transition to US institutions


However, after January 2024, new UK legislation says that international students looking to study in the UK will not be permitted to bring their partners and children into the country on their student visas unless the course they’re studying is a research-based degree or they are pursuing a PhD or other doctorate.

We at Sheffield Business School were not the only ones saddened by this news. This has been a controversial decision. A lecturers’ union said the legislation was “deeply shameful” and “anti-migrant”. The director of Universities&nbsp;UK International said these new laws were likely to disproportionately affect women and people from certain countries. It is likely that these regulations will particularly affect students in Nigeria and India.

As part of a university-wide initiative at Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Business School is helping to support international applicants affected by this new legislation. There must be a dynamic approach enabling institutions to respond quickly to the challenges these students are facing.

Here are some of the ways that universities can offer support to international students.

Make a statement in support of international students

A public statement is one way to show that the new regulations do not reflect the institution’s views towards international applicants. UK universities need to demonstrate that they welcome and encourage prospective students looking to study here.

Recently, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield joined forces with the South Yorkshire mayor, Sheffield MPs, council leaders and business leaders to deliver a statement of support for international students.

This statement outlined the positive impact that international students have on the region culturally, socially and economically. It was backed by the students’ unions of both universities.

The statement coincided with Universities&nbsp;UK’s #WeAreInternational campaign, which was relaunched in May 2023 to celebrate the economic, cultural, social and civic contribution international students make to the UK.

By posting our support on our social media channels, our website and by working with the media and organisations across the city, both universities have sent clear messages to prospective international students that Sheffield is a welcoming city.

Offer administrative support to international students

Supporting international students early in the application process to offer expertise and guidance from dedicated teams at the institution helps make students aware of the options available to them. Visa applications are expensive and can be confusing; universities can play a valuable role in helping international applicants understand which visas they’re eligible for and which are no longer available to them.

For example, under the new legislation, students will no longer be permitted to switch to the skilled worker route before they have completed their programmes, but they can still benefit from the graduate route, which allows eligible students to remain in the UK for two to three years after graduation.

Students need to be aware that a specialist service is on hand to support them throughout their journeys. Sheffield Hallam University works with students from application to ensure that they are well versed in all aspects of visa regulations, border control advice and preparation to travel and study in the UK. The international student experience team is well versed in UK&nbsp;Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements and helps to provide expert advice and support from application through to graduation.

Along with our international student support team, we have teams in our international offices in China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Malaysia, as well as education agents in more than 35 countries, to address student queries and concerns. This service provides support and advice that is specific to the country in question. For example, with the devaluation of the naira in Nigeria, local advice gave us the opportunity to respond to Nigerian students’ financial challenges by developing personalised payment plans during their year of study.

Help international students feel welcome

UK universities might not be able to change the legislation, but institutions can take concrete steps to make that every international student’s study experience in the UK memorable.

First, ensure that potential applicants and current students from abroad have access to help and advice so they can settle quickly into life in the UK and concentrate on their studies.

As well as answering questions and helping with problems online, Sheffield Hallam’s international student support team offers a free pre-booked airport meet-and-greet service so a student’s study journey is supported as soon as they arrive.

Once they’ve enrolled, which can be done by the student online two weeks before their course starts, all new postgraduate students are invited to join Success at Level&nbsp;7, an online live seminar programme offering practical guidance and study skills support to help them understand the expectations of their courses and assist them in graduating with the very best qualifications.

Sheffield Hallam University offers students ongoing support through access to drop-in study sessions and one-to-one help. Our student support triangle provides students with a personal team of three dedicated advisers: a student support adviser to help when problems affect a student’s studies; an academic adviser to support their learning journey; and an employability adviser to help them choose and build the right career.

Our strong relationship with international officers in the students’ union has provided us with opportunities to promote students’ voices and to further build support communities and events to celebrate specific cultural groups.

UK universities recognise how valuable international students are, in so many ways, especially the huge contribution they make to diversity and cultural awareness here in the UK.

Kate Morse is associate dean (global development and academic partnerships) in the College of Business, Technology and Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University.

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How can UK universities support international applicants?

Higher education institutions can help international students feel welcome and valued through their admissions processes, administrative help and public statements, writes Kate Morse

How can UK universities support applicants affected by student visa changes?

International students face multifaceted challenges upon arriving in the UK. They must demonstrate proficiency in English, navigate the academic norms of a new institution, foster connections with domestic and fellow international students and find their own sense of belonging. With the international student community projected to increase by 5 to 6 per cent annually until 2030, institutions need to address these issues in detail.Research I conducted at the University of Westminster, consisting of an online survey and follow-up interviews, examined four key hurdles international students encounter when arriving at UK higher education institutions. Those were: educational, language and sociocultural difficulties, and discrimination. To better address the unique needs of these students and empower them on their academic journey, here are my tailored recommendations.Start before arrivalIntroduce a “bridge the gap” course designed to assist international students as they transition into UK higher education from diverse educational backgrounds.&nbsp; This course could cover various topics international students commonly encounter difficulties with, such as adapting to different styles of teaching, understanding the assessment methods and marking criteria, grasping the grading system, acquiring academic writing skills specific to the UK and promoting cultural integration.How to support international students’ smooth transition to a new countrySupporting international students in their transition to US institutionsBringing international and intercultural dimensions into your programmesGuide the wayTo guide international students as they arrive on campus, improve the signage by making it larger and in a range of languages, and increase the visibility of student helpers and members of staff. At the University of Westminster, we had student helpers in brightly coloured t-shirts waiting in the reception area to greet the new intake. This can reduce students’ anxiety about getting lost and create a more welcoming environment.Provide access to mentorshipsImprove student retention and alleviate anxiety by offering international students the opportunity to enrol in a mentoring scheme. During the critical adjustment period, such schemes will help them access academic guidance.Boost your students’ well-beingImprove the promotion and communication of your institution’s well-being and support services through a variety of channels such as email, international blog and social media, to reach a broader audience. This will help create a campus climate where students feel cared for.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Organise recurring workshops that address the primary causes of stress and provide strategies on how to effectively manage them. International students often experience high levels of academic stress as they navigate the UK higher education system. It’s important that they acquire the skills for managing stress in a healthy way.&nbsp;Flag up English language development support servicesMake international students aware of the importance of continuing their English language development throughout their academic journey from the very start, at the offer stage. Encourage them to attend the academic English modules and workshops your institution offers and make sure they know about the available services for continuous improvement. This will help them navigate the challenges international students can face when writing and speaking at a UK higher education institution.Encourage the academic English department to collaborate with heads of schools and course leads to identify the evolving academic support needs for international students and adapt their workshops accordingly.&nbsp;Actively foster their sense of belongingCourse leads, personal tutors and lecturers have a pivotal role in shaping international students’ sense of belonging. Encourage them to create a supportive environment, provide timely assistance and reach out to students who may be at risk of disengagement, particularly during their first semester of study. A student’s sense of belonging can significantly impact their well-being and academic success, and nurturing this feeling is crucial for their overall journey. Proactive members of staff can make all the difference.&nbsp;Use communication channels to increase international students’ engagement in university and student union social events. Although international students often struggle to establish social connections in a new environment, these events can significantly contribute to their social integration.&nbsp;Often students study abroad to enhance their language proficiency and forge friendships with domestic students, yet establishing these connections can be challenging. Organise social events outside degree programmes to facilitate interaction.&nbsp;Embed EDI into staff trainingIt’s important to foster a culture of respect and understanding on campus – and enhance the educational experience for all students. Run mandatory staff training sessions on equality, diversity and inclusion, focusing on awareness and prevention of microaggressions and strategies for promoting an inclusive classroom with students from diverse backgrounds.All UK university students should complete a mandatory equality, diversity and inclusion essentials course, which demonstrates how diversity can be celebrated in the curriculum and in class. It should highlight the role of domestic students in fostering an inclusive classroom atmosphere and be tailored according to the composition of the institution’s student body.&nbsp; This is vital for creating a welcoming campus environment and preparing students for their academic journey with peers from diverse backgrounds.&nbsp;Katherine Mansfield is senior lecturer in academic English at the University of Westminster.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Four key hurdles international students face

How can we make international students’ academic journey a positive one? Katherine Mansfield suggests ways to alleviate their social, academic and language challenges

Four key hurdles international students face – and what to do about them

Collaboration should be at the core of any international research effort. The success of the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (Ripe) project is the collective expertise and contribution of every team member. The project has been running for more than a decade and the key to our excellence is transparency, openness and trust. 

Ripe is an international research project founded in 2012 with the mission to engineer crops to be more productive by improving photosynthesis, the natural process all plants use to convert sunlight into energy and yields. Our hope is that, by equipping smallholder farmers with higher-yielding crops, we can&nbsp;ensure that everyone has access to enough food to lead a healthy, productive life.

The Ripe project is centred around a community of excellence in photosynthesis research, with around 100 researchers coming from five higher education institutions and two government organisations. This makes for truly inspiring and innovative work that has led to the development of new ideas, techniques, infrastructure and skills that have been key in driving the photosynthesis research forward. For example, we test theories and plant genetic tweaks that we’ve developed here at the University of Essex in glasshouses. Once they’re proven in that controlled environment they are tested in field trials at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This allows us to test the science in various ways, creating a more robust knowledge base and understanding.

A culture based on teamwork

Ripe research leaders were selected not only based on their expertise but also on their willingness to foster collaboration and maintain an open approach within a team. A key part of working together is trust in each other. This applies not only to Ripe leadership, but also to building teams within our own labs and bringing in candidates that fit this mindset. I also believe the Ripe team really enjoys working together – this alone has been a major contributing factor to our success.


	Five ways to motivate and inspire a high-performing team
	Spotlight: skills every research manager needs
	The importance of being a people-first leader – and tips on how to do it


Building trust

When Ripe first began more than a decade ago, one of the most important decisions was that we would work only on our own research objectives. We would collaborate with each other and work together to get the most benefit for the project, but we would not pursue research that was part of another objective outside of Ripe’s mission. This concept is the foundation Ripe was built on and instils a sense of trust that every team member will dedicate their research effort towards their own objective. This approach requires researchers to balance between fostering collaboration and ensuring each individual’s ownership of their contribution, which has led to the success and quality of the exciting scientific discoveries that have come from Ripe. 

Even though there might be shared skill sets among us, it is important that we focus on our own deliverables within our areas of expertise. This way we avoid redundancy in our efforts as well as drive an open attitude towards collaboration and exploring possibilities within someone else’s domain when an opportunity arises. This strategy of working within your expertise is practised by leaders at the very top of the project down to each individual lab, where postdocs have their own lines of research. 

Open and free communication

Another important aspect of Ripe’s culture is that when we gather as a large team to share our work, we’re all allowed to speak freely. I feel, and have always felt, comfortable speaking up and listened to when I have something to say. The culture in Ripe is to encourage the sharing of ideas so that everyone is allowed space to voice their opinions. This does not apply only to the lead principal investigators but to everyone – postdocs, students and technicians. It is important that everyone feels like they get to be heard and contribute to the conversation, and everyone should have the opportunity to add value. 

For the University of Essex, we have achieved remarkable success during the Ripe funding period. The project has allowed us to establish new collaborations, further adding to Essex’s long-standing reputation as a leader in the advancement of photosynthesis research. 

For me personally, it has been a privilege to be part of this programme with a mission to provide higher-yielding crops for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South-east Asia, helping the people who need it most. As our collaborative effort now moves to translation into crops, I am looking forward to working more closely with and learning from researchers established in these geographical areas. This goal is important for the team and is a major driver for our research and our willingness to collaborate to get the best results.

Christine Raines is a professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Essex.

The University of Essex has been shortlisted for International Collaboration of the Year at the&nbsp;Times Higher Education&nbsp;Awards 2023 #THEAwards. See the full list of shortlisted candidates. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday 7 December in Liverpool.

Academics and university leaders from across the UK and Ireland will come together that week at&nbsp;THE Campus Live UK&amp;IE&nbsp;to talk about institutional strategies, teaching and learning, the student experience and more.&nbsp;Join us&nbsp;for this two-day event in Liverpool.

If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Why international research projects depend on trust

To build an excellent research team you want talented individuals – but they also have to enjoy working together. Christine Raines explains how teamwork and open communication have made Ripe succeed

The secret to long-term international research projects is trust and transparency 

International collaborations can offer exceptional opportunities to work with a range of organisations and bring fresh perspectives to a research problem. This has certainly been our experience in our work with Arup and the United Nations Development Programme in our Cities Alive: Designing Cities that Work for Women project.Collaboration can also mean greater access to resources and research teams. For example, working with the UNDP gave us access to its vast data resource of case studies. In addition, the collaboration benefited from Arup’s offices located in 20 countries and six continents which helped to create a network of global champions to support the project.Here are five suggestions of how your university can stimulate greater cross-organisational and interdisciplinary collaboration.Be bold and collaborate widelyThink about engaging with partners from spheres outside of academia. This can create an opportunity to hear diverse voices and build cross-disciplinary engagement. We chose to partner with Arup, a multinational professional services firm, and the UNDP, primarily because of our shared values. However, each of our partners brought access to a different audience. We were able to work across Arup’s professional practice networks and the UNDP’s global development network in order to meet three of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.Partners from professional practice can bring an alternative perspective to problems and frequently have additional sources of funding available to them. This project was partly funded by “Arup University”, for example.Prioritise dissemination across diverse audiencesThink about the opportunities for widening communication at an early stage. Leverage your partners’ networks to be more imaginative about your reach. Working with the UNDP on our project brought introductions to key individuals in the UN’s global regions, resulting in invitations to speak at events such as Re:Think 2022 in China with a live, online audience of 1 million people and 4 million subsequent downloads. That size of audience would be hard to reach through academic routes. Presenting at this scale can also bring in some new, and often surprising, opportunities such as our engagement with organisations such as the World Resources Institute. We also had opportunities to engage more deeply with non-academic audiences through YouTube and a range of global publications and outlets including the World Economic Forum,&nbsp;El Pais and Yahoo News, along with specialist publications like Cities Today and Women’s Agenda. The team were also able to share our work at many levels, from global conferences to local government workshops in the UK. This may not have been achievable without our partners.Five tips for building healthy academic collaborationsClear communication as the key to international collaborationSeven tips on finding and establishing international partnershipsAim for awards recognitionThink about how your project can gain recognition in different fields. Very few partners commence a research collaboration with awards at the forefront of their mind, however this type of recognition can help the team have greater impact and should be considered as part of your communication and outreach strategies. Each partner in a collaboration should ideally be taking the lead in awards relevant to their own professional areas, internal awards and external opportunities. We originally submitted nominations to the Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Awards at the University of Liverpool and the Inclusion Award at Arup, as well as the Royal Town Planning Institute: Awards for Research Excellence, and won them all! Being shortlisted for the THE Award for International Collaboration of the Year has been the icing on the cake.Think about wider impactLateral thinking can help to identify other potential benefits your partnerships can bring to the university. For example, can any aspect of the partnership contribute to teaching and learning outcomes across other faculties? Students can bring fresh eyes and a different generational approach and values to research collaborations. For the students, these experiences can improve their employability skills. The initial research work in our project included working with master’s students, but we have subsequently widened its reach to our undergraduate and PhD communities as well as the new Feminist City Network created within the university by the Heseltine Institute.There may be other opportunities to demonstrate greater social value by thinking imaginatively about how the partnership can be perpetuated and developed. For example, was there a research thread that could not be accommodated in the original project but could be developed through another collaboration? We have already started to develop some new ideas through the creation of a cross-faculty and cross-disciplinary Living Lab at the University of Liverpool which will build strong links with local stakeholders.Be open to novel opportunitiesBe receptive to unexpected connections and less obvious research areas. To help facilitate this process, think about how you can keep your collaboration energised and moving forward. You can offer to make introductions to other networks and constantly explore new ways to work together. Ideally, you should never allow a highly successful collaboration to end, even though the original project may have reached a conclusion. We are currently using our experience from the Cities Alive: Designing cities that work for women report to ensure that we continue to collaborate with our partners on a local and global level. Meanwhile, the University of Liverpool is already working with Arup to develop a new theme from the original research which will be published in 2024.Catherine Queen is a lecturer in planning at the University of Liverpool.The University of Liverpool has been shortlisted for International Collaboration of the Year at the&nbsp;Times Higher Education&nbsp;Awards 2023. See the full list of shortlisted candidates. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday 7 December in Liverpool.Academics and university leaders from across the UK and Ireland will come together that week at&nbsp;THE&nbsp;Campus Live UK&amp;IE&nbsp;to talk about institutional strategies, teaching and learning, the student experience and more.&nbsp;Join us&nbsp;for this two-day event in Liverpool.

