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Internationalisation Audit Meeting 1 - Draft Notes
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Internationalisation Audit – Meeting 1
Friday 19th
April 2012, 9am – 11am
Present:
• Ross McNally
• Terry Preston
• Anthony Lewis
• Heather McKnight
• Amy Rutland
• Caroline Cheetham
• Julie Beasley
Exercise 1 – Discussion on Baseline data surrounding International Student Numbers
Total numbers at around 15.4% (including EU and Non-EU International Students) – discussion on
numbers in baseline data paper:
Cohorts of international students are concentrated in particular schools and are more likely to be
found in vocational courses that have direct routes to employability i.e. business school, pharmacy.
There may be a shift in numbers next year as the rules change for EU student fees; however, the
university will be continuing to extend its overseas recruitment where possible.
The numbers breakdown by school, in some schools the number of international students is linked
to retention. The business school have been carrying out work to try to better support their
international students and to address the issues of students leaving and under attaining. This work
has included addressing classroom integration by ensuring groups are mixed, mentoring schemes
and additional study support for international students.
Most international students are based around Mithras/Cockcroft campuses which will prove useful
in terms of targeting/piloting activities.
Exercise 2 – International Student Experience in the context of Brighton SU
• Difficult to allocate issues to one area within the union and some issues raised by
International Students it is difficult to see where they lie
• Many issues are cross zonal and the answer would not lie in one area
• There are many issues where the answer would lie with the university and it would be the
responsibility of the union to lobby the university
• International student involvement in student activism and the union generally may be
difficult due to the cultural perceptions of some students and fears around losing their place
at university. Fear of the policy has also been an issue faced by international students from
certain countries that may have prevented them from reporting crimes or asking for help.
A number of the suggested solutions/activities were discussed to some of the issues raised:
• Buddying and mentoring schemes
• More orientation events
2
• Language help from SU such as setting up a Tandem language swap scheme to benefit home
and international students discussed – there have been examples in other unions where this
has been linked to accreditation.
• Cultural events
• Games evenings - games such as chess do not require a great deal of spoken English but
created a sense of community.
Executive and Union Council Democracy Student Experience
Visa Issues
Additional help for students on
courses with languages
Lack of transparency on fees
Pre-arrival information
UKBA law changes
Issues with course fees
Fear of deportation if involved
with the union/student
protests
Issues around how
international students feel
about their experience
Capturing positive experiences
Issues of discrimination
Accommodation
Issues with group work
Cultural adjustments
Understanding basic issues like
crossing roads and ordering in
cafes
Making friends
Orientation activities
Religious groups
Marketing and Comms Operations/HR Finance
Info overload in induction
Combating press coverage of international
students
Informing International Students about what the
SU is and does
Transparency of student fees
Accents as a language barrier
Academic Affairs Zone Campus and Community Zone
Stress/pressure/failure
Language courses
Language support for technical terms
Online study resources /lectures/notes
Cost of living
Course reps – unfamiliarity with
Academic culture
Group work issues
Issues with slow feedback
Welcome for Erasmus students
Communicating plagiarism
Access to study skills classes
UK specific course materials
Integration issues
Integration in class
Tutor support
Crisis in home country
Offering an international menu
Student guides from airport
Difficulty understanding accents
Communicating with International Exchange
Students
Accessing advice services easily
Cultural differences/Adjustment (cafes/road
crossing)
Weather and heating costs
Ongoing induction process
Lack of mixed accommodation
Negative news stories about international
students
Accommodation
Religious groups
Events and Activities Zone Wellbeing Zone
Lanugage Courses/Support
UK trips
More targeted events
Childcare
Ongoing induction process
Weather and heating costs
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Alcohol free events
Orientation activities
International society
Ongoing induction activities beyond first couple
of weeks
Erasmus student events
Mental Health issues
Lack of mixed accommodation
Religion
Depression/isolation
Cultural difference/adjustment
UKBA visa changes to post study work visas
Difficulties opening a bank account
Accessing medical facilities/terminology
Language Courses/Support
Offering an international menu
Negative news stories about international
students
Crisis in home country
Student advice
Accommodation
Discrimination
Exercise 3 –Discussion on outward Mobility
• Erasmus numbers are low and outward Erasmus half that of inward (this is the same as
many other organisations as Britain is a desirable destination).
