In 2019, UKCISA’s #WeAreInternational Student Ambassadors came together with members to develop a Charter. The aim was to have all the fundamental principles that drive a world-class student experience in one document for the sector to use in practice. It spans pre-arrival to postgraduation, while calling for the sector to:
- Create a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable environment for international students in the UK
- Value international students’ perspectives and voices in institutional policy and decision-making
- Integrate sustainability as a core value in institutional internationalisation strategies
- Monitor and evaluate existing available support and provision for international students on an ongoing basis
- Make available targeted support for international students in every area of the student experience
To empower members to implement the Charter, eight initiatives were funded by the #WeAreInternational Grants scheme, with students at the heart of each project. Each team explored their topic in an innovative way, from implementing a new project to researching gaps in knowledge to better understand the international student experience.
Today we’re sharing some of the key themes from the outcomes of the work and the teams’ top tips if you would like to follow in their footsteps in implementing the Charter in your work. Information about all the projects and resources are available in executive summaries, full reports and a webinar recording.
Consider the experience of all areas of life and study in the UK
Everyone in educational settings, from admissions teams to academics, needs to ask what are the experiences of international students? As their journeys cut across different parts of an institution, ensuring a positive experience cannot solely be the responsibility of one department or person. Silos must be broken, and pieces joined up. Ask: “How can I listen to the students I work with and ensure that the work I do makes the most of their contributions and supports their success?"
This is one of the key principles of the #WeAreInternational Student Charter and was reflected in the wide range of projects in the 2022-2024 Grants Scheme.
Dr Chahna Gonsalves, Lecturer in Marketing at Kings College London, asked why international students consistently reported dissatisfaction with assessment and feedback. There are some fascinating insights into why students face these challenges, leading the team to conclude the urgent need for more inclusive and culturally sensitive educational practices, especially in assessment design and communication.
In contrast, Liverpool John Moore University focused on one area where many students struggle outside of academia- finding accommodation. They carried out research to understand international student experiences and created a toolkit for incoming students.
Understand the breadth of experiences of international students
Research from Keele University into supporting international students fleeing humanitarian crises showed the dangers of treating international students as a homogenous group. A focus on quantitative data, driven by financial contribution, can lead to a culture where this becomes normalised across both policy making and university life. The researchers encourage us to listen to individuals’ experiences, and specifically look at the diverse needs of forced migrants.
The University of Nottingham and International Students House highlight the significant challenges and opportunities that influence the sense of belonging and inclusion of international students in UK universities, playing a crucial role in their academic and social success. Among the challenges faced are cultural shock and a lack of understanding of systems such as housing, the NHS, and education, social norms in relation to inter-personal interaction, and food culture. They encourage all university staff to deal with international students with patience and kindness, and to have conversations with them to discover what platform they need to fully express themselves.
The power of listening and connection
To understand these differences and experiences, the projects highlighted the importance of listening and connection throughout university life.
Glasgow University and The University of Edinburgh discuss the value of intercultural diaglogue in their research with international doctoral scholars. They mention the cross-over of intercultural interactions taking place within and outside academia and its overlapping impact in different domains – academic, social and psychological.
Newcastle University looked at how to foster understanding and appreciation of difference in their intercultural orientation workshops for both domestic and international students. The toolkit for the workshops is available here.
Keele University will be hosting a series of innovative gallery showings with photos students have taken that represent their experiences.
Engage with the wider community
We heard from projects that worked with a wide range of stakeholders, from local employers to accommodation providers. Taking the values of the #WeAreInternational Student Charter outside of the education setting by centring listening, and making available targeted support, helps students throughout their journey.
The University of Stirling looked at how to support graduating students to find employment and allow local employers to gain insights into the wealth of international talent available on their doorstep and the unique skills, experiences and perspectives the diverse student body brings. An International Talent Symposium developed professional relations between international students and local businesses in the region.
Swansea University gave students access to tailored support throughout their journey and provided a pre-arrival international students career development course. Understanding the local job market, they knew that most employers in Swansea are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and had not hired a graduate before. Creating resources for both students and employers bridged the knowledge gap.
Top tips to implementing new projects for international students
Are you looking to develop a new project to integrate the #WeAreInternational Student charter into your work? We know that getting buy-in and budget for new projects can often feel like a hurdle in itself. We asked the managers of these projects what their top tips to peers looking to do the same were:
- Ensure international student engagement throughout the project, from design to implementation and review.
- Have regular group meetings to stay in touch and on track.
- Keep documents on shared working spaces to ensure joint understanding.
- Use a project planner to track progress, both for you and external stakeholders.
- Collaborate with partners, from students to professional services and academia, working together can make the most use of everyone’s skills and ensure learning is shared and buy-in for the project.
- Learn from those who have come before- you are not alone.
To find out more, watch the video recording of the webinar ‘Innovative ideas in improving the international student experience’, and download the reports, executive summaries and resources from the projects on the Grants page here.
Image: Still taken from an introductory video for Swansea University’s International Student Career Development Course, featuring Prakash Kurisinkal. Read more about the project and watch the video here.