To extend your research’s impact, be bold 

International collaborations expose your work to new and bigger audiences and give you unique opportunities for cross-organisational and interdisciplinary engagement, says Catherine Queen
 


To extend your research’s impact, be bold and collaborate widely

The transition to university can be daunting. For international students, this transition can encompass much more than moving away from home for the first time. Starting university in a new country can mean adjusting to a new culture, engaging in courses in a non-native language and navigating the ins and outs of a different educational system. These multiple issues must be specifically addressed if international students are going to experience a smooth transition.Peer-to-peer mentoring that focuses on assisting international students to feel comfortable in their transition is an excellent approach. While peer-mentoring programmes that focus on academic support for specific degrees can be useful for students to adjust academically, those that consider the wider picture of what it means to transition to university can prove more useful for international students.Five useful measures for welcoming students to international classroomsBringing international and intercultural dimensions into your programmesHow to help international students prepare for university life ahead of and after their arrivalHere are four ways that holistic peer-mentoring programmes address the nuances of international student transitions to university.Deploy peer mentors to uncover an institution’s unwritten rulesPeer mentors are invaluable in helping to explain the unwritten rules of the university to new international students. Mentors, as fellow peers and students who are already familiar with the “hidden curriculum” of the university, are in a position to answer questions that might seem silly. A mentor, for example, might share that in Australia, it is often completely acceptable to call your professor by their first name – without their “doctor title”. Unwritten rules will be unique to each university and might also be unknown or not well known by the professional staff. This means that peer mentors are in an ideal position to provide this information to new international students, ensuring a smoother transition.Start the transition before the student arrivesGetting a jump-start by connecting a new international student with a student mentor prior to their arrival in country is imperative to a smoother transition. Mentors in the Set4ANU mentoring programme connect with their mentees via email, one week before in-person orientation, when many of them are still in their home country. By connecting peer mentors with students before their arrival, the new students’ concerns can be addressed or alleviated by advice that peer mentors provide.For example, a peer mentor might advise a new international student that they can buy things such as a rice cooker, pillows or bedding once they arrive and do not need to bring these with them. Similarly, a peer mentor might advise that the weather in Australia might be much colder than expected and that the student should bring warmer clothing with them.Guarantee that the student knows at least one other person when they arriveBy introducing new international students to a peer mentor before orientation week, it is guaranteed that a new student has at least has one person they know. One of the most daunting aspects of moving to a new country and starting at a new university as an international student is not knowing anyone. With a peer mentor in place, they immediately know someone that they can lean on for support.Introduce international students to support servicesPeer mentors are not expected to know the answers to all their mentees’ questions. One important aspect of being a mentor is helping to connect mentees to the professional support services that universities offer for ongoing support, such as academic support, counselling, medical and other university-managed services. New students are more likely to seek out and attend these services if they are first introduced by a fellow peer or someone they trust.International students’ transition to university can be filled with unique barriers and challenges. Peer-mentoring programmes that take a comprehensive approach to support that considers cultural and social issues alongside academic concerns are in the best position to provide a smooth experience. International students who are matched with a peer mentor in such a programme can access a wealth of knowledge about unwritten rules at the institution, alleviate concerns before their arrival, feel comfortable in knowing at least one person they can lean on for support and be introduced to further university-managed ongoing support.Naia Robinson is a student engagement officer at Australian National University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Ease international students’ transition with peer-mentoring

Enlist peer mentors to help make international students’ transition on to your campus a smooth one. Naia Robinson shows how

Ease the transition for international students with a holistic peer-mentoring programme

During the UK’s hottest summer on record and as the world was emerging from a global pandemic, we were gearing up to be an official partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (B2022). Our participation included hosting the largest athletes’ village in the games’ history and providing facilities for hockey and squash matches. In hindsight, it was the most amazing journey for our staff, students, city and partners, both in the run-up to the games and in their operation. But it was not an easy feat to pull off. We achieved it through meticulous planning, adaptability, teamwork and strong partnerships across the institution and externally.

Responding to last-minute changes

We had half the time to prepare that previous host cities had enjoyed – and much of our work had to be done during lockdowns. In addition, our planning was affected by major external challenges including the invasion of Ukraine, political uncertainty in the UK, fluctuating athlete numbers caused the pandemic and a series of train strikes. Initially, we were signed up to host 1,500 members of the games workforce, but after the construction of Perry Barr Village was delayed, we ended up housing 3,200 athletes from across the world.

Creating the ‘biggest hotel in Europe’

Just a week after the last student left our on-campus accommodation for the summer, we managed to create one of the biggest hotels in Europe. The fast turnaround stretched us, and it was all hands on deck – at one stage, two of our directors donned rubber gloves to help clean bathrooms to prepare for our first international guests.

A hotel is a very different proposition from student accommodation. For example, we needed to equip all rooms with bath sheets and linen, which we don’t normally stock. The switch to a games village presented major challenges. We had to:


	build and equip three dining halls and four kitchens&nbsp;in just four weeks
	place new food and beverage outlets&nbsp;in pedestrianised areas, inaccessible to vehicles
	install temporary water, waste and power provision&nbsp;as well as refrigerated storage
	provide about 8,000 university staff with accreditation passes that allowed them to work on campus during games time
	recruit 500 staff for four daily shift patterns, 75&nbsp;per cent from the local area
	accommodate and arrange staff transport, and provide&nbsp;uniforms of all sizes
	work&nbsp;with so many&nbsp;specialist teams that we needed a four-page glossary to keep track of all the&nbsp;acronyms!


In the 18-month lead-up to the games, the university’s accommodation, catering, cleaning and waste, security, parking and sport teams met monthly to iron out these issues. With so many people involved, we had to be meticulous about communicating anything that might affect normal university activity, and we conducted tours for students, staff and visitors to show them the huge scale of the transformation. As the first athletes arrived, we accelerated to daily meetings at 6.30am. By the time the games began, on a boiling hot day in July, the sense of excitement was at a fever pitch.

Serving 10,000 meals a day

To fuel the 3,000 athletes and 1,000 support staff in the athletes’ village, 500 catering staff served 10,000 meals and 15,000 drinks for 18 hours every day for 14 consecutive days. For context, summer conferences at the university usually cater for a maximum of 600 delegates.

We worked with the food consultancy group Russell Partnership to create a well-balanced menu that would suit every palate and also showcase food and drink from the West Midlands.

Our chefs aimed very high – sometimes, too high: during an early food-tasting session, the games committee baulked at carrots roasted with turmeric and requested simpler fare. But we got the balance right on the day, and the authentic African Caribbean and Asian menus, and British dishes made with local ingredients, were enthusiastically received.

As the games got under way, you could feel the whole university community glowing with pride at being part of such a huge international event. Seeing the Royal Family at our beautiful hockey pitches on television, with the university’s domed Aston Webb building on the horizon, was wonderful.

The entire experience fine-tuned our event-planning expertise. Only through meticulous planning, stringent oversight and unprecedented levels of teamwork – vital when working with such a large number of organisations – were we able to succeed.

Malene Stanley is director of venues and events, campus services at the University of Birmingham.

The University of Birmingham has been shortlisted for International Collaboration of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2023 #THEAwards. See the full list of shortlisted candidates. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 7&nbsp;December in Liverpool.

Academics and university leaders from across the UK and Ireland will come together on 6-7 December at THE Campus Live UK&amp;IE to discuss institutional strategies, teaching and learning, the student experience and more. Join&nbsp;us for this two-day event in Liverpool.

If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

As an official partner of the Commonwealth Games 2022, the University of Birmingham housed and fed over 3,000 athletes from across the globe. Malene Stanley explains how they turned their campus into an athletes’ village in just a few months

Transforming a university campus into an athletes’ village

Moving to a new country is a challenge for anyone. For the thousands of international students that comprise a significant proportion of the global student population, this may also involve being away from home for the first time, dealing with a strange academic system, studying in a non-primary or foreign language or coping with a minimal support network.To effectively engage this diverse and critical student base, we are challenged as educators to make their educational experience just as valuable as their tertiary qualification. Here, we provide a few ways to mitigate the cognitive overload for international students at various points of their student experience.It starts with usEngaging with academic staff can be particularly daunting for international students, who are more likely to view academics primarily as authority figures. Host a preliminary teaching session to introduce yourself, clarifying how students should address you as an academic (eg, using your first name or which title you prefer), and offer personal information about yourself, such as hobbies and interests.Supporting international students in their transition to US institutionsThe hows and whys of improved interactions with international studentsResource collection: New approaches to the internationalisation of higher educationShow vulnerability by sharing parts of your life, but don’t limit yourself to success stories. Instead, include times of adversity, fear and perceived failure. As a result, students will feel “seen”, relate better and develop trust in their educators to seek help if needed. To assist educators in helping students with their well-being, the Mental Health First Aid programme&nbsp;is available in Australia and provides academics with key skills and resources.Check in with studentsUsing surveys to build up a profile of each student will help you to provide the support they need. Start the semester with an online pre-class survey in your learning management system or LMS, using questions to gauge student “bandwidth” and identify any barriers to learning,&nbsp;such as access to technology, hours worked in part-time employment and understanding of academic honesty. Later, anonymous mid-term surveys can show how well you’ve understood student expectations and what could be reinforced or evolved. This feedback loop will encourage students to have agency in their education. If engagement is low, tagging the surveys to other summative assessments can help.Promote student supportThe initial weeks of courses can overwhelm international students with information, but it’s important that they know about support services, resources and policies at their institutions. As well as including a URL on the LMS and referring to it during introductory week, create an FAQ page and adopt a multi-hit model, which will present these resources to students at relevant junctures. For example, information about laptop loan schemes may be more pressing early in the semester, while counselling services could be helpful in the lead-up to assessments.Provide directions and instructions for accessing close-proximity student spaces for group assessments or free-study periods, encouraging student collaboration. These can be developed as a standard set of instructions to include in personalised email replies for efficiency.Keep it future-facingCareer sessions integrated within courses can help students to understand potential careers and how to achieve them, acting as a great motivator. These can link to career services, offering résumé-writing workshops, interview preparation, LinkedIn advice and providing career focus.Connect to networksFoster a sense of belonging by providing connections to existing peer networks and participating in events yourself. At our institution, student-led societies organise social events such as an International Student Welcome or an International Food Fiesta, with relevant staff invited. If these groups don’t already exist, call for student representatives to set them up or even organise events yourself.This holistic approach to student experience, creating a culture that provides a sense of belonging while promoting transformation in disciplinary knowledge, will allow international students to thrive both personally and academically.Written by the Effective and Engaging Teaching community of practice members:Alistair Standish is a senior lecturer in biological science; Catherine Irving is a lecturer in communication and critical thinking; Danijela Menicanin is a senior lecturer in biomedicine; Matthew Arnold is a lecturer in medicine; Navodana Rodrigo is a lecturer in architecture and civil engineering; Greg Hurnall is a technology and digital enablement specialist; Viythia Katharesan is a senior lecturer in biomedicine at the University of Adelaide.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Add value to the international student experience 

Given the unique challenges international students face, how can universities create an inclusive and supportive community? Educators share suggestions for helping international students thrive

Let’s make the international student experience as valuable as the degree

Teaching international students is like embarking on a culinary adventure. Every student brings their own flavourful mix to the classroom, enriching the academic experience. But to create a balanced and delicious meal, we must recognise the individual ingredients and spices each international student brings. Join me as we embark on this culinary-academic voyage together, discovering ways to build effective global classrooms!Set the stage with a pre-class appetiserImagine hosting a dinner party with guests from around the world. You wouldn’t dive straight into the main course without checking their culinary preferences or for any food allergies, right? Similarly, before the academic feast begins, organise a pre-class meeting to understand your international students’ educational backgrounds and expectations.Create welcoming classrooms for international studentsTaking the shock out of culture shock: helping international students navigate transitions, part oneHow to help international students prepare for university life ahead of and after their arrivalFrom my international business experience, I vividly recall a visit to Japan when a client first understood the phrase “it’s a piece of cake” to mean “it's a simple cake recipe”. We all laughed about this incident together, but it served as a good reminder of the importance of clear communication.Experience has shown me accurate and culturally sensitive communication within an online classroom environment, where students from diverse backgrounds interact, is a necessity. Being mindful of idioms and cultural nuances ensures all students can participate fully in discussions.Weekly check-ins are a recipe for successJust as consistency is key in cooking, maintaining a connection with international students is equally essential. Consider holding regular check-in sessions with them so you can ensure they remain up to speed on material covered in lessons and keep the relationship gently simmering.Online collaborations offer an immersive educational experience. One memorable experience during my undergraduate years involved working on an international project together with students from different countries via an online forum; we shared perspectives and ideas across time zones while working on our project together. It truly demonstrated the value of global connections through technology.Cultural differences are the spice of lifeImagine mixing spices from various cultures together into one dish; the result can be an exquisite fusion of flavours. In the classroom, identifying cultural differences such as variations in academic etiquette or citation styles can enhance students’ experiences and lead to increased understanding and mutual respect among teachers and students.Online collaborations present an unparalleled opportunity to celebrate cultural diversity. During one online discussion, a student from Brazil shared her views on teamwork, emphasising the importance of close bonds within groups, while another from Germany stressed efficiency and task completion as essential aspects of teamwork. These diverse points of view helped to enrich our discussion and appreciate global perspectives more fully.The secret ingredient? Open communicationEffective communication is the cornerstone of success when teaching international students, so aim to foster an environment in which your pupils feel safe expressing their thoughts and worries openly.Encourage online students to ask questions and seek clarification, since online platforms can sometimes feel distant, and create an atmosphere of open dialogue. This “secret sauce” will help to promote knowledge transfer, while simultaneously creating space for cross-cultural discussions.A culinary extravaganza lies beyond the classroomLearning should not stop when the figurative class bell rings; it goes beyond classroom walls. Encourage international students to immerse themselves in local academic culture and community life.Online collaborations offer opportunities for extracurricular engagement, like international student meet-and-greets. Students can form virtual study groups, explore academic resources together or even organise cultural exchange events online – activities that not only enrich their academic journeys but also foster lifelong global friendships.As educators, we have the privilege of cultivating an environment for learning that transcends borders. Teaching international students can be like creating a global banquet showcasing each students’ rich cultural perspective. By setting the scene and maintaining regular check-ins with students, celebrating cultural diversity and encouraging open communication and extracurricular engagement, we can ensure our global classroom offers learning that is both enriching and deliciously diverse.Like any seasoned chef, educators have the responsibility to craft masterpieces that satisfy diverse palates. By following these steps, you will soon become a global classroom connoisseur with cultural enrichment and academic excellence mingling seamlessly in your classes for all to savour.Embrace the spice of diversity, encourage open dialogue and provide a global classroom experience that leaves all hungry for more.John Sinclair is a part-time faculty member in the MBA programme at CSU Global.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

A smorgasbord of strategies to help international students 

Educators are like seasoned chefs with the responsibility to create harmonious classroom environments that celebrate the flavourful cultural diversity of international students, says John Sinclair 

