All images © Mat Wright
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Role of English in the Development of World Class UniversitiesMark BaumfieldSenior Adviser Education and Society
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• 7 million researchers worldwide*
• Europe needs 1 million more researchers
• To be effective, researchers need to communicate their work on an international level – through publications and conference communications – often in English
• Some articles may be rejected at the publication stage because they are not well written with a clearly articulated research narrative – even if the underlying research is sound
• Researchers, research departments, and universities are often ranked on the basis of number and citation impact of articles
• Good research reputation attracts leading researchers and the brightest students.
Researchers Communication Skills
*UNESCO 2009 STI indicators.
Market Research Needs Analysis –
Central South Asia
• 346 HEI respondents in 3 regions
• Assessed needs for international research collaboration
• Need for English Language support in 3 areas
1. Understanding and giving presentations2. Communicating by email with foreign partners or external
bodies3. Writing proposals for funding
• Other areas of need include academic writing
• Development of and piloting of targetted products in key areas
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Market Research Needs Analysis 1. Researchers involved/wanting to be involved in international
university to university partnerships
2. Early stage researchers looking to develop international career
3. International coordinators
• English skills needs and current abilities ,areas where English needed and current computer /internet access
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Market Research Needs AnalysisMost important areas of work for English improvement in collaborative research
•Talking about research to your partner
•Writing bid proposals in English for research/project/funding
•Workshop or presentation on research
•Listening and understanding presentations given in English
•Talking about your University and your country to visitors
•Education system in your country
•Communicating by email with partner
•Speaking/listening on phone with partner
•Written reports and evaluations on joint research
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Market Research Needs Analysis cont-• Reading academic literature on your subject area
• Socialising
• Other
• Limitations of research
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Market Research Needs AnalysisMany needs in collaboration process
1.Specific to communication, relationship building and understanding (collaboration process)
2.Needs relating to interaction of collaborators with external bodies (interaction with externals)
3.2 types of work being carried out (individual, collaboration in action)
4.Individual limitations
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Market Research Needs AnalysisFOCUS
•Communicate by email
•Give workshops or presentations
•Interact with external bodies
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Market Research Needs Analysis Areas of greatest need are:
•Communicating by email
•Presentation skills
•Professional proposal writing including bids for research and project funding,
•Writing for publication in academic journals
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RESEARCHER CONNECT• Series of courses for academics/researchers involved in
international collaborations or who need to improve their communication skills
• Focus on development of excellent communication skills using English language in international context
• Level of English assessed as part of the process
• Aims to enable learners to communicate more effectively on their area of expertise and associated professional themes with range of audiences
• 3-4 Day Course
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Researcher Connect• Know Your Audience
• Better Presentations
• Professional Proposals
• Effective Emails
• Writing for Publication
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Researcher ConnectKnow Your Audience
Aims-to enable learners to analyse and understand their audience(s) and meet their needs in an appropriate style
Learning Outcomes
Content
•Why knowing your audience is essential
•Different audiences: the critical questions to ask
•Building an audience profile
•Objectives
Mixture of presentation, examples/samples, individual and small group task
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Researcher ConnectProfessional Proposals
Aims: to enable learners to write proposals that are clear, concise and achieve what they are asking for
Learning Outcomes
•Be clear about what proposals are and why we write them
•An understanding of what qualities make a proposal effective
•Be familiar with parts of a proposal
•Understand process of proposal development
•Profile proposal readers and meet their expectations
•Clear goals, outcomes ,outputs and inputs with clarity
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Researcher ConnectWriting for Publication
Aims: increase participants awareness of standards required /improving chances of acceptance
Enable participants to meet expectations of referees/journal editors re content/structure/command
Outcomes
•Critically evaluate own/others work
•Provide justification for claims through evidence/argument
•Write well structured abstracts/introductions
•Increase readability by using signposting/references/range of functions
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Researcher ConnectEffective Emails
Aims to enable learners to communicate effectively using email external bodies/research partnership
Encourage development of email systems
Outcomes
•Format emails effectively
•Write in appropriate range of styles/registers
•Be able to write ‘difficult’ emails
•Writing emails to single/multiple partners
•Understanding poorly written emails/clarifying these
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Researcher ConnectBetter Presentations
Aims: give clear/relevant presentations on academic topics/understand the key messages in academic presentations given in International English
Outcomes
•Clearly articulate to audience key message of and purpose presentation
•Confidence in ability to present clearly/effectively
•Awareness of /had practice with non-verbal skills, aids and techniques
•Exposure to several different presenting styles
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Researcher ConnectBritish Council
•Capacity building
•Researchers more connected to international research community and UK
•Researchers are better able to translate research into impact
•Key partnerships
•Better cultural understanding
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