International integration: a student-led approach

OverviewUKCISA Conference 2011 Session C8

Tasneem Siddeeque

Lindsey Lockey

Daniel Stevens

Stephen Williams (Chair)

• Defining integration:– Academic– Administrative– Social

• What works? 3 student-led case studies:– Experience the World (Loughborough SU)– Culture Challenge (Newcastle SU)– Go Global (Warwick SU)

• Group discussion: measuring success

OverviewOverview

Our “starter for ten”:

In groups of two (or three), define “integration” in two wordsin two minutes.

. . . Go!

OverviewDefining integration

“Integration can only be freely chosen and successfully pursued by non-dominant groups when the dominant society is open and inclusive in its orientation to cultural diversity.”

(Berry, 1991)

OverviewIntegration = mutual accommodation

Is there really a problem?

• 30% of international students worldwide agreed with the statement “I feel isolated from the university community”

• 73% of international students in the UK were satisfied with “making friends from this country” (i.e. host friends)

Source: International Student Barometer (ISB) Summer Wave 2010

The integration “problem”

International student:“Yeah, when I came to the lecture room it seems like white

people sit at the back and then in the middle some like me, yellow coloured people, and then at the front, black people. And when they divide groups, just like Malaysia students go with Malaysia students. Muslim students would like to go with Muslim students. White people will get white people together.”(Hyland, Trahar, Anderson & Dickens, 2008)

• How can we promote intercultural exchanges within and outside the classroom?

OverviewAcademic integration

• When and why (if at all) should institutions provide separate services to international students?

• How does this enhance or devalue the student experience? What is the impact on integration?

OverviewAdministrative integration

OverviewSocial Integration

Functional model of the friendship patterns of overseas students

Network Membership Typical function

Primary monocultural Co-nationals Provide close friendship (compatibility of cultural and ethnic values)

Secondary bicultural Significant host nationals, such as academics, students, advisors, officials

Help the student succeed at university and adjust to the new culture

Tertiary multicultural Other friends & acquaintances

Provide companionship for recreational and non-task-oriented activities

(Bochner, McLeod and Lin, 1977)

“I’m so disappointed in young Spanish people – they have a lack of interest in anything and just stay at home with Facebook. In Russia at 32 you have a family, hobbies, a job. Here at 35 they don’t have a job, children, boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s a very surprising cultural difference. There aren’t any points I would evaluate as positive.”Russian postgraduate student, UAB, Spain, April 2010

OverviewThe student perspective

A holistic approach to integration = interventions all along the student lifecycle:• Messages in prospectus & pre-arrival/induction literature on the

benefits of being intercultural• Promotion of volunteering & collaborative working across cultures• Internationalisation of the curriculum• Institutional support for mobility and global citizenship• Assessing and rewarding students who develop their intercultural

competencies• Collaboration between universities and students’ unions: a

student-led approach to integration

OverviewEvery student an international student

Loughborough Students Union

Objective

To create a campaign that allows International and Home students to integrate and learn

about each other’s cultures, whilst raising awareness of International Opportunities at

Loughborough University, and increasing the number of students involved in international

work, travel and study.

The concept

Experience the World is a unique brand that seeks to promote all International opportunities from all sections of the Students Union, all departments of the University and every aspect of Student Life under

one umbrella. It aims to make these opportunities more visible, accessible and relevant to every

student on Campus, promoting the message that every student is an International student.

The Sub-Brands

In order to make the brand relevant to different segments of the student population, we split it

down into 6 sub-brands…

ENJOYCelebrate Diversity, And Get Ready To Party!

• Universal Thursday – Night run across 50 weeks, dedicated to international students with 700+ students attending.

• Diwali Celebration – 500+ students, staff and the local community attending• Winter Wonderland/Chinese New Year Celebrations – 1000+ students, staff and

the community attended both events. • Language Café- With over 100 attendees, the University has requested it be run

again during fresher’s week. • International Film Festival –A week long event with 500+ attending .

The Union has tribed members based on what countries they’re from and what festivals they celebrate. Students are emailed with wishes from LSU on the day with a small token from us.