A smorgasbord of strategies to help international students feel included

In November 2022, Australia’s minister for education, Jason Clare, announced the Australian Universities Accord to “build a long-term plan for Australia’s higher education system”. In July 2023, after a period of consultation, the accord panel, led by Mary O’Kane, released the accord interim report. Outlining their vision for the future of higher education, the panel used an&nbsp;image of an echidna to “signify that there are ‘spiky’ ideas in the report”.However, we argue that it does not go far enough to disrupt the status quo when it comes to the treatment of international students in higher education, nor does it sufficiently address universities’ reliance on funding from international students to generate income. While acknowledging these issues and arguing for sustainable approaches, the accord offers little to improve the situation. Ultimately, the only sustainable solution, as we will illustrate, is to shift to a social justice approach.&nbsp;While we welcome the suggested shift from the neoliberal view of international education as an “industry” and international students as a “commodity”, the shift to “soft diplomacy” does not deviate from the current economic paradigm because it is still based on “the national interest”. The interim report specifically names and identifies “regional prosperity and development” as the benefits that international education can yield for Australia.Five useful measures for welcoming students to international classroomsHow to teach clinical communication skills in a foreign language from scratchWhat about lifelong learning for international students?We also have concerns that “soft diplomacy” is not based on a two-way (or mutual) exchange of knowledges, ideas, cultures and languages, and instead focuses on how Anglo-Western knowledge systems can be exported through education systems to wield geopolitical influence (i.e. “regional prosperity and development”). It does not value the diversity that international students bring – their differing ways of knowing, being and doing that can be shared with the Australian population.The suggestion of a levy on international student fee income stands in stark opposition to the proposed shift away from treating international education as an industry. Instead, it acts to consolidate the integral role that international students play in funding Australia’s universities and redirects that funding away from international students themselves towards institutions that they do not even attend or infrastructure that might not benefit them. This further encourages discourses about international students as cash cows, thus reducing their contribution to universities and Australian society more broadly to monetary terms and subjects them to exploitative approaches to education, as described in the interim report. Not only does establishing a levy on international student income fail to depart from the international education as an industry approach, but it might also threaten any attempts at soft diplomacy because other countries could perceive this action poorly.&nbsp;The review asks how best to create “a sustainable education sector”; we believe that sustainability is only possible when it is not exploitative. The only sustainable solution is to shift to a social justice approach in line with the ethical practice of “welcome”. A social justice approach to international education is one that values international students’ diverse knowledges, cultures and languages. We have some suggestions for how such an approach can be adopted.Special fund for international studentsWhile we do not support a levy on international student fee income to “fund sector priorities such as infrastructure and research” as suggested by the panel, we do support the establishment of a special fund for international students. This could be funded by a levy to provide the supports that they require for an improved educational experience. As previously suggested, the fund could provide “interest-free loans, scholarships, tuition and residential accommodation fee reductions, as well as support ongoing health and well-being student services” in addition to crucial English language learning support.&nbsp;There is also the need for greater funding transparency – an important question raised in the interim report. Transparency should be used to ensure a degree of accountability for how income from international student fees is used. Universities should be required to expend an agreed-upon proportion of income from international students on their education (i.e. the purpose for which it is provided).Initial preparatory coursesThe importance of English language support has been recognised by the panel, but their suggestions of “improvement to language testing and admissions benchmarks” will not address the situation – “adequately tailored support” will. The suggestion that improvements to language testing and admissions benchmarks are required to “protect high-quality education experiences for all students” is firmly entrenched in the “English-as-a-problem” mindset. It positions speakers of other languages as a “threat” to quality education rather than holding the system accountable for the quality of education that they provide.&nbsp;English language tests do not sufficiently measure the language needed for Australian university life, neither in the classroom nor socially. Instead, to best support international students, adequately tailored support should be provided through specific and targeted courses. Three types of initial preparatory course are required: Australian English language and culture; the university environment; and discipline-specific preparation courses.&nbsp;Academic support&nbsp;As acknowledged by the panel, “greater professional development of staff, including cross-cultural competency in teaching and learning, is also relevant”. International (and local) students require ongoing academic language support specific to their studies – and their university educators, as experts in their fields of knowledge, are best placed to provide this discipline-specific knowledge.Together, these suggestions will better meet the goal of ensuring “high-quality education experiences for all students” and enhancing “Australia’s education reputation”.&nbsp;Carly Steele is a lecturer and early career researcher; Ana Tankosić PhD is a Fulbright alumna and a sessional academic;&nbsp;Sender Dovchin is an associate professor, director of research and principal research fellow. All are at Curtin University.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How do we ensure international students are treated fairly?

Treatment of international students needs to shift to a social justice approach, and the interim report from Australia’s Universities Accord Panel doesn’t go far enough. Here’s how we can do more

What will it take to ensure that international students are treated fairly?

First and foremost, international students are students, and every office at an institution can play an important role in supporting them with feeling. That said, international students’ needs differ from those of their local peers. Campuses can support these students (and provide resources that will benefit all learners) with a culture of collaboration across campus, consistent communication and intentional programming.Here are practical tips for campus administrators, faculty and leaders to enable international students to make smooth transitions to their US campuses.How to help students prepare for their journey abroadAn international student’s experience with a US university typically begins with application through the admissions office, generally about six months before their start date. They usually need a visa before they can begin their studies overseas. Visa regulations vary widely. Each campus has officials within the admissions or international office responsible for working with international students to issue important visa documents and to answer questions about students’ immigration status.The hows and whys of improved interactions with international studentsHow to champion the international student experience from admission to graduationFive useful measures for welcoming students to international classroomsTo support success in this area, Georgia Tech hosts a series of synchronous webinars to cover important information such as obtaining student visas and the employment benefits available to international students. A key to success is considering time-zone differences and ensuring the pre-arrival sessions are recorded and made available online after the sessions.It is essential not to advise a student on their visa status if you do not have specialised visa knowledge, because erroneous advice can endanger a student’s visa and complicate their life. Refer students to the appropriate office or copy in your campus international office when advising students to ensure they get the best possible guidance.In the period between being accepted to an institution (and obtaining a student visa) and when they travel to campus, students must organise housing (on- or off-campus) and transportation. This is a crucial period for helping students navigate new systems and find resources.Campuses should provide consistent messaging and communication about when to arrive and what orientation programmes students should participate in. Coordinated communication is necessary to identify (and close) gaps in information or services to support a smooth transition. Ultimately, this will save everyone time and frustration. Offices such as housing, orientation programming, international student services and academic programmes should collaborate to ensure that information is clear and consistent and that websites reflect the same information.Recognise that organising housing from abroad is a daunting challenge for students coming to the US. Web resources that give detailed information about off-campus options as well as neighbourhood information, costs, how to read and understand lease agreements, utility deposits and budgeting for essential household items are incredibly useful for new arrivals.Housing offices often already have this information; you can link directly to their websites.Explaining the local higher education systemEducational norms vary widely across the globe. Communicating expectations and academic culture is another area where collaboration among campus units is powerful. Educational resources (such as webinars, information sessions or print materials) that discuss academic norms around homework, attendance requirements, teaching styles, the relationship between students and professors, concepts of academic plagiarism, tutoring and academic support resources can help students adjust to their new environment.Regular collaboration and coordination among academic advisers, registrar, bursar and international student offices will make course registration, late-arrival support and bill payment smoother for all involved. To develop this, campus international offices often consult with undergraduate and graduate academic advisers to discuss registration considerations for international students and late-arrival services.Guidance for building a support network&nbsp;International students often arrive on campus knowing no one. Campuses that plan welcome receptions or workshop series at the start of a semester to connect international students – not only to each other but also to student clubs and organisations, campus resources and the local community – serve their students well. Facilitating a peer ambassador programme and using the ambassador network regularly in programming and outreach is a way to share information from a student perspective. This can offer a level of detail that often is unavailable to campus administrators.Living in a new cultural environment can be exhilarating and exhausting. Students navigate unspoken cultural rules and norms that might differ dramatically from their home cultures and ways of being each day. Programming that introduces dimensions of culture and helps students explore the unspoken values, attitudes and beliefs that shape their own cultures and their new local ones is invaluable. Your campus’ international office and local counselling services might be able to help with developing such programming.When organising events and programmes, pay attention to details – such as providing meal options (for example, vegetarian, kosher or halal offerings) – and consider opportunities for intercultural development that celebrate and encourage students to share their cultural identities. Many intercultural resources are available online, and international offices can often share activities to facilitate intentional programming.&nbsp;Don’t forget holistic well-being resourcesMost international students will be unfamiliar with the local healthcare system and might need additional support in understanding how to access medical care. It’s helpful to share information about the local system, student insurance and on-campus health resources in international student orientation materials and sessions.A how-to guide for where to find familiar foods (flavours from home can stave off homesickness), faith organisations and other well-being resources can help international students maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle during this challenging transition. A model practice collaborates with campus partners who do this work (such as the university health centre or on-campus counselling services) to present at orientation, develop web and print content to share via email and newsletters, and invite them to join regular programming.Career and professional development&nbsp;Many international students begin interviewing for summer internships during the autumn semester of their first year. Institutions need to help international students understand the employment benefits available. At Georgia Tech, we offer ongoing support with career and professional development through collaborations among the career centre, the international education office and alumni services. International students receive help with converting their résumés to the preferences of US employers, preparing for interview and understanding the career exploration experience of international student alumni through panel presentations. The Office of International Education hosts regular group workshops and provides individual student support. This can help students understand employment benefits associated with their visa status to prevent unintended violations of student visa rules.It’s incredibly beneficial to partner with your career centre and alumni services to develop resources, because they probably already have programming that can be adapted to suit an international student audience.Ashlee N. Toomey-Flinn is director of on-campus internationalisation at Georgia Tech.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Helping international students settle into US universities

International students enrich and add value to American campuses. Here, Ashlee Toomey-Flinn offers practical tips for helping them transition successfully into their US university experience

Helping international students in their transition to US institutions

“Internationalisation” is the buzzword of our time, and all over the world we see universities and colleges racing ahead in a bid to increase their enrolment of foreign students to boost their university rankings. As someone who has always been supportive of internationalisation, I can only state that I am personally in favour of such engagement, although it does bring a host of challenges that we need to talk about.Over the past three decades I have taught at several universities across Europe and Southeast Asia, and the common denominator in those experiences is the fact that my classes have almost always been mixed. Much of the work I have done has also been informed by my own experience as a former international student in the UK in the early 1980s, when I had to adapt to life in a foreign country for the first time and adjust to new modes of learning that I had not experienced before. The learning curve was steep and, while learning the basics of student life, I also had to adjust to a new climate and a different kind of society. The experiences of foreign students today are hardly any different.Five useful measures for welcoming students to international classroomsThe hows and whys of improved interactions with international studentsIntroducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismNow that I’m sitting on the opposite side of the room, as a teacher rather than a student, I can see how the issues faced by international students can spill into the teaching experience as well. Those of us who have had the opportunity to teach international students will be familiar with the first challenge that has to be overcome: language and communication. For reasons that are historical in nature the reality is that the international language of academia today happens to be English. This is, as we all know, one of the legacies of Empire and it can also become a sensitive topic of discussion in some postcolonial societies where forms of linguistic nationalism have been on the rise over the past few decades, coupled with calls for the decolonisation of knowledge production.While these debates are important, I would like to focus on something far more mundane, which is the disparity in English proficiency among international students. Sadly, there remains a tendency to assume that when a non-native English speaker speaks with an accent, that person’s competency and knowledge is possibly compromised as well. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. Overcoming this first hurdle is crucially important when handling mixed international classes, and from the first day the teacher has to emphasise to everyone the simple fact that what is said/discussed is far more important than how it is said.A further suggestion for those of us teaching international students is that it’s imperative to demonstrate we know what our students are trying to communicate, rather than correct their speech or writing all the time. In my experience, English proficiency always improves over time, especially when non-native speakers feel they are taken seriously from the outset. Conversely, to constantly interrupt and correct our students when they speak will only alienate them further and may demotivate them entirely in the long run.Getting over that first hurdle does not mean the race is over, though. For those of us who teach in the humanities, subjects such as history, political theory and international relations can present us with veritable minefields in which cultural sensitivity is paramount. In such subjects, contestation of interpretation can be par for the course. It’s difficult enough to deal with contestation in a lecture setting where our students already share similar cultural backgrounds or have had prior exposure to historical data that is similar in form and content. But try conducting a course where students from different countries have been taught very different – and at times conflicting – accounts of their national histories, and you will see how differences of opinion can very quickly turn into hotly contested political debates, often with nationalist sentiments in tow.I have experienced this myself while teaching topics such as the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia or the partition of India to classes with students from countries that were affected by these events. Here is where the lecturer has to remember that our international students have come to us with their own historical baggage and years of pre-university learning. The idea that needs to be dispelled is that there is such a thing as a “universal student” who has somehow been manufactured via a cookie-cutter process, all of them imbued with the same perspectives, values, understandings and expectations.My suggestion to teachers who will face such situations is to begin their very first class by laying down ground rules and expectations for their courses. It’s vital to remind everyone (ourselves included) that we’re there to explore and discuss openly, and that in the course of learning together, challenging our assumptions is part of the learning process itself. The first thing that needs to be established is the distinction between our personal beliefs or stances and the subject matter that needs to be studied critically and objectively. Above all, everyone in the class must be made to feel that nobody is being attacked, harassed or ridiculed when we engage in discussions about areas such as national politics or the political conduct of a certain country. As teachers we need to emphasise that the classroom is not a tribunal and that nobody is being judged in our discussions.While there are no ready-made solutions to the challenge of dealing with radically different cultural-political attitudes and stances, our duty as teachers is to spark interest in enquiry and encourage our students to question and think. In situations where some students feel compelled to silence the voices of others, the lecturer’s role is to create a space where thinking aloud can happen. Ultimately, all students – locals and international alike – must remember that critical thinking is what universities were set up for in the first place.Gaining that coveted university degree is a process that requires open thinking and engagement. Our task as teachers is to constantly emphasise this, while also being aware that our students may come from very different parts of the world and are not a homogenous mass.Farish A. Noor is professor in the department of history at the University of Malaya. He has taught at several universities across Europe and South-east Asia, including Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and the International Islamic University of Indonesia.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Farish A. Noor draws on three decades of teaching across different continents to offer advice on the challenges inherent in teaching students from diverse backgrounds

Navigating the choppy waters of intercultural differences in an international classroom

