Parallel sessions C and D - Tuesday 13 July, 9.15-11.45am

Parallel Sessions 1 & 2 - Double slots: Sessions C/D1 to C/D4 are double sessions which run across two timeslots. If you sign up for any of these sessions you must attend both parts.

C/D1. The adviser's 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

C/D2. UKCISA stop press update

(Repeated as E/F2)

We will cover the changes to Tier 4 which have come into effect since summer 2009, including the introduction of confirmations of acceptance for studies, the changes to the Immigration Rules of 3 March and the introduction of Highly Trusted Sponsors.

This session will cover the same material as the Stop Press courses earlier in the year.

Presenters: Advice & Training Team, UKCISA

C/D3. Running cross-cultural training for academics: working with those fears!

Over the years we’ve noticed that people often approach training academics in cross-cultural competence with some trepidation. We thought we would devote this session to this very topic!

Aim: to make ourselves feel more confident in running cross-cultural training for academics

Objectives: by the end of the session you will have

• reflected on and discussed the concerns you have working with an academic audience
• looked at which of these fears might improve the effectiveness of your cross-cultural training
• shared strategies and activities that have worked well in training sessions with academics
• shared ideas on how we might get academics to engage in improving their cross-cultural competence in the first place!

Target audience: HE staff who work with or may in the future deliver cross-cultural training to academic staff

Presenter: Jo Bloxham, thinkingpeople

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C/D4. Dealing with immigration refusals

(Repeated as E/F2)

Dealing with immigration refusals is unfortunately an increasing part of an International Student Adviser’s workload.

This workshop has a practical focus looking at how we can help students to avoid refusals in the first instance and then identifying the steps to take if a refusal has occurred including the submission of a notice of appeal where appropriate and administrative reviews.

We will cover refusals for students, post study workers and their dependants.

Aim: to enable adviser to feel more confident when dealing with immigration refusals.

Objectives: By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• prepare applicants at the entry clearance stage or when applying in country for an extension so that unnecessary refusals can be avoided
• identify which decisions can be effectively challenged
• decide on tactics for alternative resolutions that can avoid the need for an appeal or administrative review

Target audience: experienced advisers or new advisers who have attended the UKCISA Basic Immigration course.

Presenters: Jo Holliday, University of Sheffield Union of Students & Alison Stanley, Bindmans Solicitors

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