UKCISA Conference
Sessions A - Thursday 30 June, 9.30-10.45am
Note: sessions AB1 to AB5 are double-length sessions stretching across slots A and B. If you sign up for one of these you must attend both parts - you cannot combine one part of a longer session with one of the shorter sessions in slots A or B.
In other words, choose either one double length session out of AB1 to AB5 or two single length sessions, one from A6 to A9 and one from B6 to B9.
AB1. Tier 4 Stop Press
This session is designed to provide participants with updated information on a range of international student issues and changes in legislation that have arisen in the last 12 months. The course is intended for experienced advisers who already have a good understanding of existing provisions affecting international students.
Note: Participants who plan to attend one of the UKCISA Stop Press training events earlier in the year are advised not to attend this session as it will cover the same material. Details of changes to work after study routes will be covered in session G10.
Presenters: Deepa Chadha & Sarah Rimmington, UKCISA
AB2. Advisers' toolkit
This session is suitable for those new, or relatively new, to advising international students. It aims to raise relevant issues, such as the role of the adviser and its boundaries; the nature and purpose of advice; systems and recording; networking and action-planning; and to introduce the tools and resources needed to do the job effectively, such as sources of information and support.
Please note that this session will NOT cover any technical issues around immigration, reporting etc.
Presenter: Kim Burns, UKCISA
AB3. Universities and colleges: preventing violent extremism
The media often implies that universities and colleges are hotbeds of radicalisation and potential terrorists. What should our role be? How prepared would you feel if there were concerns on your campus? This session aims to raise awareness as well as questions and uses some Home Office materials which aim to highlight issues and help prevent violent extremism.
Presenter: Debora Green, University of Sheffield
AB4. Advising students on bringing their family to the UK
A workshop aimed at experienced practitioners to look at the current immigration rules for students who wish to bring their family with them to the UK. It will cover both the rules for pre Tier 4 and Tier 4 and will also provide an opportunity to explore issues such as the sole responsibility rule for child applicants and cohabitation.
Presenters: Jo Holliday, University of Sheffield Students' Union & Alison Stanley, Bindmans Solicitors
AB5. Promoting Cultural Competence: Training of trainers
This session is for HE & FE staff, especially those new to, promoting cross-cultural competence within their university/college. It aims to build confidence as well as increase the range of activities that can be drawn on to deliver effective cross-cultural training.
By the end of the session you will have:- Shared the challenges and opportunities you have to increase cross-cultural competence within your university/college through training (amongst staff and students)
- Tried and tested different training activities and explored how these can meet specific learning aims and the needs of different groups
- Shared experiences and ideas with peers and the thinkingpeople trainer
- Thought about how you can transfer any learning into your training sessions
Presenter: Kathryn Eade, thinkingpeople
Sessions A6-A9 are single-length sessions. If choosing one of these, also select a single-length session from slot B.
A6. Initiating the uninitiated: the ISA as a resource for training
The PBS has increased the number of staff who work with immigration, many of whom have not previously required to consider immigration issues. This session considers one approach at the University of Edinburgh in which training devised and delivered by the ISAs was offered through the institution's staff development programme.
The session aims to share information, provide encouragement and invite further discussion on:- Recognising the importance of the ISA
- Considering content: who needs to know what?
- Sharing ISAs knowledge to a wider staff audience.
- Influencing institutional policy direction.
- Conclusions and impact of the approach.
Presenters: Euan Fergusson & Kim Pearson, University of Edinburgh
A7. Batch scheme surgery (repeated as C3)
An opportunity to meet staff from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) Student Batch Scheme face-to-face. The session will include a presentation from staff managing the scheme, and a question and answer session. You are invited to raise any issues about the operation of the scheme that it would be useful and productive for advisers to discuss with the staff managing it.
Please note that this session is not appropriate for you if students at your institution post their applications to UKBA themselves, rather than through the Student Batch Scheme.
Presenters: Staff from the UKBA Student Batch Scheme
A8. Partnerships for a better international student experience
Some key learning points for students' unions, institutions and advisers from NUS's Internationalising Students' Unions Project – a PMI-funded project which has involved 40 pilot students' unions in 2010-11.The session will look at case studies of joint working by students' unions, institutions and advice centres to achieve positive outcomes for international students, and will help participants to develop ideas for joint-working in their institutions.
Presenters: Christina Yan Zhang, National Union of Students and Johanna Holtan, Edinburgh University Students Association
A9. Credential evaluation: best practice
This session will look at best practice in dealing with credential evaluation issues, particularly in the context of meeting sponsor obligations under Tier 4, and including fraud detection.
Presenters: Poppy Sharpe, UK NARIC
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