As universities continue to grow, the increase in the number of international students is inevitable. It’s vital for institutions to do all they can to ensure international students feel secure and welcome upon their arrival, particularly because they are leaving their homes and preparing to live in countries that they might not have visited before – or even heard of before they applied. As someone who worked on the welcoming committee for international students arriving in Cyprus, I would like to share the strategies I feel are necessary for institutions to take in order to ensure international students have a smooth transition to university life.1. Preparing for arrivalHaving previously worked in my university’s international students office, one of my tasks was to prepare a list of new students arriving on the island, alongside their flight details so that a member of staff at the institution could meet the students at the airport. Of course, the list had to be carefully prepared so students were not missed at the airport. Students who see their names being held up at arrivals certainly feel more welcome. The member of staff greeting students at the airport would then transport them to the relevant dormitories on campus.Help students make the most of studying overseas at branch campuses and beyondUnearthing the hidden curriculum in international classroomsThe hows and whys of improved interactions with international students2. ArrivalUpon their arrival at your institution, international students might feel lonely and not know where to go, stay, shop or even what to do. For this reason, it’s crucial that a member of staff provides a mini tour of the institution, particularly the main areas of interest such as the supermarket located on campus, student dormitories, the library, cafes and areas to socialise. It’s also vital to ensure that a member of staff is always available at the dormitories to assist, particularly because some students will arrive in the early hours of the morning and not know where to go for simple needs. Finding initial basic needs covered – such as clean bedsheets and a small pack containing simple things including shampoo, handwash, a towel, snacks and water – upon arriving at their accommodation goes a long way towards helping international students settle.3. Orientation programmesOne- or two-week orientation programmes organised by the university – not just for international students but all new students – work very effectively towards preparing freshers for university life. Such programmes should include a tour of the main areas at the university and can also incorporate sports activities such as bowling, football or basketball, which can help students integrate and mix with one another. After the first few days, organising trips to nearby historical sites or sightseeing tours as part of the programme helps greatly with the students’ orientation. Such programmes are fundamental in helping international students feel welcome as they will have all-important opportunities to socialise with other students and become familiar with new faces before lectures start.4. Online platformsDespite the disadvantage of not meeting face to face, online platforms can still be made available by institutions for students to discuss points of concern or tips for learning, regardless of which faculty they are enrolled in. This can help international students integrate with other students but, as discussed before, orientation programmes are usually a better option because students will have the opportunity to meet and socialise face to face.5. Meet-and-greet sessionArranging a meet-and-greet session is probably the most important option available to universities to help international students feel more welcome. Students from each year group can participate in the sessions, giving details of their experience of university life, what they found most challenging, what they found interesting, as well as tips for studying, learning and revision, and so on. Ensuring students from different backgrounds participate in the sessions will help international students realise that any issues they face are surmountable and that others like them have succeeded in the past.&nbsp;Of course, there are many strategies besides those mentioned above, but in my experience, these are the most useful.Ayten Ordu is a lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the Near East University, North Cyprus. Her research focuses on aspects of civil law.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Ayten Ordu provides five top tips that will help ensure international students have a smooth transition to their new surroundings

How to help international students prepare for university life ahead of and after their arrival

An international student orientation programme should be more than a single day of welcome; it should act as a guiding light, helping students overcome obstacles and thrive in their new academic and cultural environment.While each international student’s experience is unique, new arrivals face common challenges in academics, social interactions, adapting to a new culture and maintaining their well-being. Regardless of their adaptability, all international students need support from their host institutions for a smooth transition. One effective tool for providing this support is an international student orientation programme. These programmes, while tailored to the culture and resources of each institution, share a goal: helping international students adjust to the university.Help students make the most of studying overseas at branch campuses and beyondIs your university worth the investment for international students?Five tips for helping international students settle in their new surroundingsThis article describes the international student orientation programme at the University of Canterbury (UC) in New Zealand, where the international office collaborates with other student service teams to welcome students from around the world and help them overcome the challenges they encounter. Manaakitanga is a guiding principle for university staff, and a core value at UC, ensuring a supportive and inclusive environment for every international student in their academic pursuit and cross-cultural journey.Orientation begins before students arrive on campusA comprehensive orientation should start before students leave their home countries. This is a crucial time because students may be anxious about moving to a new country. The primary objective of pre-arrival sessions is to assist students in completing essential procedures, such as applying for student visas, booking international flights and securing the right accommodation. These sessions should provide information about what life will be like at the new institution and in the host country and help alleviate students’ concerns.This period is also an excellent time to introduce students to key support staff. Institutions can effectively engage with students through means such as email, online meetings and social media. Email offers the advantages of hyperlinks and allowing for self-paced reading. Content within emails can encompass welcoming messages, reminders to apply for visas and book accommodation, instructions on enrolling and introductions to the host country’s culture.Zoom meetings enable real-time interaction with other international students. These sessions can include welcome messages from senior staff, opportunities to meet key student support staff and Q&amp;A sessions. In addition, short videos on social media platforms provide an engaging format that can be easily shared with a broader audience. These videos can also contain welcome messages, feature senior students introducing the campus and key student support services, offer insights into the host country’s culture and language, and provide helpful tips for arrival day.What happens when international students arrive on campus?Orientation sessions should take place shortly after students arrive in the host country and before their academic classes start. These sessions should aim to prepare them for their educational journey and life in their new country. In addition to extending a warm welcome, orientation covers academic, social, cultural and well-being elements and so kick-starts students’ adjustment to the institution and their new environment. The international office and other student service teams, such as the academic skills centre, student advisers and health centre, can collaborate to create an effective arrival orientation programme.The programme starts with an orientation day, and a core tenet of an in-person orientation day is to foster a warm and welcoming atmosphere, allowing international students to connect and form relationships. Don’t overload students with information – they can receive useful information in subsequent sessions. Below is what we include in international orientation sessions at UC. In addition to these sessions, activities such as a city tour or a field trip can make the experience memorable and enriching.International welcome: meeting student service teams and other international studentsLiving essentials session: banking, transportation, health, safety and shoppingLocal culture session: getting to know common expressions, local food and customsStudent life session: exploring student clubs and mingling with other international studentsAcademic success session: understanding the university system, learning techniques and time-management skillsWell-being session: how to manage academic-related stressAdvocacy and welfare session: understanding rights as international students and being aware of advocacy services on campusWork and career development session: career path planning, understanding the local job market and visa requirements related to employment.Ongoing engagement to reinforce belongingAfter the arrival orientation sessions, it is crucial to maintain regular engagement with international students. Weekly tea or coffee meet-ups, for example, provide an opportunity for international office staff to build rapport with students and gather feedback. These regular gatherings can follow diverse themes; for example, invite a local police officer to discuss safety topics with international students.In addition to regular meet-ups, the international office can also support and promote student club events that facilitate connections among international students, domestic students and the local community. Consider activities that promote cross-cultural awareness, such as an international food festival or fashion show.Volunteer opportunities for new international students can help them build a sense of belonging and meaningful connections beyond the campus. At UC, international students actively engage in volunteer work, including at retirement villages, national parks and local libraries.The journey of international students is a blend of excitement and challenges. Common threads of academic adaptation, cultural adjustment and social integration highlight the need for support from host institutions. Comprehensive international student orientation programmes play a pivotal role in nurturing a sense of belonging and promoting success among international students throughout their academic and cross-cultural journey.Mengping Cheng is&nbsp;international student experience coordinator in the International Relationships Office at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, New Zealand.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

How should universities welcome international students? 

Orientation is an ongoing process for international students, so welcome programmes need to extend further than a single day. Here, Mengping Cheng explains how to support new arrivals throughout their adjustment

How to support international students’ smooth transition to a new country

Pre-sessional courses are typically short-term English programmes that students take in order to improve their language skills. They are designed to help students be better prepared for their programmes of study and potentially meet offer requirements if a particular level of proficiency is required. For example, at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, the institution provides both optional four-week courses for students who wish to refresh and hone their skills and mandatory eight-week courses for learners who need to meet the terms of conditional offers.Designing pre-sessional coursesIn order to ensure that pre-sessional courses are as well designed as possible, it’s important that providers design courses that are student-centred. This means they help to develop and improve English language abilities, familiarise the students with the academic standards and study skills that will enable them to subsequently thrive at that institution and facilitate a growth mindset that promotes and develops academic independence. With these considerations in mind, providers and the teams responsible for course development constantly need to tap into institutional knowledge in the areas of curriculum and materials design, assessment practices and procedures, administration, and staff and student recruitment (among other areas), and then channel and direct this effort. This requires experienced and reflective leadership at all levels and in all areas. It also necessitates good collaborative, interpersonal and time-management skills.Introducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismDead rank? Non-native speakers losing out on local dialects onlineBreaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking studentsRunning pre-sessional coursesBeyond the initial set-up and delivery of a pre-sessional course or suite of courses there are a number of additional areas that, if we as educators get things right, will mean the end-point outcomes can be significantly enhanced, in both the immediate term and going forward.1. Staffing is important. If you can draw on your own teachers, rather than outsourcing staffing, you have a teaching base that really understands the needs of the learners and the context in which they are going to be working. This might be achieved by managing workloads throughout the year, or time off, while keeping an acute eye on year-round availability.2. Workload is a key feature. Educators who have been working all year round will have to give up parts of their summers to work on these programmes, so if staff are reasonably well remunerated, feel valued and appreciated (which costs nothing) and have a balanced workload, then their contributions in the classroom are likely to be enhanced because they feel fresher and more engaged. This differs from professionalism, which teachers are expected to live up to regardless.3. Relationship management is another key area. If the aim of the experience is to provide the paying customer with an end product that prepares them as well as possible for what is to follow, then input from academic departments, schools or academies is important because it can enhance the authenticity of the learning. It is also essential to provide pastoral support to these students, because initiation into a new learning environment can be challenging and well-being is paramount. This necessitates building and maintaining positive working relationships with all stakeholders, a lot of which can be achieved through social channels, such as institutional activities and events.4. The student and staff voices are essential. Listening to key stakeholders, taking their views seriously and letting them know that these are valued cannot be underestimated. Just as we would collect feedback from staff teaching on a course or programme in order to enhance the delivery of it, so too is the voice of the learners of paramount importance. Not only do we demonstrate a willingness to engage and learn, but we also highlight the type of community that the students are now becoming a part of. To achieve this, multiple informal and formal feedback channels can be used.5. Finally, having some external voices to provide us with impartial feedback is vitally important. This enables us to take a step back and hear an objective evaluation of the work being done – and not an emotive and/or invested one. External examiners and accrediting bodies can provide valuable contributions in order to achieve best practice, while listening to staff not working on the course can also be insightful.Shayna Kozuch is the deputy head of the Centre for English Language Education at University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), where she manages external programmes and pathways including commercial programmes, summer programmes, teacher training and outreach.Dawn Buckley is a module convenor on the eight-week pre-sessional programme and an English for academic purposes tutor at UNNC. She has taught on pre-sessional courses in China and the UK, and worked on a range of programmes in Ireland, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Turkey and Spain.Michaela Seserman is a module convenor on the eight-week pre-sessional programme and an English for academic purposes tutor at UNNC. She has taught in India, Turkey, the UK and China.Geoffrey Gao is the manager of pre-sessional and in-sessional support at UNNC’s Centre for English Language Education. He is a trained educator who also supports the writing lab at the university.Gareth Morris is senior tutor in English for academic purposes at the Centre for English Language Education at UNNC.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

How to create and run pre-sessional courses

A team from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China outline the starting points for providing short-term English proficiency courses for non-native speakers

How to create and run pre-sessional courses to enhance future success

A student-centric university culture is fundamental to preparing students for lifelong learning. By encouraging students to control their individual drivers and direction through a degree programme, we empower them to engage a mindset for personalised education throughout their lives. It is through our co-creation and collaboration with students that universities have a substantive role in cultivating a lifelong-learning mentality.But what if international students are not as fluent in or comfortable with this form of university engagement? Then we have work to do to prepare them for lifelong learning so they are not left behind.Lifelong learning is transforming education landscapes across the globe, with microcredentials, blended learning and more continuous professional development requirements in the workplace just the beginning of sector-wide change. It is what individuals need more than ever before to thrive throughout dynamic and changeable careers.Spotlight:&nbsp;Lifelong learning that will lastFive tips for helping international students settle in their new surroundingsDon’t forget that international students need careers support tooUniversities have rapidly mobilised to become providers of lifelong learning to those who are ready for it. We build short courses, Moocs, chunked lectures, flipped classrooms, skill-based assessment and edtech that claims to deliver anything to anyone, anywhere, any time. But none of this prepares students – domestic or international – for lifelong learning. Are we missing the critical step of equipping learners with the mindset for the lifelong learning we are busily preparing to deliver?What motivates lifelong learning?We understand many of the motivations that build a mindset for lifelong learning. Perhaps a little cynically, workplace dissatisfaction scores high on that list. Other factors include personal growth, curiosity, networking, individual fulfilment, well-being and career advancement.Many international students already have this mindset. Consider the motivation it takes to leave your country, to invest massively or take on enormous debt to pursue international education, to remove yourself from family, friends and culture, and to possibly build a new life in a new country with a new career, wherever that might take you. This is a self-driven, transformative mentality. As a pioneering international PhD student in regional Australia during the dying days of the White Australia policy, my Sri Lankan father-in-law transformed the trajectory of his family. This type of experience is common among our international students at the University of Canterbury&nbsp;| Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha (UC). With their commitment to personal growth through learning, it could be argued that international students might be eminently prepared for a lifelong-learning journey.However, spending thousands of hours answering student enquiries in recruitment halls around the world can be enlightening. International students often push back against modern Western approaches to academic co-design, which consider students and universities to be partners in a collaborative learning journey, where students have significant freedom to choose their own adventures. Many international students from our largest markets look to us as experts with the specialised knowledge and the responsibility to direct them towards the outcomes they need. Concepts of partnership risk the perception that we do not take that responsibility seriously. Anecdotal evidence and empirical research suggest that international students from our largest markets need time to acclimatise to Western teaching styles, to accept teachers as guides rather than enforcers, to feel comfortable making personal contributions to group tasks, and to be self-directed in a flipped-classroom learning environment.I used to question university marketing rhetoric such as “We are a student-centred university”. Haven’t we always been focused on students? But look how far we have grown from traditional, one-size-fits-all degree programmes to programme designs that give control of the learning journey to the personal drivers of each individual student. Based on the desire for personal growth, students can co-create with universities customised education from a plethora of options, including workplace engagement, international mobility, remote attendance, a choice of electives, majors and minors, engagement with research, dual or conjoint degrees, and greater personal expression through skills-based assessment.Welcoming international students through intercultural orientationUC prepares international students for this engaged learning environment through an intercultural approach to first-year orientation and transition that leans heavily on the Māori concept of Manaakitanga. We offer Manaakitanga to international students: to care about their well-being and sense of belonging through hospitality and protection; to uplift and support them with humility, compassion and empathy; and to respect their individual backgrounds, mindsets and needs, which might be foreign to us. The UC orientation and transition programme delivers ongoing support not only to orientate international students within the university, but also to transition them to the mindset needed to engage fully with student-centred learning, and ultimately with the concept of lifelong learning.The concept of ongoing transition rather than orientation in week one has rapidly gained acceptance. However, there is value in examining the intercultural competency of our orientation and transition programmes. A 2013 Unesco conceptual and operational framework for intercultural competencies broadly states that intercultural competences aim to free people from their own logic and cultural idioms. Surely that should be the aspiration of an interculturally competent orientation and transition programme: to free our students from cultural, historic or other preconceptions about higher education and prepare them to embrace a student-centred approach to learning.UC’s orientation and transition programme, particularly as delivered through the UC Business School, has been co-designed with the Māori iwi of our region, drawing on an indigenous worldview to help overcome our own cultural preconceptions and reach out to our international students with greater cultural fluency, learning from them as they learn from us. In doing so, we stand the best chance of preparing our students for lifelong-learning journeys, irrespective of their origins and the types of teaching that they are used to.International students have specific learning needs and are at risk of being left behind. I believe preparing international students for lifelong learning is so important that to fail this responsibility would be to neglect our overarching pastoral care obligations.Graham Wise is the director of international development at the University of Canterbury&nbsp;| Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

International students might not be comfortable with the student-centred mindset that underpins continuous, self-directed learning. We must prepare them for lifelong learning so they are not left behind, argues Graham Wise

What about lifelong learning for international students?