• There are a number of issues with Erasmus as an outward mobility option. It poses
restrictions in terms of modularisation of course and ensuring qualifications fit; the
timescales for being away and issues with relationships; jobs and families for some students.
• Many students feel that language is a barrier, however, many Erasmus opportunities are
English speaking. There is also the requirement for a great deal of advance planning – many
students are not aware of such opportunities until it is too late to organise.
• Research is underway in Scotland to see if employers would value short-term project based
mobility windows as highly as experiences such as Erasmus exchanges – the results of this
will be available in May.
• Short-term project/enterprise based opportunities would open up these experiences to
more students and could be linked with enterprise/work experience more effectively.
• These projects should be innovative and produce real life outcomes that will be beneficial to
students and the economies of the countries they are engaging with. Ross has been
discussing plans with careers service looking at opportunities for international projects and
European funding.
• Look at offering accredited modules on terminology and technical terms as part of the
degree package
• Overseas campuses – we have unfulfilled responsibilities to students studying on courses
accredited by the University of Brighton who are not in UK campuses – this is an issue that
many institutions are facing and consideration should be given to how we can reach these
groups of students.
• Durham University has a model where they support and train students to raise funds to gain
international experience that is charity based. A similar model could be used for enterprise
projects and sponsorship.
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• NUS are looking at issues of internationalisation and supporting students at overseas
campuses – need to link up with the work they are doing in these areas.
• There are a number of current initiatives at the university already happening – need to link
in with these existing projects.
Exercise 4 – Discussion and Audit Paper
Aim 1: Democracy and Representation
Notes Audit Question 0 1 2 3 4
1. What proportion of international students
vote in union elections?
X
2. What proportion of international students
stand as union officers?
X
We do not measure this at
present so numbers are
estimates
3. How many international students stand as
course reps?
?
Nothing targeted although
overall numbers have
increased
4. What have you done to increase
participation of international students in
your elections?
X
5. Have you got a part-time/full-time
international student officer or similar. If
so are you able to identify the benefits of
international students as a result of this
position?
X
6. Do you have any international students on
your officer team in roles other than
international representative?
X
7. Do you have an international students’
committee or association? If so what are
its main activities?
X
Brighton SU is not as
committee driven as some
unions – while there are not
international students on
very committee they are
generally interacting
proportionally well in line
with other students.
8. Do you have international representatives
on all of your committees?
X
9. Do you have a home student
representative in your international
committee/association?
X
Although international
students are not attending
their views can be
represented by reps that are
attending. Reps can attend
Fringe events on
internationalisation.
10. What proportion of your delegation to
NUS Conference is made up by
international students?
X
Caroline Cheetham 11. Do any of your members attend the X
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Notes Audit Question 0 1 2 3 4
attending Train the Trainer
Internationalisation/Cultural
Awareness event
International Students Conference or
networking days?
Governance review and the
Big Plan took account of
diverse student groups in
planning and consultation.
12. Does your union’s strategic plan take
account of the needs of international
students?
X
Developing now 13. Does your Union have an
Internationalisation Strategy?
X
14. How does your Union ensure that
International Students are involved with
setting the strategic direction?
X
This applies to home
students and international
students on matters of
internationalisation as well
as student support.
Forum/committee on
internationalisation to be
one of the outcomes of
strategy?
15. Do you have a forum to bring together
student representatives and staff on
international matters?
X
16. Are international students represented at
all levels throughout the university?
X
Discussed idea of having a
specific trustee post
reserved for non-EU
international student in
future.
17. If your union has student trustees, do you
receive applications from international
students? If not what could you do to
encourage applications from International
Students?
X
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