Student Ambassadors

Gino is studying for his master’s in social innovation at Glasgow Caledonian University. As a result of his involvement with Common Good, he is the postgraduate ambassador and the postgraduate taught representative for GSBS. His main policy interests include housing and promoting successful international student integration both during their time as students and after they graduate.

Loan is a master’s student at the University of Hull. As an international student studying TESOL, she understands that it can be difficult to speak up in a country whose native language is not your own. As a #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, she is keen to connect with people from all over the world and contribute to policy-making decisions.

Miranda is a student at the University of Glasgow. Her previous study abroad experiences have helped her to understand the complexities and challenges international students experience. As a #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, she wants to increase awareness of housing and employment rights which directly impact international students’ wellbeing. She also wants to advocate for more financial aid for international students with low-income backgrounds and disabilities, and carers.In addition to her role with UKCISA, Miranda is involved with several community development projects in Glasgow.

Vartika is studying for her master’s in investigative and forensic psychology at the University of Liverpool. She holds a BSc in psychology from the University of Nottingham Malaysia and has over 10 years of leadership and public speaking experience across four countries. Vartika is keen to contribute to improving policies on mental wellbeing of international students and transparent communication between the university and its students.

Xiaoxiao is a PhD student in dementia research at the University of Liverpool. As a student ambassador and member of the EDI committee at her university, Xiaoxiao has been devoted to student experience – in particular, understanding and meeting the needs of international students. Outside of her research, she is also an accomplished Chinese zither performer who has won many awards and performed in music halls across the UK. As a #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, she wants to see more productive and progressive international student policies.

Michelle Jideofor came from Botswana in 2018 to study Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol. Initially wanting to gain work experience, she applied for the role of International Student Ambassador and immediately fell in love with it. She later became a Widening Participation Student Ambassador, which entails working with schools to deliver a range of activities and events on STEM related subjects. Her additional role of Student Quality Reviewer awakened her love for policy as she is the student representative in scrutinising the quality and standards of education provision and student academic experience through, for example, course reviews.

I’d love to raise awareness of UKCISA. I think it’s this amazing platform for international students throughout the whole of the UK, but too few students know about the opportunities they offer and the support they can give.

The #WeAreInternational students are important because it’s necessary to have international students represent international students. We know our struggles; we have gone through them, so we better know how to deal with them. Being in spaces where we can influence policy, discussing and representing international students who otherwise would not be able to have their say is critical.

Having graduated from Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany, with an MSc in Sports Engineering, Daniel is now a postgraduate researcher at Sheffield Hallam University, with the aim of improving ice hockey helmets’ impact attenuation performance and concussion prevention. During his Master’s studies, he spent a semester at Luleå University of Technology in northern Sweden. Furthermore, he is engaged in his university’s mentor programme for international students, works as a part of the Student Engagement, Evaluation and Research team, and volunteers as a coach for multiple teams in his university’s ice hockey club. Daniel is the current Vice-Chair of UKCISA's Student Advisory Group.

As the EU representative in the international student ambassador cohort this year, my biggest issue is Brexit. It's a time of uncertainty for every EU student and prospective EU student in the UK and I want to contribute to get the best possible policies for EU students and to ensure everyone feels safe studying in the UK.

The #WeAreInternational scheme is critical because most decisions for students are made by people who have not been international students in the UK and who haven't been students for a long time: they don't have the required knowledge about current international student life.

Anant recently graduated with a first class law degree from the University of Birmingham. He is currently undertaking the Accelerated Legal Practice Course at BPP University prior to starting his role as a trainee solicitor at an international law firm.  Anant is passionate about promoting global interconnectedness through education, as he is himself Indian-born, American-raised, and British-educated. In his time in the UK, he has pursued various opportunities to advocate for his fellow students, including being part of the inaugural cohort of the #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador programme. Anant is keen to use his role to shape policymaking, with an emphasis on international student employability. To that end, he has participated in several policy discussions with government officials on improving international student access to volunteering and work experience roles. Anant is also a member of the cross-sector International Student Employability Group and is Vice-Chair of UKCISA's Student Advisory Group.