Teaching in higher education institutions too often presumes that students in a class have similar backgrounds and aspirations. Be it knowledge of fundamental concepts in the subject, language and vocabulary or even plans for the future, there are bound to be significant variations among students, particularly in international classrooms. Different groups of students might be taking your class for different reasons – to satisfy core requirements, because it was the only one for which they met the prerequisites, or out of deep interest and passion for the subject. Particularly in classes where the student population is culturally diverse, all these factors and more lead to the fact that a “one-size-fits-all” approach to teaching often does a big disservice.Help students make the most of studying overseas at branch campuses and beyondUnearthing the hidden curriculum in international classroomsIntroducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismInternational, diverse classrooms with students learning and performing at a very high level are not a new phenomenon. However, it is always worth examining the effectiveness of our teaching techniques and acknowledging the changes we need to make for an inclusive classroom. Here are five important measures you should be thinking about in your international class design.Begin at the beginningIt seems obvious that a course should start with an introduction, maybe a bit of motivation and a perspective on how the field has evolved. However, instructors frequently make assumptions about what students know and, as early as week one, they stand to lose a number of students. It is useful to take a few hours in class to judge the level of the students, learn what they don’t know (and why they took this particular course) and welcome them gently into what is bound to be a hectic term.Keep it simpleComplex marking schemes, sliding deadlines, unclear demarcation between recommended and suggested readings, dynamic lecture schedules and flowery or vague language are recipes for disaster. Keep the course clear, well articulated and simple. Publish a class and homework schedule right at the beginning, announce exam dates and prescribe readings specifically.Assign additional reading or resourcesAs the course progresses, you will be able to clearly identify students who are floundering and those who are not being challenged enough. You could assign additional reading on foundational aspects for those who lack conceptual clarity or state-of-the-art journal articles for the students who are ahead of the curve. Note that this is best done as suggestions given in one-on-one meetings with the students. Sometimes they don’t have the motivation, bandwidth or time to do anything beyond the classroom – and it is also important that we accept this. My top recommendation is to design a few interactive games that provide students with a failsafe means for learning new concepts or brushing up on prior knowledge. Plus, via timed play, this means they can compete with themselves and one another in a healthy way.Check that evaluation patternEven the best efforts at inclusivity in the classroom can be smashed when instructors design exams. Even more than lectures, evaluations need to account for differences in background knowledge, training and future aspirations of the students in a class. Moreover, it is always better to reward both effort and performance, particularly in an international classroom. And remember that breakout-room activities needn’t be limited to online classes – use them for group activities and award points for participation, ingenuity, clarity of thought and so on. Traditional pen-and-paper, closed-book timed exams do have their role to play, but so do other, more innovative means of evaluating students. Instructors would do well to include several modes in the design of the class to accommodate various types of learner.Engage betterEveryone faces this at some point in their teaching careers – students being too shy, intimidated or uncaring about answering questions (or asking their own). These feelings, and the chasm between teacher and student, can be further exacerbated by differences in accents, vocabulary, fluency in English and so on. Some students might have come from very rigid educational backgrounds where asking questions in the class was not encouraged. Acknowledging these differences, being mindful about not crossing hidden cultural barriers and accommodating diverse viewpoints about classroom etiquette, while difficult, are important. Instructors would do well to adapt their methods for student engagement depending on the people in the class in front of them.Many of us have had long teaching careers. We may well establish ourselves as a particular kind of teacher and a caricature of us trickles down to student populations over generations. But every class is different and, as we embrace the power of diversity and inclusivity, it is good for us to learn and grow alongside our students. In doing so, we stand to expand our own perspectives, efficiently improve classroom engagement and train robust new cohorts of students capable of contributing more in the supersonic, ever-changing world of today.Preeti Aghalayam is director-in-charge of the Zanzibar campus, IIT Madras.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Preeti Aghalayam explains why it’s worth examining the effectiveness of your teaching, acknowledging the changes needed for an inclusive classroom and how to do it

Five useful measures for welcoming students to international classrooms

While still at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Jairis Alvarez Trujillo helped to design a solar-powered house and set out how it could be transported sustainably to Dubai as part of the 2020 Solar Decathlon Middle East competition.A learning experience like this can really set university students apart once they start to compete with others to clinch a sought-after internship or early career opportunity anywhere in the world.So how can the UK’s higher education sector open up more opportunities for students to learn and develop new skills overseas?Worldwide higher educationIt’s not unusual for UK-based universities to also have campuses located in different regions across the world. However, each international campus typically welcomes its own cohort of students who tend to remain in one location for the duration of their course.At Heriot-Watt, where I work, all students, just like Jairis, can choose to transfer between our three campuses in the UK, one in Dubai and one in Malaysia if their courses are taught there.An introduction to the global classroom: benefits, challenges and value addedLots to unpack: tips for those considering visiting positions abroadUnearthing the hidden curriculum in international classroomsEvery academic year, our Go Global programme sees hundreds of students experience the best of both worlds by taking up the opportunity to come to the UK from our campuses in Dubai and Malaysia, or vice versa, for a semester, a year or even longer. The opportunities enrich the higher education experience for all students in so many ways.By immersing students in new cultures overseas, they not only expand their networks and make lifelong friends but also gain valuable life skills, including independence and resilience. This exposure enhances their understanding of international issues and equips them for early career success in an increasingly competitive job market.But before diving in, institutions wishing to explore the possibility of running similar programmes should carefully consider a few key factors to ensure students make the most of this potentially transformative experience and prepare for a journey that maximises learning, growth and unforgettable memories.Smooth the wayStudents might not instantly settle into university life in a different country, particularly if everything on their new campus is completely different from what they’ve experienced before. A little familiarity can help to smooth the transition.One way to provide this is to deliver the same course content in common subjects across all campuses. This means students can arrive in their destination countries and continue their studies without worrying about being at different stages from their peers or having to catch up once they get back.At Heriot-Watt, we try to ensure students’ learning experiences are as close as they can be to identical no matter where in the world a student is studying. Enabling our teaching staff to transfer between campuses also helps ensure teaching in all subject areas is of a similar standard, too.It’s equally essential to provide support for a student through each stage of their move. Sending regular reminders about application deadlines, for example, and running cultural awareness sessions can help ensure students know exactly what to expect when they arrive in a new destination. Cohorts of students heading to the same campus at the same time should be given plenty of opportunities to get to know each other before they leave, too, which will help make them feel part of their global learning community.Of course, it’s not always possible for students to transfer their studies abroad. With this in mind, we have developed cross-campus projects to allow those who can’t physically move to still gain that invaluable international experience. A recent project involved students taking beach samples in Dubai, Malaysia and Scotland.Minimise the impact on staff workloadsGo Global is no small undertaking, so it’s crucial to reduce the administrative impact on staff workloads as much as possible. One of the most effective ways to do this is to standardise workflows and processes across the institution.For example, we have a single information management system from Ellucian, which is used across all our campuses. This means student movements are consistently tracked and data on courses and student progress can be updated easily, so there’s no need for it to be requested or shared manually between our UK and overseas campuses. Staff can simply update and view the data they are authorised to see, whether they are based in the UK or internationally.Staff get automatic alerts and reminders to help them manage each stage of a transfer, too, which can save hours of time and reduces the risk of anything being missed. We make sure students studying internationally sit the same assessments and exams at the same time within their subject areas, too, which makes the whole process of managing assessments and monitoring progress much simpler.Broadening horizonsAs a sector, the UK’s higher education institutions have a significant role to play in broadening students’ horizons, helping them compete in the global workplace and shaping our future leaders. Giving students the opportunity to gain worldwide perspectives, learn new languages and experience different cultures as part of their university experiences enhances their academic and personal growth and better equips them to navigate our increasingly interconnected world.Chris Pirie is a student systems manager at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Chris Pirie offers advice on how to run a smooth international student exchange programme

Help students make the most of studying overseas at branch campuses and beyond

UK universities are currently riding high on the international recruitment wave. Student demand has snapped back and we’ve smashed international student targets a decade before deadline.Yet Universities UK is cautioning against complacency in the face of fierce and rising overseas competition, which threatens the UK’s ranking as the world’s second most popular study destination. Its&nbsp;second report into international student recruitment, published last year, warns against dismissing the pre-pandemic pattern of the UK’s declining market share. As global competition intensifies it will be essential for institutions to have the right levers and mechanisms in place to attract and meet both student and education agents’ needs and expectations.Applying to university is a big decision for anyone, but for international students it can be even more daunting. They are making a significant emotional, social and financial investment, while navigating visa and entry requirements and preparing to move to a new country.Resource collection:&nbsp;Pathways to better university admissionsIs your university worth the investment for international students?How to champion the international student experience from admission to graduationAt Aston University the number of international students has tripled in the four years since 2019 and we’ve experienced the pressure meeting the rise in enrolments can bring. Here I offer some valuable lessons in how to successfully manage the flow of international student applications.Creating an effective application and enrolment processProvide real-time information: Giving prospective students up-to-date information on the status of their applications can help to minimise their anxiety and streamline the process on both sides. Not being kept informed about the progress of an application can lead some students to jump ship to other institutions.We provide all overseas students with access to an online portal to track and manage their applications digitally, every step of the way. Universities could opt to build their own in-house portals, if they have the expertise and capacity, but there are also plenty of third-party providers including our own, Enroly, as well as Salesforce, Workday and Ellucian.Students should be automatically prompted to upload the relevant documents, such as passports, qualifications and bank statements. They should be able to log in and see how their applications are progressing whenever they wish and access any required additional documentation specific to their own situations. This minimises the risk of visa refusal due to incorrect or insufficient documentation, which ultimately has a direct impact on the university’s visa sponsor licence.If students have all the information they need in front of them, they feel more supported throughout the application process. This is borne out in the 62 per cent reduction in incoming phone and email enquiries we’ve seen since giving students greater oversight of their applications.Prioritise support efforts: Given the large applicant numbers, institutions must prioritise those candidates who need additional support. Some prospective students might want to know if they can access help finding accommodation or discuss whether they are going to fit in and feel at home in the UK. Others will want reassurance that someone is there to guide them through their university journey.The university team might need to speak to some applicants to ensure their choices of university and courses are the right ones: for example, to double-check the qualifications attained in their home countries are compatible with studying for their desired degrees, or to understand what their planned career paths are to give them the greatest chance of success.Managing the application process is a balancing act because institutions want applicants to feel welcome and supported, but they must also take steps to verify the credibility of applications when necessary. The diversification of the international recruitment market brings big opportunities, but there are also clear risks. As Universities UK acknowledges, without good governance and effective risk management institutions are vulnerable to significant financial and reputational issues.Ensuring there are auditable and robust mechanisms in place to verify that applicants have sufficient funds, for example, is essential. Administrative teams should set their automated systems to flag applicants that require extra support or checks, based on the information provided. We’ve done this by automating bank statement checks so that those with errors, or which don’t comply, are flagged for staff to examine manually and check that there is sufficient availability of funds.Managing immigration issues: As internationalism becomes more important for universities, how to manage complex immigration issues more effectively should be a key consideration. Post Brexit, EU student applications between 2020 and 2022 fell to their lowest level since 1994, while applications from non-EU students increased to record levels in the same period, UK government figures show.To maintain credibility and safeguard their licence to sponsor migrant students, all institutions must take a rigorous approach to compliance and ensure offers are made only to students whose reasons to apply are genuine. But weeding out the bogus from the bone fide becomes more laborious as application volumes increase.Universities should use information in their applications systems to spot emerging patterns. We identified in recent years that many bank loan letters from Indian banks haven’t been meeting the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements in terms of information and format. So we were able to provide targeted advice to specific students to avoid their visas being refused and protect our sponsor licence. This has encouraged many Indian banks to revise and adapt their information and is a positive move for the sector.For UK institutions to stay on top of the competition in international student recruitment, it is important to build in a high level of customer service to ensure an excellent student experience from the start, through the entire student journey to graduation, and beyond.Christina Matthews is director of student experience at Aston University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

UK universities can increase their appeal for international students with better transparency and support through the application and enrolment process, Christina Matthews explains

How to support more international student applications 

University internationalisation efforts typically include student exchange programmes (inbound and outbound), site visits, cultural tours and other activities. However, during the Covid-19 disruption, nearly all exchange programmes were suspended because of travel restrictions and quarantine measures. As a result, some students have been deprived of an opportunity to study at a foreign institution and need to find alternative ways to acquire leadership skills, appreciate transcultural knowledge and gain insights into globalisation.

During the Covid-19 disruption, many institutions switched to offering classes online or in a hybrid delivery mode. For nearly all universities operating online classes, all participants were, as might be expected, students enrolled there. In other words, technology was bridging the distance and timing divides of participants (teachers and students) from the same institution.

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	Bringing international and intercultural dimensions into your programmes
	Engaging with the world from your home classroom: tips for internationalising the curriculum
	Western universities need to look further afield or risk alienation


However, with just a simple twist to this concept, technology can also bridge the distance and timing divides between students and teachers from multiple institutions. This gave birth to the notion of “global classrooms”, a type of internationalisation-at-home effort.

The global classroom

At the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), we have been piloting the use of the global classroom (GC) since 2017, well before Covid-19. The GC, a kind of collaborative online international learning (Coil), is defined as a learning space that fosters co-learning, collaboration, sharing and co-creation of deliverables among its participants.

Both synchronous and asynchronous activities can be included in a GC. Examples of synchronous activities are live/joint lectures, role plays, group discussions and Q&amp;A panel sessions. Asynchronous activities may include using a common online discussion forum, reflections on recorded content and co-creation of project deliverables by a joint project team (where members are drawn from multiple institutions).

Benefits of a GC

The GC has turned out to be a refreshing new pedagogy, thanks to the advancement of technologies and increasingly connected societies. More than typical internationalisation efforts, a GC enables all students in a subject to benefit, not just the handful of students who were approved for an exchange programme. Furthermore, the GC is very scalable; it does not require any additional investment in infrastructure or technology. 

It can also help students acquire much-needed skills that they might need as knowledge workers in the 21st century. For example, through carefully designed joint activities, students can enhance their communication, critical thinking, collaboration and presentation skills. 

In our own experience of the GC, feedback and reflections from teachers and students from participating institutions have all been very positive; they all reported that the GC offers a refreshing and impactful learning experience for all participants. Meanwhile, students participating in the GC as their graduate intake programmes during Covid-19 also relayed to us that their GC experience was highly valued by corporate interviewers. Many parties have agreed to continue hosting the GC and are permeating this pedagogy into routine operations in programme delivery.

GC challenges 

Behind the successes, of course, there are also major challenges in planning and hosting a GC. These are summarised alongside recommended solutions below:

Locating an overseas collaborator: Pursuing both official (the university’s international office) and personal channels (collaborators, former colleagues, people met at conferences) brings the best chance of success and also leverages existing relationships.

Long lead time: Start planning early, at least six to eight months ahead.

Finding a common time slot for synchronous collaboration: Ideally approach institutions that are within +/- four hours from the time zone of the home institution, as this offers a better chance of a window for a common time slot. Also, consider pursuing asynchronous collaboration, as GC does not necessarily need to be synchronous. Consider using only a portion of the class time for a GC. Pre-record a lecture for students to replay if a common time slot cannot be found.

Collecting feedback: Be aware of the policies and regulations of the overseas institutions and government before distributing surveys or approaching foreign students for interviews.

Measuring outcome and impact: This needs careful planning and alignment with the subject’s learning outcomes. In the past, PolyU subjects have used pre- and post-study surveys, feedback and interviews with students and teachers for this purpose.

Further GC value adds

After five years of operating the GC, we discovered another significant gain: enabling students to appreciate and accrue intercultural knowledge. This is commonly rated as a key factor for success in organisational decision-making as well as for global knowledge workers to excel. As such, we have been collaborating with US, European and South African universities to raise awareness and foster a deeper appreciation of the East-West cultural divide for students from different continents. The GC is a great pedagogy to operationalise this initiative. 

Culture is a topic that is discussed in almost all subjects (including the language, business, engineering, design, tourism and healthcare disciplines). Hence, offering a GC on culture is immediately welcome and also significantly expands the flexibility in hosting a GC (for example, it is no longer necessary to pair students from the same discipline and the same level).

Conclusion

The GC is a highly useful pedagogy and should be folded into the delivery of academic programmes worldwide. Universities developing a more flexible timetabling system to accommodate this pedagogy, along with the staging of intercultural lectures, add significant value to the many benefits already offered by the global classroom.

Eric Tsui is senior educational development officer at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter. 

