Sessions D - Thursday 30 June, 4.15-4.55pm

D1. Providing a compliant welcome (repeated as E6)

Sponsor duties under PBS include recording passport and UK status documents, which can be painstaking. MMU created a system where students are invited to pre-enrolment sessions, within a compulsory welcome programme. Students receive a personalised boarding pass; resembling a flight boarding card. This explains where students "check in" for pre-enrolment and what documents to bring. It includes arrival, welcome and local information. It became an enjoyable experience, familiar from their flying. Documents checked by staff and saved electronically. ISAs provided personalise advice for those with issues. This session is for those involved in orientation, welcome, compliance or UKBA audit areas.

Presenters: Thereza Bandouna, Nicola Ross & Rebecca Bradley, Manchester Metropolitan University

D2. International culture shock – a new video/web resource

The PMI funded a joint project to research then film International students' initial impressions of life in the UK. The segments are designed for use in a wide range of websites and are in English and home languages. The session will show case the new resources and discuss how they can be used to help prepare students for culture shock. We will discuss the outcome of the research element of the project

Presenter: Tim Benford, Loughborough Students Union

D3. Language and academic needs of Arab students in the UK

The presentation will aim to establish the nature of international postgraduate students' culture difficulties regarding these academic problems in British postgraduate programmes. Firstly, in-depth interviews were conducted with the three participating groups to discover more information about the student best preparation, and the impact of cultural variations on the students. Secondly, the EAP class was observed to find out what exactly was happening there.

In addition, the presentation will deal with the questions of the best preparation required for international students to enter British postgraduate programmes, and the critical cross-cultural challenge that they encounter in the British postgraduate programmes.

It is hoped, based on the results of this study's recommendations, that efforts will be made to assist two major areas:

• to provide advice to assist international students in their studies in the UK, and
• to improve the provision of the English for Academic Purposes programmes.

Presenter: Majed Alqahtani, Southampton University

D4. Go the distance: disabled international students' transitions

In January 2010, Nottingham Trent International College enrolled twelve physically disabled Nigerian students to study pathway programmes, leading to undergraduate programmes at Nottingham Trent University.   

The research seeks to learn about the students’ experiences of studying in the UK, their transition to higher education and aims to inform the college, university and wider higher education community about the support entitlement of physically disabled international students.

The research was carried out using a peer model, where one of the students interviewed nine others. The session will explore the initial findings from a first round of interviews with the students. 

Presenters: Dr Victoria Crane, Nottingham Trent International College & Betty Alai Odema

D5. Enhancing the international student experience (repeated as E10)

Bangor University has introduced a number of 'buddy schemes' to assist new students to settle in to University life. One of these is the International Student Ambassador Scheme. This involves recruiting (and rewarding) a number of international postgraduate students as Ambassadors who are the face of the international student body at Bangor. They assist in both recruiting/marketing and also student welfare/support. The session will showcase the initiative in the context of issues affecting international students when they move to a new country and culture.

Presenter: Alan Edwards, Bangor University

D6. Individual factors and students' intercultural interaction

This session will report the findings of a recent research project into what personality traits and early life experiences impact on home students' attitudes to diversity and intercultural interaction. It will include a chance to discuss the results with a view to devising approaches that will assist with integration between home and international students. The session will be of interest to staff working on induction programmes and those with a wider interest in supporting intercultural interaction in higher education.

Presenter: Neil Harrison, University of the West of England

D7. Bridging our Worlds DVD screening

If you're involved in activities to raise cultural awareness at your institution, come and see UKCISA's cross-cultural training DVD, with comments from international and home students from staff about all aspects of their experiences. The session will principally be a screening of the DVD, but there will also be an opportunity for Q&A with one of the authors of the DVD and accompanying training guide.

Presenters: Alison Barty, SOAS, University of London

D8. Cancelled

D9. Erasmus-Mundus: postgraduate student mobility and support

This session will provide brief overview of the Erasmus-Mundas programme and consider some of the key issues – drawing upon the early stage experiences of QMUL – which is a partner in two joint doctoral programmes within the scheme.

This will include:

• Erasmus Mundas – aims and objectives – and implications for potential partners
• implications for student (and staff) mobility
• issues to consider when facilitating postgraduate mobility

Target audience: All those with an interest – especially those involved in supporting international students at postgraduate level

Presenter: Sue Carrette, Sue Carrette Training & Consultancy (previously Queen Mary University of London)

D10. UCAS 2.0 – enhanced and future developments

This session will offer participants the chance to learn about UCAS' many enhanced products and services, social media initiatives, system changes and new offerings. There are many exciting developments at UCAS for international audiences which will be discussed in this session where we hope to add value to our member institutions. Opportunities for feedback and discussion will be encouraged and welcomed.

Presenter: Kristine Murray, UCAS

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