Khoa completely a Master’s degree in 2020 majoring in Corporate Communications, Marketing and Public Relations under a Chevening scholarship (sponsored by Foreign Commonwealth Office) and was a Link to Leeds Ambassador. Khoa has taken on the position of Head of Committee for his course’s largest student-led event called Clubs7 – a platform to inspire students to become the best versions of themselves with the theme Connection. Khoa was also the founder of Comms Lab @ LUBS where experienced students can come together and exchange cultural and professional working insights in the field of communications.

I would tell international students just starting out in the UK to keep being proactive, search for opportunities to learn and grow and try to step out of your comfort zone. Do not be afraid of failure and do not be afraid of asking for help if you need it.

Nebu is a PhD Student of Archaeology at Bangor University researching application of geochemical techniques in archaeology. He has been in the UK since 2013 pursuing his BA and MA, before beginning his PhD at Bangor. Nebu has been working as an International Student Ambassador with the Internal Student Support Office at the University since 2014, where he supports newly arrived students, and is actively involved in dealing with international student affairs within the University. One of his major interests is improving the careers and employability guidance and services, and opportunities available for international students at UK universities. Nebu is the current Chair of UKCISA's Student Advisory Group.

I remember how daunting it was coming here for the first time in a strange land of strangers. I just want to say: it’s going to be okay. No matter how daunting it is, no matter how many issues there are, there are always avenues for help and there will always be people there to support you, as long as you know which door to knock on.

International student ambassadors are necessary because as various policies are drawn up for international students, there is a need for feedback from us students in terms of potential effects and benefits.

Katie Crabtree is a Doctoral Candidate in the Philosophy of Education at Leeds Trinity, University of Leeds. She's funded by Leeds Trinity University, accredited by the University of Leeds. She has a supervisor at Leeds Beckett University and another at the University of Texas. Her research interests focus on the meaning of study and liberal arts education. She serves on the Student Board of the American Journal of Education Forum. Katie holds an MA in the Philosophy of Education from the UCL Institute of Education, an MSc in Higher Education from Oxford, and a BSc in Psychology, French, and Public Administration from Grand Valley State University (MI, USA). Her long-term experience as a student abroad and theoretical interest in university education inform her passion for improving policy for international students in the UK.

As a #WeAreInternational student ambassador and a philosopher of education, the most important thing for me is to keep the question of education open. Oftentimes when we make policy and when we talk about universities we always think we know what they do and what they’re for. But for me, that’s always a question to remain open and alive. I’d also like to bring attention to the fact that international study has always been a part of university and education. Encountering people who are different from you and counter your ideas has always been what universities are all about.

Adetoun Adebayo is studying at Nottingham Law School, after recently completed her LLB (Hons) Law student at the University of Nottingham. As an international student from Nigeria, she is passionate about helping other international students overcome challenges specific to them, ranging from visa applications to graduate job searches. As a result of this, she has undertaken roles as a welcome mentor and open day helper at her university. She also volunteered at the Personal Support Unit, and has been a Brightside mentor to sixth form students. She is the current welfare officer for One Heritage, a student society that aims to educate and facilitate discussions regarding issues of interest in the African and Caribbean Community. Adetoun aims to improve the overall international student experience by using her passion for learning more about democratic processes and policy changes to help others.

Over the years I’ve met many international students from different countries and we all seem to bond over the struggle of being an international student, but I believe that by being an ambassador I will be able to turn those struggles into positives, so that we can actually bond over the joys of being international students.

Yunyan is a PhD student in Social Policy at the University of Bristol. She has run for the positions of faculty postgraduate research (PGR) student representative and Senate member in university governance meetings. Understanding what students need has helped Yunyan to build and develop sustainable networks and working relationships with them, enabling her to support student representation work more effectively. She is passionate about working to build a more inclusive and supportive community for all international students.