Eric Tsui explains how to intensify internationalisation-at-home efforts, bringing many benefits to students and institutions alike, such as the sharing of transcultural knowledge

An introduction to the global classroom: benefits, challenges and value added

As scholars we all belong to that global tribe known as the “international academic community”, and once in a while there may arrive a rare opportunity to accept a visiting position at an institution overseas. As someone who has worked in several countries in Europe, South-east Asia and East Asia, my advice is simple: if and when such an opportunity appears, take it. Having a string of stints abroad adds to your CV and profile in myriad ways and, on top of that, gives you ample opportunity to network with like-minded scholars and institutions, potentially finding academic companions for life.Having said that, I would also make it clear that accepting a visiting position overseas is not as easy as it sounds. This is particularly true for those of us who happen to live and work in the developing Global South, for the sad reality is that we live in an unequal world and not all passports are created equal. To make things easier if and when the time does come, though, here are some things to look out for:First, you should always begin by doing serious research into the institution that is inviting you, as well as&nbsp;into the host country. While some universities have embraced internationalisation with relish, their respective countries may not. You will need to carry this research out yourself – even if it is only for a short stint of a semester or half a year.I moved to Sweden as an early career researcher – here’s what I learnedSeven tips on finding and establishing international partnershipsAdvice for academics interested in working in the NetherlandsOne factor to consider is whether the institution inviting you has a dedicated department or unit that deals with overseas academics and students. Here at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany, where I am based, the university’s welcome centre played a pivotal role in my decision to accept the offer of a visiting professorship. The centre was set up specifically to help academics and students from abroad find their way to Germany, helping them fulfil all the requirements of German immigration. For those whose command of the German language is weak (and mine is truly basic), this was a great help indeed. Not all universities have these centres and, in such cases, the visiting academic would have to figure everything out for herself/himself, which can be a nightmare for many. So, step one would be to check if the host university has people there who can help as you prepare for the trip. Never be shy when it comes to asking for help in this regard.The second thing to ask yourself is whether you’re willing and able to go alone or if you would need to bring your family with you. In my case I made it clear to the host institution that I would not be willing to come without my wife, and my advice is to be frank with your host institution from the beginning. Travelling with my wife meant that a second set of documents had to be prepared so she could join me on a spousal visa. Again, this requires prior research, as different countries have different rules and regulations when it comes to the issuing of spousal visas or family visas for children. For those with kids in tow, a host of other considerations arise: are there going to be local schools that cater to foreign children? Can your kids simply enrol into the local schools, or would they need an international school to cater to their needs? All this will add to the overall cost of your stint abroad.Which brings me to the practical question of salaries and costs. Some visiting positions may offer a return ticket as part of the contract, while some do not. At present, the cost of long-distance travel in the post-Covid era is prohibitively expensive for many, and for those with families coming along, it might be so high as to render the venture futile. Always check with your friends and colleagues who work at the inviting institution about daily living costs – never rely on those generic charts and tables you find on the internet.It would also be wise to get an understanding of the work culture at your host institution. Again, one should always be honest from the outset. The host institution may be an old one, where a certain work culture has developed over decades, and the visiting academic needs to understand the basic protocols of daily work: are you expected to attend every single meeting or departmental dinner? Are you allowed to rely on the secretaries or student assistants to help you with things such as photocopying or scanning documents? These may seem like mundane matters, but different places may have different rules regarding office work, and it would be wise to know them lest one end up stepping on the toes of others by accident.In the final analysis, we need to ask ourselves why we would accept a visiting position abroad in the first place? For younger academics whose careers are just beginning, a stint abroad may add a tinge of prestige to their budding academic profiles, showing they are well regarded&nbsp; by international institutions. But always remember that you are going overseas for work; this is not meant to be a holiday. Teaching and research await, but also the opportunities for collaboration, project designing and the possibility of collaborative work on a bigger scale later. As an academic who has always believed in, and pushed for, international cooperation, I can only state again: if the opportunity arises, do take it. But please do so with your eyes wide open.Farish A. Noor is presently visiting professor at the standards of decision-making across cultures (SDAC) programme at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Having worked in numerous countries across different continents, Farish A. Noor gives advice on what to look out for when potentially moving overseas

Lots to unpack: tips for those considering visiting positions abroad

When choosing where to go to university, many students opt to study abroad. Sometimes they are attracted by the personal development opportunities it offers through cultural exchange and the experience of living in a new country. Others might wish to improve their language skills or attend a particular institution.For colleges and universities, international students are a valuable part of the student body and a great source of income. Most importantly, having global ambassadors for your university is a key driver for future enrolments and can encourage more students from all over the world to study at your institution.Recruitment of international students is becoming more competitive. To stand out, universities must prioritise digital marketing strategies, using a targeted approach. There are a few simple steps that universities can take to ensure marketing efforts are reaching international students.Resource collection:&nbsp;Marketing and branding that attract attentionMaking the most of social media: practical tips for academicsHow to ensure your university’s branding isn’t as bland as blancmangeSpecify your target audienceFirst, universities must specify who their target audience is. For example, if students from certain parts of the world prioritise studying STEM fields, universities should develop marketing strategies focused on STEM programmes to target these students. As such, conducting market research is essential if you are to understand the unique preferences and needs of any demographic. This could be done by analysing enrolment data, conducting surveys or focus groups and engaging with alumni from different international student groups.With an understanding of the target demographics, universities can tailor marketing content. For example, past studies have shown reputation to be the most critical factor for Chinese students when choosing a university to study abroad, with a focus on high-quality teaching and their chosen subject. Thus, a university wishing to attract Chinese students should highlight its accreditation and rankings, faculty credentials and accomplishments, as well as partnerships with other universities, research institutions and industry partners.Leverage social mediaSocial media is now ubiquitous so it cannot be ignored. Universities should start by understanding which platforms are popular with their target students and where they are most engaged. For example, research by Statista from 2020 showed that US teens were most likely to use YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter, in that order. This is constantly changing, so universities should look for up-to-the-minute data and prioritise platforms accordingly.Sharing user-generated content is a great way to engage prospective students. This includes testimonials by existing students about the university and snapshots of campus life. Videos are a great way for students to share their personal experiences of the university. This offers a more authentic account of the student experiences than promotional or advertising content.&nbsp;Changes in the way that people consume information, from smaller portable screens to apps, has led to a growing preference for interactive and visual content over text-based static media, recent reports show. So institutions should prioritise videos and pictures that showcase the campus, city and locality to familiarise students with university life.Optimise your websiteUniversities must not forget their websites. Students looking to study abroad are not only seeking the right colleges and quality of education, but also universities that provide support during their transition. Devote attention to the “international students” section of the website, detailing what you offer international students and what support you provide. This could be information about the cost of living, accommodation, orientation sessions to familiarise students with the city and opportunities to connect them with international student alumni who can share their own experiences and answer questions.University websites should provide a smooth user experience with clear navigation and easily accessible information. Content and design should be optimised to appear at the top of relevant Google searches. This is where search engine marketing (SEM) should be considered. SEM uses paid advertising to increase visibility in search engine results thereby driving traffic to the university’s website.Consider the bigger pictureAttracting international students is about more than the quality of your education. Marketing efforts should look to familiarise prospective students with the university, the city and the country to show how they could be a great fit for them.Many students develop strong connections to their study destinations and end up relocating, so universities should demonstrate future opportunities and career pathways. Some universities have dedicated alumni services offices and specialised job search portals to guide students in their journeys after graduation. Such services can be marketed by asking alumni to attend events and speak about their careers and how the university supported them in finding jobs. Clips from these events can be shared via social media.By understanding the needs and expectations of international students, institutions can shape compelling digital marketing content to position themselves as leaders in the global education market.Claire Roper-Browning is regional director of marketing, recruitment, admissions, and communications (MRAC) at Heriot-Watt University Dubai.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Advice for university marcomms teams on shaping digital marketing efforts to reach and appeal to international students

Digital marketing as a route to reaching international students

Students in my first-year writing courses come from all over the world. They know how to navigate the internet and Blackboard accounts, register for classes, and find the course materials. What they are missing are the unspoken assumptions, expectations, implications and “rules” of US academia.Taking writing conventions as an example, we need to clearly communicate the rules, which differ across cultures. International students do not necessarily understand what is meant by “paraphrasing”, or the mechanics of how to translate things into their own words. Is using a translating application, like Google Translate, permissible? Is it desirable? Why or why not? What about Grammarly or automatic citation generators?When I was asked by my international students to explain my own experience with hidden cultural assumptions, I looked back to my experience as a study-abroad junior undergraduate in Seville, Spain.I had enrolled in a Spanish linguistics course with all native Spanish speakers, except myself. On the first day of class I received an extensive book list and visited every bookstore in the city but could not find one book on the list. Nearly in tears, I went to my professor’s office and told him the problem. The professor explained that the 60-plus students in the class all shared the books and passed them on to one another from one year to the next. And the custom in Spain was for the students to have self-formed study groups, in which I was not included.Resource collection:&nbsp;New approaches to the internationalisation of higher educationThe hows and whys of improved interactions with international studentsBreaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking studentsHe lent me copies of the four or five relevant books I would need in the class. He then told me that I would not be able to discern which parts of the books were crucial to read and understand for the exam, because the ability to derive this implicit knowledge from his lectures required a sophistication of language that only a native Spanish speaker would have. So, he told me explicitly what to read and to study and met with me weekly in office hours to discuss the material so that I could participate on an equal footing in the class.No doubt this professor went above and beyond many others, but we can at least attempt to emulate this process in our own classes.Going above and beyond for studentsOffer to meet and even ask to meet with students who struggle in your classroom, lending books and materials to them when needed. By going the extra mile for all students, we help them build rapport with us, the instructors, and the entire class. Modelling how to establish a relationship with one professor helps students advocate for themselves in other classes.Help your international students to find research or internship opportunities. Foreign and first-generation students without college-educated parents or mentors may not know how to navigate the higher education system to engage in these practices. For example, career services offices at most universities can provide individualised help. You could request a career services representative to come to one of your classes.Practices such as first-year seminars, writing intensive courses, collaborative assignments, undergraduate research and experiential learning in the community help level the playing field for historically underserved students and increase the chances that any student will achieve their educational and personal goals, according to George D. Kuh in his 2008 book on the subject, High-Impact Educational Practices.Remember that issues not mentioned in the course textbook or syllabus nonetheless influence how well students learn. For example, students can and should connect their classroom learning to their own lives as well as the lives and experiences of people different from them. Educators might address anti-racism, white supremacy, colonisation, and how to critically assess media, while prioritising curiosity towards and empathy for the lived worlds of others.Impostor syndrome and the notion that the students have to prove they are the “best and the brightest” weigh heavily on many students. There can be pressure to succeed from students’ parents, families or sponsors. The difficulties of navigating being away from home apply to all students but more so for those studying overseas or learning in a second language.There are cultural differences in the expectations for teacher and student roles. In many cultures, it is common to see teacher-centred classrooms emphasising passive learning, explicit instruction and indirect communication. Students are not used to being asked for their opinion and feel uncomfortable saying anything that contradicts their teacher.&nbsp;Bear in mind that students may also shy away from being critical of the country they are studying in or of their home country. In some cases, criticising their own country could be dangerous or students may perceive that expressing their opinions could be dangerous. Stay sensitive to the possibility that students are sometimes unable or unwilling to discuss or write on a particular topic and allow students the leeway to negotiate their ideas.Writing in familiar languageNearly all students – multilingual and first generation especially – struggle to do what David Bartholomae calls “inventing the university”, by which he means understanding and inhabiting the academic community and discourse conventions of the university. When a writer’s syntax falls apart, Bartholomae says, it is likely because the writer is challenging themselves to capture a complex idea, one that goes beyond the students’ normal speech or writing.In the case of multilingual students writing in English, attempts at academic prose may be only partially formed. They may be taken directly from Google Translate, and not English at all. To combat this, suggest that students write in language that they have heard or spoken or seen before, and that they write for a realistic and specific audience such as a graduate programme, professor or even their parents or a friend.Asking students, of any background, to write in a new discourse as if they were a member of an academic community (an economist, engineer, psychologist, etc) takes time.“The writer must get inside a discourse he can only partially imagine,” Bartholomae writes. The conventions of writing include knowing the audience’s assumptions, what is taken as “commonplace”, along with the use of persuasive examples and evidence for that audience.These conventions are rarely explicit, and so we need to help students understand these tacit conventions – the hidden curriculum that underlies the more visible acquisition of content knowledge.A bit of empathy goes a long way. By finding ways to know international students and their preferred learning styles, whether through individual appointments, office hours or reflective student writing, faculty will discover new insights into their lives and cultures.There is a high value in having multilingual students in our classes – a richness of perspective that benefits all students.Andrea Feldman is a teaching professor of distinction and coordinator for international student services at the University of Colorado Boulder.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How educators can help international students navigate the unspoken assumptions, expectations and norms of US higher education

Unearthing the hidden curriculum in international classrooms

The Russell Group’s recent report stating that by 2025, some universities could face a deficit of £4,000 for every UK student taught will make difficult reading for a sector still recovering financially from the pandemic.Continuing political uncertainty over whether or not there will be a curb on the number of international students permitted to remain in the UK after graduation could have additional financial implications – particularly if overseas students are put off choosing a UK university as a result.The world-class higher education on offer in the UK has typically been a major draw for many students who choose to experience university life beyond their home shores.Is your university worth the investment for international students?The hows and whys of improved interactions with international studentsHow to champion the international student experience from admission to graduationBut with growing competition from ever-expanding global markets, it remains to be seen if the assurance of a quality education will be enough for the UK to remain an attractive destination for overseas students.There are, however, four key strategies that can help institutions mitigate the risk of overseas student numbers falling:1. Diversify target marketsThe recent surge in students coming from China and India may have made it easier for institutions to meet their international student recruitment targets. But too much emphasis on attracting students from one or two regions puts the sector at risk if markets dry up unexpectedly.Expansion into new areas means fewer eggs in one basket and Nigeria, Pakistan and the US have all been recently highlighted as key emerging markets by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.&nbsp;Universities can physically put boots on the ground, sending staff to new areas to recruit students directly. There is also a wide selection of outreach programmes, such as those run by the British Council, which institutions can tap into to boost their presence in different markets.Expanding an institution’s network of student recruitment agencies can also extend its reach. A trusted agent has the local knowledge and experience to help universities attract students and strengthen the message that the UK continues to be a top destination for higher education.2. Ensure a frictionless student experienceStudents are much more likely to choose a university that has a reputation for efficiently managing visas and documentation, such as the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. A smooth-running recruitment and admissions process also ensures the university can stay one step ahead of the competition in responding to enquiries and making offers.Carry out a robust analysis of the end-to-end international student recruitment process. It might be that incoming calls from agents and students take a minute longer to answer in the run up to the September and January intakes, risking callers giving up. Knowing small details such as this means additional staff can be deployed at these times to eliminate hold-ups.Many elements of the admissions process can be automated, too, saving time for international student recruitment teams and speeding up the whole process to improve the student experience.3. Offer students more than academic qualificationsA recent report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute revealed that only 52 per cent of international students studying in the UK thought their institution was doing well at satisfying their needs in terms of career support. So, this is another area where an institution could add great value and, at the same time, boost the UK’s reputation for delivering a much richer HE experience than a student might get elsewhere in the world.Most institutions already provide some form of career development support for students, from CV writing and managing interviews to presentation skills, language and communication. But putting the advancement of students’ career prospects at the very heart of what they do could be another competitive edge.This wouldn’t necessarily require huge changes overnight. Training and support on using platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn for career development is a relatively simple example. Not just what to post but really detailed, up-to-date information such as the best times to post, which industry hashtags and types of content do well on which platforms, and how to approach potential employers or research partners online to increase the chances of success.Students who have acquired the digital skills to promote themselves and extend their professional reach online almost inevitably boost the reputation of their alma mater too. This shines a bright light on a university as an attractive option for other students deciding where in the world they would like to study.4. Enhance the curriculumActivities that promote a university as a key destination for international students could provide valuable learning opportunities, too. Perhaps, for example, a group of marketing students could be set an assignment to design a digital ad campaign that promotes the top-class education being provided by their institution. By launching and running the campaign, the students gain critical workplace skills that they can draw on in their early careers, such as navigating social media metrics and learning how to adjust the language and messaging used in digital advertising so it resonates with potential students in different geographic regions and industry sectors. And an added benefit is a boost to their university’s profile internationally.Changing timesThere was a time when it made sense, economically and academically, for overseas students to choose a UK university over other destinations such as Australia or America. But times have changed.With university budgets under growing pressure, the time is right for the sector to extend its global reach and offer overseas students more real-world career development opportunities. This will attract students into our universities and encourage them to share their positive experiences of studying in the UK long after they graduate.Iain Sloan has worked in the HE sector for more than 17 years, with 15 of them at Oxford Brookes University, where he held a variety of roles across the admissions team and was head of UK recruitment and partnerships. He is now senior solutions consultant at Ellucian.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Iain Sloan explores four key strategies universities can introduce to help them continue to attract overseas students in challenging times

