Overseas Study Visits Scheme

One of the key aims of the PMI is to sustain and improve international student satisfaction ratings by strengthening the quality of the international student experience. The aim of this scheme is to identify relevant aspects of policy and best practice in institutions in key competitor countries overseas. It is therefore an opportunity for individual professional development and at the same time, will provide a contribution to national or sector policy in this area.

Overseas Study Visits 2009-10

The following study visits have been awarded funding and will take place by the end of March 2010:

• Adriana Crear (University of Surrey)
  “Best practice in monitoring and reducing the numbers of withdrawals and the role of international officers in preventing them” (USA)
• Rachael Elliott (Brunel University)
  “How US universities responded to the compliance environment launched in 2003” (USA)
• Polly Mackwood (King’s College London)
  “Study abroad provision and support”(Singapore and Hong Kong)
• Heather Robson (University of Warwick)
  “Types, modes and timeframes of immigration advice to international students” (USA)

Previous Overseas Study Visits

Overseas Study Visits 2008-09

The the following study visits were funded and completed. You can download each individually below:

• Sally Saca (Oxford Brookes University)
  “How can mentoring and buddying schemes aid integration into the host society?” (Netherlands)
  Report of study visit
• Fiona Nouri (Royal Veterinary College)
  “Veterinary medicine students’ experience of student support services and an investigation into the health and wellbeing aspects of the university structure” (USA & Canada)
  Report of study visit
• Wendy Knowles (York St. John University)
  “Good practice within services for disabled international students in American institutions – what can we learn from the American experience?” (USA)
  Report of study visit due in August
• Katrina Abatis (University of Leicester)
  “Internationalisation of Japanese universities and the integration of students within the wider local community” (Japan)
  Report of study visit
• Sharon Bolton (Imperial College London)
  “The interpretation of Australian immigration rules by institutions and procedures adopted to ensure student compliance” (Australia)
  Report of study visit
• Erica Arthur (Keele University)
  “The basis for successful exchanges, focusing on student expectations and staff training” (Canada & South Korea)
  Report of study visit

Overseas Study Visits 2007-08

Nine study visit applications were received in 2007 and the following five were funded and completed. All the reports are published together in a special PMI edition of World Views or you can download each individually below.

• Rosemary Gibson (University of Nottingham)
  Looking at ongoing programme offered to develop intercultural awareness and communications, to help students get the most out of their time at university (University of Melbourne & University of Minnesota)
  Report of study visit
• Jennifer Raper (Lancaster University)
  A comparative study of the processes of social integration (University of Melbourne, Monash University & University of Auckland)
  Report of study visit
• Claire Massey (University of Plymouth Students’ Union)
  The involvement and development of international students within volunteer programmes (Boston University, University of Massachusetts, North-Eastern University, Harvard & MIT)
  Report of study visit
• Alana Holland (University of Surrey)
  The integration of international students with Dutch students and the local community (Delft University of Technology, Leiden University, CHN University & University of Groningen)
  Report of study visit
• Christina Leong (Keele University)
  How Monash prepare and manage international education initiatives and projects (Monash University)
  Report of study visit