Going global: student led internationalisation Heather McKnight, Academic Affairs Manager Students’ Union Parallel session 1 (10.00 – am) The Checkland Building

Session Overview National Union of Students Internationalisation projects 'Students Without Borders' and 'Internationalising Students' Unions' Case studies from other universities on integration of home/international students and international projects. The key findings of the audit and strategy highlights Discussion sessions on integration and internationalisation

UKCISA estimates that international students contribute £2.5 billion to the UK economy in university fees alone - key source of income for universities. ‘International students in the UK: facts, figures – and fiction’ (UKCISA, September 2010) The British Council estimates the economic contribution of international students to the UK is £12.5 billion per year. International Student Facts

UG international fee income alone represents between 2 and 14 per cent of total income for 80 per cent of the UK’s universities. ‘Patterns of higher education institutions in the UK’ (UUK, 2010) International student fees contribute to £42 million annually to college income. ‘Colleges’ international contribution’ (157 Group, 2010) UK postgraduate education is sustained by non-EU international students, who make up 41 per cent of all post-graduate students enrolled on full-time taught Masters Courses in the UK, and 50 per cent of all research students in the UK. ‘Taught postgraduate students: market trends and opportunities’ (UUK, 2009) International Student Facts

Student Mobility and Employability “Students who study abroad are more likely to achieve first class degree results: 15% of ERASMUS and 17% from other mobility programmes with upper second degrees consisting of 75% and 81% respectively, compared to 10% and 60% for non-mobile students.” ‘International Student Mobility Literature Review’ by Russell King, Allan Findlay and Jill Ahrens for HEFCE (November 2010)

Student Mobility and Employability 29% of graduates who have been mobile were earning a salary in excess of £20,000 six months after graduation, compared to 17% of non-mobile graduates. The HEFCE Mobility Literature Review Around 60% of the country’s top employers indicate that experience of international study enhances employability and the majority commented that studying overseas makes an applicant well-rounded in terms of skills, experience and personal development. ‘Global Horizons for UK Students,’ Council for Industry and Higher Education, results from a survey of ‘over twenty large companies’

Beyond Borders Research Research: ‘Beyond Borders’ 2010 Key areas identified where support was needed to better support international students:  Representation Structures  Pre-induction  Induction  Feedback

Report Recommendations Institutions and Students’ Unions should work together to: Improve the delivery of course representation information. Develop methods of tracking the involvement of international students in the course representative system. Clarify descriptions of course representative system.

Report Recommendations Institutions and associations should work together to: Find new ways to communicate to international students about representation opportunities. Overcome barriers to involvement among the general international student population and within specific groups of international students. Institutions should develop methods to ensure the feedback loop for international students is closed.

In pilot project with four HE students’ unions. Led to the launch of Internationalising Students’ Unions in HE: A Strategic Framework and Audit Toolkit. Publication set out a strategic framework to enable students’ unions to involve international students fully in their work, and to offer an international experience to all students. It also included an audit tool which students’ unions could use to carry out a self-assessment NUS Internationalising SU’s Project

Work with HE Unions: Supported 40 HE students’ unions to implement the International Students’ Strategy Training for the International Students’ Strategy developed and piloted to 40 HE students’ unions Work with 20 students’ unions to support them to pilot new projects for international students Resource pack and toolkit for HE unions developed Internationalising the Student Experience

Key Challenges Faced by Students’ Unions: Democracy and Representation Campaigning Activities and Participation Services: Membership and Commercial Communications Staff and Officer Development Partnerships and Collaboration International Experience NUS Internationalising SU’s Project

Best Practice Discussion In groups look at the Best Practice examples from your given category and comment on: – How well a project like this could work here – Any examples of best practice you can think of happening already – Potential challenges and opportunities for joint working between Union and University

Increasing leadership and student lead activity within international cohort. Increase in 24% of international student applications than last year - international Students are becoming an increasingly important demographic. The presence of Kaplan on campus Improve the student experience and retention of International Students. Explore the opportunities for producing graduates, both domestic and international students, who are highly culturally aware and have a global perspective thus improving employability. Springboard Funding

The following eight strategic objectives are broken into three categories: Supporting International Students Integration Internationalising the Student Experience Strategy: Strategic Objectives

We will ensure that all international students are able to participate in the democratic processes and representative structures of our students' unions We will campaign for positive change and lobby to make sure the voices of international students are heard locally, nationally We will develop services that meet the needs of our international student members. Supporting International Students

We will create opportunities for students for home and international students to come together through societies and activities. We will develop genuine two-way communication between our students' unions and our international student members and ensure our communication is accessible and appropriate. Integration

We will develop and promote international and learning and development opportunities for officers and staff. Through Partnerships and Collaboration we will develop networks at local, regional and national level to support internationalisation activities to enhance member employability and increase volunteering and enterprise opportunities. We will provide an international experience for all students and promote a global perspective in all areas of union activity. Internationalising the Student Experience

Clarity, variety and appropriateness of communication Monitoring and evaluation of engagement with union Employability and Skills Development Use of volunteers Consideration of how work could apply to other student groups Key areas under each aim

What are the key benefits for students and institution of integration and internationalisation Identify the greatest challenges in achieving them Identify areas for joint working between the SU and the University Group Discussion

Questions...? Thanks for coming!