How to build a stronger pipeline for international student recruitment 

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on the number of international students attending British universities, with record deferrals and sharp declines in applications plaguing UK institutions since 2020. The phenomenon is not limited to the UK, though. The share of US institutions reporting increasing internationalisation – including international learners, study-abroad programmes and other global engagement efforts – fell from 72 per cent in 2016 to 21 per cent by 2021. Meanwhile, the number of international students studying in Australia fell by half during the pandemic.As travel restrictions and other Covid protocols continue to loosen around the world, international student enrolment is, at last, starting to show signs of recovery. But the market has drastically changed in the intervening years. Students have grown far more concerned about the return on investment (ROI) of their education, and they are starting to look beyond traditionally popular destinations and well-known universities as a result.&nbsp;The hows and whys of improved interactions with international studentsFive tips for helping international students settle in their new surroundingsHow to champion the international student experience from admission to graduationSince 2012, Turkey has increased its number of international students from 25,000 to 250,000. In the Netherlands, the number of international students has risen so sharply in recent years that the country is facing a shortage of student housing. Germany is attracting record numbers of international learners, and Malaysia is having immense success recruiting students with programmes that have other global connection points. The sector has rarely been this competitive, crowded or unpredictable, meaning colleges and universities worldwide must work harder than ever to prove to learners that the experience of learning in their country is still worth a student’s and their family’s time and money.&nbsp;International students have made it clear that the pandemic has not extinguished dreams of pursuing their education abroad. They have, however, experienced a major shift in what they consider to be most important when making decisions about their educational journey.&nbsp;Affordability is increasingly a top concern for students. According to research by&nbsp;International Consultants for Education and Fairs&nbsp;(ICEF), the cost of studying and living now ranks as the most important factor for students when deciding where to study internationally, coming in above even immigration and work opportunities. With tuition rising in historically in-demand study-abroad destinations such as the UK, Australia and the US, students are turning to more affordable countries including Japan and Italy.&nbsp;Countries and their higher education institutions (HEIs) must not only find ways to reduce the cost of tuition and other educational expenses but also ways to mitigate the cost of living for international learners. More, for instance, are allowing students to work while studying. The UK government is considering increasing the hours international students can work during their studies, which will make it more feasible for students to attend one of their HEIs. Other institutions are exploring new financing options as ways to reduce the cost for learners.&nbsp;While the cultural and societal benefits that come with studying abroad are priceless, students and families are increasingly asking colleges and universities to quantify their ROI of attending an institution. Affordability is important, but today’s international students are particularly keen on leveraging their education and the experience of international study to jump-start high-paying, rewarding careers. How institutions help students find placement and how many of their students benefit from career services are questions that HEIs should be prepared to answer.A survey released last year by the UK’s Higher Education Policy Institute found that while 82 per cent of respondents said career support was an important factor in choosing a university to attend, just half believed their institution met the career needs of international students. Programmes of study must be tied more closely to in-demand fields and industries, providing students with relevant skills that qualify them for internships which will propel them on their career path. Career services must increase their global reach to better serve all students at all stages of the college experience at their institution, but in particular as students search for how to turn their education into gainful, rewarding employment upon graduation.Flexibility is also key. From offering more online courses to providing dual-degree programmes that enable students to master multiple fields of study at once, institutions should aim to grant learners the flexibility they need to better tailor their international learning experience. This includes providing more flexible payment plans for students financing their education.&nbsp;Finally, institutions would be wise to double down on retention efforts. While most international students intend to remain and work in their host country after graduation, comparatively few do. In Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, for example, just a quarter of international graduates stay in their host countries long term. Countries and institutions looking to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded global marketplace must work to not only give their international students a reason to stick around after graduation but the means to do so. They should provide clearer pathways to citizenship, prepare students for and offer more work experience opportunities, and seek to ensure international students feel welcome and at home on campus and in their communities. Recently published Apply Board insights predict that those countries with the most attractive post-graduation work offerings will draw more international students.&nbsp;Following the global upheaval of the pandemic, students across the globe are rightly asking important questions about the value and worth of a degree – at home and abroad. Institutions must work harder than ever to ensure they are providing the best benefit and path forward for international learners if they are to secure their place on the world stage of higher education.Cagri Bagcioglu is head of eastern Europe and central Asia at Cintana Education.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

International student concerns have changed in recent years, and traditional study-abroad destinations need to keep up

Is your university worth the investment for international students? 

In essence, online and face-to-face conferences are the same: both need speakers and attendees, engaging content and a space to stage the event. Both need to be promoted and presented professionally and delivered on time. And both need to provide value for money. The only real difference is that online conferences are easier to run because all this happens in cyber space. 

Yeah, right.

As much as we might want to believe that conferences are all about professional development, that in-person events usually involve travel and the prospect of a few days’ vacation tacked on is a major attraction, online the only travel you get is to the kitchen for a cuppa between sessions. 


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So how do you get people to pay to attend your conference from their home or office? How do you ensure people know about it? And how will you make sure the event runs smoothly? Here are key considerations when organising an online academic conference.

Where’s the value in online events?

Your conference has to be unique. It might not be a place geographically, but it must be a destination in terms of content. What’s your point of difference? Is anyone else offering the same? Are they doing it better? Are they doing it first? In our case, the International Block and Intensive Learning and Teaching Association (IBILTA) conference was the only international block teaching conference in the world, so we knew we had that space to ourselves.

Your conference has to be unique in terms of content and speakers, too. Who do your audience want to hear from and on what topics? Be clear about the value you are offering and to whom.

OK, so you’re showcasing great content and good speakers; you’ve piqued my interest. Where’s my souvenir bookmark, my show bag? Where’s my morning tea and muffin? My conference dinner? And, again, why should I be paying to join a bunch of Zooms from my lounge?

Good questions all. No, you can’t offer much in terms of concrete add-ons, but think about other perks. Could conference registration include membership of your association and whatever benefits that confers? Your overheads should be low, so why not pass on the savings?

Call in the professionals

Speaking of overheads, having event-management expertise on board is crucial. We didn’t know what we didn’t know, so we wasted time, money and effort going round and round in unproductive circles until we called in the professionals. Employing a media professional to set up our conference registration sites and our landing and programme pages was similarly – and extraordinarily – beneficial. Make use of institutional expertise (we reached out to colleagues at Victoria University in these fields) to minimise costs. 

If you don’t have that expertise in house, consider buying it in via sponsorship or in-kind trades. We ended up with a conference that looked great and ran without a hitch – I shudder to think what would have happened had we decided to do it all ourselves. 

Promote your event widely and clearly

As with all conferences, spreading the word is vital. Use all the usual communication channels: professional and private networks, social media, mainstream media placement, conference listing sites and institutional communications. Clarity of message, especially in terms of value and uniqueness, is crucial.&nbsp;Simple, consistent imagery that is easily shared on social media helps create a brand image and reduces the need for exposition. The text that goes with this image should stress the benefits of registration, in both fiscal and academic terms.&nbsp; 

Start planning yesterday

Time: there is never enough. Start your planning as early as possible. A year ahead is good. We had eight months – we’re giving ourselves 14 months of lead time to our next conference, which will be face to face. Set the date and work backwards in terms of planning. 

An international conference will run across time-zone issues. The more continents are involved, the more complicated it is. We had presenters and attendees from Australia, Europe, North America and Asia, so we ran our conference in two four-hour sessions with a three-hour break between, which allowed us to schedule sessions at reasonable times for (almost) all attendees and presenters. Despite this, we had one person presenting at 2am her time. We’re still apologising for that.

Recording all presentations and hosting these on a dedicated YouTube channel (another chance for your media guru to help you shine) is one way to ensure everyone has access to all sessions.

When things go wrong

Internet connections can go down. PowerPoint presentations can freeze. People will get sick. Plan for this and set up contingencies as necessary. Perhaps you, as the conference committee, have stand-by presentations you can drop into the schedule and deliver yourselves to fill any holes. Think about asking presenters to send you their slides ahead of time or save them as both PowerPoint presentations and PDFs in case one format fails.

Select your conference committee with care

Choose your committee members wisely – you will spend a lot of time with them. Look for colleagues with a diverse skill set, the ability to think around corners and, perhaps most importantly, those who are reliable and consistent. 

Be prepared to work long hours, repeatedly ensuring everyone has the right link, to the right session, at the right time-zone time. You need to stay in closer contact with your attendees and presenters than you would for a face-to-face conference, too, to maintain their commitment. It’s much easier to pull out of an online conference than one you’ve committed big travel dollars to. It’s your job as a committee to ensure that doesn’t happen.

This is far from being an exhaustive list, but it does give you some idea of the key boxes you’ll need to tick when organising your first online conference.

John Weldon is associate professor and&nbsp;head of curriculum, Loretta Konjarski is associate dean of learning and teaching, and Bert Oraison is a senior lecturer and deputy associate dean,&nbsp;all of&nbsp;First Year College at Victoria University, Australia.

If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

How hard can it be to stage an online conference? Don’t you just book a whole bunch of Zooms and send out invites? Well, yes and no. Here are five key takeaways from our experience as rookies to conference organisation

So you want to host an international online conference?

The number of international students in the UK continues to grow. This is especially true for non-European Union countries, with China (99,160 students enrolled in 2021/22), India (53,015 students) and Nigeria (14,270 students) leading the statistics.&nbsp; &nbsp;

  
      
  
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Figure 1: Historical numbers of international students in the UK. Data source: Higher Education Statistics Authority, 2022.

&nbsp;A 14.5 per cent annual growth in non-EU postgraduate student numbers in the UK between 2020/21 and 2021/22 meant they represented 54 per cent of non-EU international students enrolled in UK institutions in 2021/22, according to the Higher Education Statistics Authority.Due to cultural differences, studying at a foreign university can be emotionally, socially and academically challenging. There is no doubt that emotional and social experiences are critical; however, this piece focuses on the academic aspect, more specifically on international students’ interactions with academics.Resource collection:&nbsp;New approaches to the internationalisation of higher educationBreaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking studentsPeer review in multilingual classesOne reason for this focus is that academic-student interactions impact the social and emotional well-being of both. Uncovering cross-cultural differences could improve the understanding of students’ and academics’ pedagogical expectations. Another reason is my unique position as a former international student and now an early career academic in the UK. I draw on my personal and professional reflections from transitioning between these roles.Participation and engagement: ‘I need to have the right answer’ v ‘I’d like to see you engaged’Some of the most visible differences observed between international and UK-based students is their level of engagement in lectures and supervisions. While international students arrive at every lecture, they have the tendency to be the quieter group. To overcome their reluctance to participate, you can:Encourage students’ participation by openly stating that there are no right or wrong answers.Explicitly invite students to contradict the presented ideas. Explain that questioning what they learn shows their engagement with the topic.Calling out students personally could help but academics should be confident that the selected student does not have language barriers. Otherwise, a student may lose face and the effect will be the opposite.Bloom’s taxonomy partially explains differences in participation and engagement expectations. The taxonomy outlines learning objectives in the shape of pyramid. The bottom layer represents “remembering” or knowledge recall. Learning objectives move up the pyramid through the stages of understanding or explaining concepts, applying knowledge in new situations, analysing ideas, evaluating concepts, up to finally creating new knowledge. In many Eastern cultures, the bottom level of reproducing knowledge is the educational aim, with academics being the “knowledge providers” and students “knowledge receivers”. In the West, education emphasises higher taxonomy levels such as deeper understanding and students’ self-discovery of knowledge, their own skills and potential. Since many international students have not experienced Western education prior to arriving in the UK, they may not realise their participation is expected or know how to actively engage.Instructional language: ‘Tell me what to do exactly’ v ‘Think independently and be creative’For students coming from more directive cultures, vague language of instruction and assignment format can catch them by surprise. Being used to knowledge assessment, writing essays to demonstrate their learning is unfamiliar to many international students. Choosing their own project topics and taking responsibility for their own learning contradicts with the culture of strong uncertainty avoidance that has strict rules and expectations. To help them tackle novel situations and undefined tasks:Explain learning objectives and assignments early to avoid potential frustrations from unmet expectations.Pay extra attention to clarifying ambiguous instructions such as “demonstrate understanding”, “show originality” etc.Proactively encourage students to ask clarifying questions and normalise this as OK to do. It saves students from guessing and academics from marking poor-quality work.Remind students they are responsible for their own learning and projects.Mapping cultural differences to Bloom’s taxonomy learning objectives demonstrates the variance in instructional language. By targeting lower levels of the taxonomy of knowledge recall, less democratic countries seek to raise conformed individuals able to follow prescribed tasks and suppress the creativity and innovation that are valued in UK universities. Western higher education encourages students to master the art of scientific enquiry and self-manage their own learning, which are both very unstructured learning goals. Therefore, students’ and academics’ pedagogical expectations of instructional language differ.Assessment feedback: ‘I did what you asked for, why don’t I get 100 per cent?’In many Eastern countries, once a student delivers what’s expected, their marks are in the 90 to 100 per cent range. Therefore, it can be a shock to many when they get 60 to 70 per cent with a written commentary along the lines of, “Good job, you answered the question well”. Therefore, some students approach academics for an explanation of their marks. There are many who may not get in touch because of the power distance, but equally wonder why this is.Ask students how they feel about their mark and feedback. What do they think they did well and why?Explain that getting 60 to 70 is considered a success in the UK and that only a few students score above 80 or even 90.Check if they understand the feedback comments. Is there anything to clarify?How will they go about getting a better mark next time?First, these differences in expectations are closely linked to the issue of uncertainty avoidance, which, ideally, should be addressed when providing the assignment brief and instructions. This is why explaining marking criteria in detail, with specific examples, is crucial.Second, a feminine and masculine dimension to cultural differences applies. Feminine cultures value solidarity and social adaptation. Lower academic performance is not a big deal; an average student is the norm. Masculine societies seek brilliance, and academic failure can destroy students’ self-image, potentially leading to suicide in extreme cases. Masculine cultures prize competitiveness and the best students are considered the norm. Interestingly, the UK, China and India lean toward the masculine dimension, with students from these countries seeking feedback clarification with the view to perform better. Therefore students across the board tend to be motivated to achieve high; however, international students are used to getting much higher marks when performing well. Explaining the marking standards in the UK will help students understand their performance in context.Disclaimer: The author wishes to acknowledge individual differences that exist within cultures. Although cultural differences are central to the piece, they do not reflect the unique characteristic of every individual. Thus the above may not apply to everyone in every situation.Lenka Janik Blaskova is a lecturer in the psychology of education at the University of Exeter.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Strategies for overcoming potential cultural differences and supporting better academic-international student relationships