EXPLORE

Open Your Eyes, See It For Yourself

• Opportunities to travel and work abroad; we have built relationships with STA Travel and Camp America to ensure that our students get adequate support when planning their trips.

• Student-to-student advice on tips and tricks of travelling• Links to student blogs, so our students can see what adventures they could

be taking part in.

INVOLVE

‘Meet new people and teach them about your culture and traditions’

Over 550 international students involved with societies representing various nations and cultures…

• Language Café- Created for the first time as an open forum to learn/practice another language. With over 100 attendees, the University has requested it be run again during fresher’s week.

• Hall Partners – Every hall is partnered with a country for the whole year. They take part in events such as CARNIVAL

• CITC is a new project – 40 local school performances of cultures– 1000+ children and others educated about other cultures• International day – Over 30 nationalities in the union with stalls displaying cultures, and performing.

PLAY

Teach sport abroad push yourself to the limit

• Promote sporting competition and international integration through the Lufbra Games –400+ students dressed in national costumes on a obstacle course around campus.

• Get Set Mini Olympics –Event for 60 children split into countries and participating in different Olympic sports

• Zambia Ideals and Boost Projects – coaching sports overseas

SAVE

Do something to help causes all over the world

• International Volunteers – Over 50 students’ volunteering in communities in Nevada, Ghana and Tanzania.

• Fundraising – Promote and raise awareness of International causes, Child Reach, Haiti, Comic Relief, Red Cross and Japan. 300+ students involved in raising over £250, 000.

• Total International volunteers – 1700

STUDY

Study Abroad for the Ultimate Global Education

• Study China – 3 week Government funded program in China, scheme has had over 20 students attending, Loughborough has always had the highest numbers attending from any other union.

• Erasmus – 100% Erasmus participation at events organized by the union and the number of home students attending Erasmus this year has doubled.

• Model UN – Over 60 members attending conferences worldwide learning about diplomatic procedure and international affairs.

Experience the World Week

The Website

Managing the CampaignTasneem Siddeeque

(ETW Chair)Global Development Officer

(PT Sabbatical Officer)

Experience the World Project TeamSabbatical Officers and Permanent Union Staff (8

people)

Global Development Committee

Sports Development Volunteers

Individual project coordinators

Key Performance IndicatorsIn the one year of Experience the World’s birth:

• Doubled student participation on international events• Increased Erasmus events attendance to 100% • Almost a 1000 home students involved in international events • Over a 1000 international students participating in union events • Involved over 2000 members of the local community • Over 12,000 website hits• Raised over a quarter of a million pounds for international causes • Had over 10,000 students aware of the campaign • To recognize and congratulate the efforts made by individuals and

groups, the Global Awards will be hosted in June.

EvaluationThe project had many positive outcomes, including the KPI’s mentioned above, and all round awareness of international opportunities across campus. Listed below are points that we have picked up as things to pass on for the next year of Experience the World.

• Hall contribution is vital, however we need to look into ways of developing the relationship between a nation and a hall, and incentivising hall involvement

• Keeping the website up to date, and keeping relationships and communication up with all stakeholders

• Targeting events at specific tribes is the most effective way of assuring attendance at events

• There are still many more international opportunities within Loughborough University and the Students Union that we need to reach and involve in the campaign

Culture Challenge

The International Picture at Newcastle University

• 17% international students• 23% including EU students

• April 2010 – NUSU undertook internationalisation audit

Results of the Audit

• Strengths (09/10)– PT international officer and student forum– 31% registered course reps– 36% SCAN volunteers– 21% SAC clients– 24% club and society members

• Areas for improvement– Staff and officer training– Lack of demographic data in some areas– Communication with international students– Encouraging integration between home and international

students

Culture Challenge

• £7k funding secured– 1 project worker, 1 day per week

• Main idea– Series of team challenges throughout the year– Teams of 6 with at least 3 nationalities– Build own team or placed in teams