The hows and whys of improved interactions with international students

Modern universities have numerous reasons for wanting to diversify, from broadening their means of income generation and widening access (perhaps reaching students who cannot physically come to the UK) to helping achieve their goals of decolonising curricula. Global academic partnerships can help achieve this.Finding and establishing the right international partnerships can give a university global collaboration potential and reach without the need to establish campuses around the world. Partnerships can also offer a head start in regional markets and create more diverse student interest for the UK university.Location, location, locationLocation is key. Considerable sustainable resources are needed to establish partnerships. The first consideration is finding a location where students want and need your programmes, not just now but in the next five to 30 years. This often means not going where everyone else already is.A report by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) shows that thousands of students are studying UK transnational education (TNE) in Malaysia. However, the market is likely to be flooded with in-demand programmes such as MBA, accounting and other finance options, so unless you have a unique offering or are a top 10 UK university in the World University Rankings,&nbsp;you are unlikely to attract much interest from students.A guide to the dos and don’ts of international partnershipsClear communication as the key to international collaborationSea of sameness: why universities have trouble with brandingBe sure to look at a country’s geopolitical, economic, social, technological, legal and ethical environments. Remember that these are not fixed. Whether the country is developed or developing, keep scanning the horizon and prepare for adjustments. Think about how students will access and continue to access your curriculum. This should not put you off collaborations in unstable or economically challenged environments. In fact, UK TNE is often more highly sought after in countries that have faced or are facing political upheaval as a means of helping rebuild a country differently in the future.Do, however, be prepared for challenges and setbacks wherever you operate. Is your organisation sufficiently agile in responding to unexpected changes? How did it cope with Covid? Your answer to these questions might give useful indication.Partnerships are like marriagesAs with affairs of the heart, you don’t marry just because you can or because someone likes you. You marry because you have the same vision for the future. Try to find that with potential academic partners – and within your own organisation, too. You will need buy-in from internal and external stakeholders. Try to find out your vice-chancellor’s views on international expansion and your potential choice. If you don’t have senior leadership support, change management in the rest of the organisation will be like moving an HGV with a bicycle.Make sure you share a strategic visionOnce you’ve decided this could be “the one”, there will be full legal, financial and quality due diligence. Before you get that far, however, initial scoping and light-touch investigations will confirm whether or not you’re on the right path. Key considerations to investigate at this stage might be whether you are both committed to widening access, a good student experience and growth aligned to market changes and those of both organisations. If you’re not strategically aligned at this early stage, it’s better to fail fast and both move on. &nbsp;Quality considerationsDepending on the business model of a partnership (of which there are many), the student studying with a partner could well be considered by Hesa to belong to the UK university’s student body (and will thus be reportable in the Hesa aggregate offshore report). This means a responsibility to ensure that the student, who will not be on your campus, has an equivalent student experience to those who are. When establishing a partnership, be sure to check that the institution has the physical, academic and marketing resources to not compromise that experience. Data is obviously crucial, but it’s also important to value your instincts.Seeing can be believing. The feel, the ambience and how staff and students react to you can tell you a lot. Most countries are easily accessible – so visit. There is no better judge than someone who has experience of your institution’s quality and standards, and knowledge of what good teaching and learning look and feel like. If this is not you, make sure they visit.Speak to staff and students – if possible, speak to students without members of staff around. You’ll soon get a picture of how satisfying the student experience is. If the staff don’t let you speak to students without them, note this – is it an amber or red flag?If you can’t visit, ask for a virtual real-time tour, and don’t be shy – ask to look in the cupboards and anywhere else you want to see on a live tour.Will the relationship be quid pro quo?A key characteristic to look for is trustworthiness, along with the host country’s appetite for compliance with the rule of law. A good partner will be honest and open with you from the off. If you’re discovering, as negotiations develop, that they’ve not been honest, that’s a red flag not to ignore.Don’t be fooled by sales pitches with offers of eye-watering numbers of students. In the first year of delivery, unless you’re offering a unique programme in high demand with no competitors, or are Oxford or Cambridge, you’ll have to put in time to gain reputation and trust.A more realistic candidate – and potentially less attractive offer – can often be a sign that a partner is worth working with.Look for third-party verificationIf a potential partner has a track record of offering UK TNE, even at a different level, they will have experience of working to Office for Students (OfS) or Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) standards. Through third-party data, you can often get a good picture of what an institution is skilled at. For example, student experience or feedback scores can show that an institution is taking measures to engage them. In addition, look for an external referee who can vouch for them (or not).Setting up for deliveryGaining institution and programme delivery approval is uphill, but you don’t reach the pinnacle even once the legal formality of contracts has been negotiated and signed. In fact, it’s the next step that will determine how smoothly the partnership will run: training for operational delivery and ongoing monitoring. Don’t assume you’re working with capable educators who will work it out – being hands off at this stage is dangerous indeed.Organise a timetable of training, virtually or in country. The full student journey needs to be mapped out and the partner’s key personnel need support – from applications, registration and accessing learning systems to assessments, submissions and key contacts – delivered in real time so questions and answers can be meaningfully backed up with a comprehensive operations manual.Ultimately, it’s crucial to remember that a partnership is not simply about taking your programme into a new country. Try to be clear with representatives from the other institution about what you want out of this other than a financial return. Remember that academically there’s much we can learn from the Global South, especially in terms of curriculum diversity. When you’re looking at potential partnerships, think about what you will get back from partners as well as what you can give to them.Once operational, don’t forget those all-important date nights (AKA in-person visits). They are just as important as all the pre-partnership rituals.Debra Hinds is associate pro vice-chancellor at Arden University, UK.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

An international partnership is like a marriage – once the courting is over, long-term compatibility is crucial, says Debra Hinds

Seven tips on finding and establishing international partnerships

Moving to a new environment to live and study can be very difficult for first-year international students. Most students report that family, friends and the social environment in their home town are the main stabilising factors for them, so coming to a new country for education will almost certainly affect overseas arrivals. They will need a new set of harmonising factors to help establish stability in their new life.The following strategies can help first-year international students adapt; they are based on our experiences and observations as advisers to international students and on students’ answers to questions they were asked in different tasks. Some of these recommendations can be implemented by the university in general and some can be implemented at the faculty level.Provide a welcoming ‘family’ environmentAs advisers to international students, we frequently collaborate with faculty to arrange meetings and gatherings for the newcomers at the beginning of the academic year. We organise inductions for our new students to introduce them to faculty members one by one, and they have stated that such meetings made them feel valued and welcomed. Students feeling that they matter in their new environment is crucial to a smooth adaptation period, particularly when they are in a different country, where the local language is foreign and culture and traditions are different.How to champion the international student experience from admission to graduationBreaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking studentsIntroducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismFollowing individual introductions to academic and administrative staff come gatherings. The aim is to allow international and local students to meet each other and interact. Hopefully, all our events help bring international students closer to both the academic staff and their classmates, as this helps increase their sense of belonging in their new environment. Our interactions with them during these meetings position us not just as lecturers or advisers but also we aim to become part of their “new family”.Peers can offer useful supportA peer-support programme matching international students with their local classmates can be hugely helpful. Local students experience fewer adaptation challenges and do not have a language barrier to negotiate. One way to help such a support programme to work is to place it within the weekly course schedule at an allocated time, so it becomes part of the core offering rather than an optional extra.Students who are familiar with the culture, who know the local language or who’ve been at the university for a while are called on to volunteer. Each week volunteer students meet with the international students who need support with their studies or life on or outside the campus in general. This type of peer-mentorship programme has many benefits in terms of supporting students psychologically, emotionally and academically. It also allows them to build healthy relationships and overcome academic difficulties.Removing the language barrierMost of our newcomer international students are willing to learn the local language, which at our institution is Turkish. And we’ve observed that adaptation becomes much easier for students who show interest in learning the local language. But is it difficult to learn a new language when you’ve just started studying towards a degree? Absolutely not.The curriculum of every faculty at our university offers beginner-level Turkish language courses for international students during the first and second semesters in their first year. These courses provide them with basic language skills, which are helpful for them in their social interactions in the local community. Extracurricular activities with local students also provide international students with the skills and ability to have more social contact.The power of foodMost of our overseas students emphasise that a key sensitivity is their cultural traditions, including their foods and special day celebrations. For example, some of our Nigerian students stated in an assignment that they wanted to find some of their native soups on or around campus. Of course, most of them want to experience the new tastes they find here in Cyprus as well, but it is also a fact that there is a huge longing for the tastes of home.At present, a new shopping facility is being built on campus, where international students will soon have easy access to familiar ingredients in order to make the foods they miss. This is exciting not only because they will be able to make themselves culturally important food; it will also allow them to share this aspect of their culture with their classmates and people they socialise with. Never underestimate the ways in which gatherings around food can help conversations flow more easily and increase the amount people share about themselves, allowing for stronger friendships to develop.Season’s greetingsChristmas is the ultimate time for feeling homesick for many students. Although Christmas is not celebrated by the local community here in Cyprus, we try to ensure that international students do not feel the absence of the festive season. Streets, houses and cars are often decorated for the new year, which helps add&nbsp;greatly to the feeling of Christmas. Moreover, for international students’ degree programmes, the academic calendar is designed to include Christmas Day as a holiday.Student clubs and groups organise Christmas meals and parties every year. Given that term starts in early October, by December local and international students with similar interests – whether they share cultural and religious festivals or not – have had the opportunity to mix and mingle, so Christmas meals and new year celebrations come at the perfect time to seal the deal for first-year international students’ adaptation to higher education in a new country.Ganna Pola is coordinator of international nursing students at Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus.Önay Aktunç is adviser of first-year international nursing students at Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Ganna Pola and Önay Aktunç offer advice based on their experience as advisers to international students in North Cyprus

Five tips for helping international students settle in their new surroundings

At the recent World Cup, the last-minute decision by the host nation, Qatar, not to sell beer in stadiums during games exemplified the tenuous nature of international partnerships and the ultimate sovereignty a national government has over activities within its borders, particularly when cultural expectations may clash. Higher education is replete with such partnerships and problems.KAIST, a top Korean institution, announced plans to pivot from a branch campus in New York City to creating a strategic research alliance with New York University. The Global Innovation Exchange began as a partnership between the University of Washington (US) and Tsinghua University (China), focusing on international and interdisciplinary education and research in technology innovation. The University of North Carolina (US) partners with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) in the operation of the Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island.&nbsp;Such collaborations have become increasingly common as universities seek to internationalise and expand their physical footprint around the globe. They bring both opportunity and risk.Last year, the National University of Singapore (NUS) announced&nbsp;its unilateral decision to end the much-acclaimed Yale-NUS College in Singapore by 2025. Whereas, in 2015, the University of Aberdeen in Scotland backed out of a partnership with South Korea to set up a branch campus there, prompting calls for the South Korean government to pursue legal action for the financial losses they bore for the failed partnership. The threats run in both directions.Advice for academics interested in working in the NetherlandsIntroducing ‘translanguaging’ – and other ways to promote multilingualismClear communication as the key to international collaborationYet, there are many reasons for international partnerships. In some cases, they are required. A foreign university could not set up a branch campus in Qatar’s Education City without agreement with the Qatar Foundation. In other cases, they provide local legitimacy and assistance with navigating the local environment, which is probably the case with KAIST’s recently announced relationship with NYU. While KAIST is an excellent institution, it is not a known name in the US, and New York’s regulations are complicated.Such partnerships can also leverage the collective capacity of the two partners to do something each could not do on their own. In addition to needing to be governed by a local partner, the Galapagos Science Center is grounded in indigenous/local knowledge while bringing the expanded capacity of a leading research university. The Global Innovation Exchange, built around a joint interest in technological innovation, started as a partnership between leading research universities in China and the US to create a research infrastructure and graduate degrees leveraging the knowledge and culture of each institution while building the Sino-American relationship that neither could on their own.It is likely that many institutions will continue down this path as they see potential benefits in terms of reputation building, talent acquisition, research expansion and/or enrolment growth. But will they intentionally consider whether the rewards outweigh the risks? What actions might mitigate the risks and optimise rewards? What can academic leaders learn from those who have already chartered this path?&nbsp;First, acknowledge up front that operating outside one’s home country is different than operating within it. This may sound obvious, but it is surprising how many university leaders have expressed concern that they have to comply with the rules and regulations of the government of the foreign country in which they are operating. Concerns over differences around cultural issues such as academic freedom and human rights tend to catch headlines, but local rules often dictate the nature of employment contracts, financial decisions, curricular requirements (if offering classes) and even how the local entity should be legally constructed and governed.In some cases, such as Dubai, the government may establish a “free zone” to exempt foreign actors from local rules, but even then the institution could still be caught between different ministries fighting over authority. Enter every international partnership with eyes wide open, ask lots of questions, and be aware that you may be operating at the will of the foreign partner.&nbsp;Second, enter the partnership expecting it to end. Inevitably, the partnership will eventually finish, whether that’s because it has run its natural course, one partner wishes to withdraw prematurely or due to some other unforeseen circumstance. When the partnership does end, who is responsible for any outstanding financial liabilities? Who owns the intellectual property? What happens if there is an unfinished research project? Is there a teach-out plan for the students? How do you make sure staff in the foreign country are protected? You cannot mitigate all risk, but planning for the end up front will protect the institution and its constituents when the time comes.Third, establish clear expectations and continuous communication check-ins up front. Any contract negotiator will tell you that it is important to determine rights and responsibilities at the beginning of the partnership. This is particularly important when partners can be hundreds or thousands of miles and multiple time zones apart.For example, in the case of Monash’s (Australia) campus in Malaysia – a partnership with Malaysia’s Sunway Corporation – a contractual document essentially states that Monash has control over all academic issues, while Sunway has responsibility for day-to-day operations of the physical campus. There are also governance mechanisms to ensure that each partner has input but cannot unduly influence the domains of the other. When information asymmetry between partners becomes too great, distrust takes hold and will quickly erode the relationship and partnership.&nbsp;Fourth, establish your institution’s red lines up front. That is, at what point is the institution no longer willing to engage with the partner? Nearly all universities from the West have publicly stated that they will accept no constraints on academic freedom when they operate overseas. However, they inevitably accept some form of restriction whether that be on what is allowed to be accessed via the internet or what topics can be researched by local faculty.It has not been unusual for both partners to make broader agreements up front on rights and responsibilities only to have the host governments slowly exert more restrictions once the institution begins to operate. The situation changed so much in China on human rights issues that it caused Inside Higher Ed to pose the question: who controls NYU Shanghai?Finally, partnerships should be built on relationships of trust, shared goals and mutual understanding. Ideally, partnerships expand and grow over time. The Galapagos Science Museum is a mission-centred arrangement built on the partners’ “shared goal of promoting science and education that will help protect these fragile island ecosystems and enhance the lives of their inhabitants”. The Monash and Sunway relationship exemplifies an alliance built over time. Years before Monash entered into a partnership with Sunway to build a fully fledged branch campus, they worked on other projects together, providing the two partners the opportunity to work out differences and establish a working relationship. This made it easier to then scale up the partnership to develop a branch campus.International partnerships are an important tool for building global engagement and intercultural understanding. It is impossible to predict all the situations in which a university may find itself or the various risks that need to be managed, but being clear up front about roles, responsibilities and the risks will help create stronger partnerships and protect the partners.Jason E. Lane is dean of the College of Education, Health and Society at Miami University in Ohio, US, where he is also professor of international education and founding co-director of the cross-border education research team.Jessica D. Schueller is a PhD student in educational leadership at Miami University in Ohio, where she is also project manager of the cross-border education research team.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Navigating cultural issues, considering local rules, establishing red lines and much more will be required if you are to create a strong partnership and protect both partners

A guide to the dos and don’ts of international partnerships

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Internationalisation

Trends in internationalisation in higher education: transnational education to student mobility, internationalising the curriculum and why crossing borders matters

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