Launch EventMinistry of Food demosFood tastingDrummersDancers

403 students46% international54% home

216 students signed up for treasure hunt

Further Challenges

• Treasure Hunt– 8 teams, 48 students (from 36 teams of 6 signed

up)– Challenges popular for integration– 60% met team mates at the event

• Pub Quiz– Snow!– Only 18 students– 92% raised Cultural Awareness

Further Challenges

• Murder Mystery– Sold 54 tickets, 42 attended on the night– 81% international, 19% home

• Come Dine With…– Competition between societies – 3 would host the

events– Only 1 ran – Come Dine with… the Indonesian Society– 71 students, 52% homes, 48% international– 10 countries represented

KPIs• 200 students involved

– Not including launch, 181 direct participants, 223 involved including volunteers• 85% to say the challenges helped them develop employability skills

– 100% who completed forms indicated at least one employability skill enhanced• At least 8 countries represented

– 28 countries in total• 80% to state project aided integration and cultural awareness

– 90% cultural awareness from pub quiz– Anecdotal evidence; formed teams at events, “as you passed places (on treasure hunt)

you started making plans to hang out together’, 5 students remarked at the treasure hunt, they got into contact with students they ‘otherwise would not have met’

– Total 41% home students, 59% international • Society involvement

– Steady increase in home students in international society– Indonesian Society event

Future Plans

• Looking to secure funding• 2 day per week post• Repeat all events with changes from lessons

learnt• Come Dine with… earlier in the year• Repeat launch event mid-way in year to keep

up momentum

Go GlobalWarwick SU – University of Warwick

International Office

The International Picture at Warwick

- 7,000 UG and 10,000 PG Applications from International Students- Currently 36%

International (Overseas + EU)

- 30% of Academic Staff International as well

“Although there is a high-quality support available to prospective and current international students through the International Office, the Careers Centre, the Students’ Union and other central institutions, the support they provide to aid students adjusting to life in the UK is largely focused on practical and social matters. While these efforts are undoubtedly necessary (and appreciated by the student body) there is awareness that initiatives towards “internationalisation at home” are not sufficiently developed.”

- Internationalisation in the UK Higher Education Sector: A competency based Approach 5.2

What’s the current situation?

Warwick Students’ Union• 2004, first international Sabbatical Officer.• 2005 – Comprehensive Survey on

International Student Issues• 2007/2008 – “Internationalising the

Student Experience” Report authored.• 2010 – first International President• 2010 – Internationalisation Strategy

created• 2011 - Go Global Launched!

The Existing Situation• One World Week– largest student-led

event• Large active cultural societies. • Warwick Economics Summit, Warwick

International Development Summit• Huge University Support (Careers, IO,

etc.)• Great International Student Barometer

Results

But…• 2005

– 69.4% students had a desire for more integration.

• 2007– Only 56.8% of int. students felt sufficiently informed about their

Union.2008– At Warwick it was found that “UK students hold the perception

that international students prefer to stay together, don’t make the effort or are actively excluding. UK students themselves fear misunderstanding, leading to anxiety, embarrassment, and awkwardness. International Students still hold the perception that the Union is focused primarily on UK undergraduate 18-21 years. They feel that they are not adequately catered for despite making up a large percentage of the student population.” Internationalising the Student Experience. Pg. 13

2008 Report • An integrated induction.• Immersion in Halls• Union Interaction– Creating a buddy scheme– Creating an exchange

programme– International commitment– International Officer

Go Global Report Recommendations

1) Union Steering Group2) Go Global “Campaign”3) World @ Warwick4) Combined Induction Period.5) Buddy Scheme 6) Full-time Staff Member

Progress So Far

- A new building. New venues.- Go Global Embedded in Union Strategy- Steering Group Meets Regularly- £4500 raised for the campaign.- Go Global Booklet Produced- Go Global Fund Established- International Office are looking to establish a

full-time position.

Next Year

• Complete change in the way we do Induction.• Supporting World @ Warwick.• Establishing an International Night fortnightly• Ensuring we keep the momentum going!

Next Year

Group Discussion:

• How is your institution trying to increase integration in practical terms?

• How is it measuring success? • If some of your activities work better than

others, then why is that?

OverviewIntegration: measuring success