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International Student Services at Ontario Universities

International Student Services at Ontario Universities. A Joint Undertaking. Ontario Committee on Student Affairs (represents the chief student affairs officers at the 20 Ontario universities) Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. Special Thanks.

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International Student Services at Ontario Universities

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  1. International Student Services at Ontario Universities

  2. A Joint Undertaking • Ontario Committee on Student Affairs (represents the chief student affairs officers at the 20 Ontario universities) • Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

  3. Special Thanks • Chris Martin, Director of Research, and Rylan Kinnon, Executive Director, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance • Brenda Whiteside, Associate Vice-President (Student Affairs), University of Guelph • Members of the Ontario Committee on Student Affairs THANKS. THANKS. THANKS

  4. The Ontario provincial government has endorsed increasing international enrolment in post-secondary institutions by 50 percent over five years with the hope that many will stay in Ontario after graduation. -Government of Ontario, 2010

  5. Context • In 2010-11, Ontario universities enrolled 30,978 international students, with two-thirds of them undergraduate (MTCU, 2011) • When the Government’s international enrolment target is met, Ontario universities will see international student enrolment increase by 15,000, or roughly the equivalent of a medium-sized university campus

  6. Context (Cont’d) • Ontario’s decision to increase international enrolment corresponds with a growing market for these students • By 2025, global demand for international education is predicted to grow from 1.9 million to 7.2 million students (OECD, 2006) • However, there is considerable competition for international students, especially from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia

  7. Context (Cont’d) • Currently, Canada takes in 2.5% of all international students in the global market, slightly more than New Zealand. By comparison, Australia, a country similar in size and population to Canada, enrols 7.6% of the global market (UNESCO, 2009) • A recent CBIE (Kizibash, 2011, p. 3) report cites that “Canada, which once ranked in the top five destinations for foreign students, has now dropped to 14th place, receiving less than three percent of the market.”

  8. Our Thesis Even the most effective recruiting strategy will only yield limited gains if visiting students do not experience a high-quality, welcoming and engaging student experience at our universities.

  9. Experience & Research Suggests • International students experience: • language difficulties (Barron, Gourlay, & Gannon-Leary, 2010; Carter & Xu, 2007; Fitzgerald, 1998; Hansen, 1993; Tas, 2004; Zhang & Zhou, 2010) • culture related learning differences (Carter & Xu, 2007 Rice et. all, 2009; Tas, 2004; Tompson & Tompson, 1996) • academic support issues (Fitzgerald, 1998; Sandeen, 2004; Tas, 2004)

  10. An important element to Ontario`s plan to enrol increasingly larger numbers of international students is ensuring that Ontario’s universities provide a strong array of student support services.

  11. Connection to Internationalization • An important part of the Council of Ontario Universities (2010) proposed internationalization strategy • The Council of Ministers of Education, in their International Education Marketing Action Plan (Council of the Federation, 2011), encourage “provinces and territories to continue to work together to share information about leading Canadian and international practices to support international students and ensure that their educational experiences in Canada are positive.” (p. 24)

  12. “To remain competitive, however, Ontario must distinguish itself from the growing number of players in the internationalization sphere, not only by providing a high quality educational experience, but also by building a reputation as the most supportive environment for international students in the world. “ -Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (2011)

  13. Going Global – The Elements • International Undergraduate Tuition • Financial Assistance for International Students • International Student Health Coverage • Employment for International Students • International Student Support Services • Branch and Affiliate Campuses

  14. Going Global – International Student Support Services • Best Practices: • Personal Counselling • Peer Networking • Access to Employment • Access to Safety Nets • Language Training • Recommendations: • Provincial Task force on international student support services • Province insures quality international student support services

  15. Our Purpose • To inform the Council of Ontario Universities and senior management at Ontario’s universities that we must increase our investment in international student support services if we are to effectively meet the challenge of enrolling an additional 15,000 international students at our universities.

  16. Our Approach • OCSA wrote a draft paper • We then partnered with OUSA • Reviewed all available research • Conducted an on-line survey to assess the availability and use of international student support services • Coordinated consultation with the campuses, international students, and representatives from leading international-related organizations

  17. Structure of Our Paper • The literature on international student success • Type of international student support services • Availability of international student support services on Ontario university campuses • A look at how we are doing • Next steps

  18. Consultation Day – February 2012 • Senior student affairs officers • International student support service providers • International students • Representatives from: • Council of Ontario Universities • Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities • Canadian Bureau of International Education

  19. Discussion Group Questions • What are universities doing well? • What needs are not being met? • What can be done to address these needs? • As an individual university • As a university system • As external agencies (ministries, DFAIT, provincial and federal governments, etc.) • What can be done to inform university leadership of these needs?

  20. Telling Our Story • Conference session at: • Canadian Association of College & University Student Services Conference, 2012 • Canadian Bureau of International Education Conference, 2012 • Presented the paper to the Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents, 2013 • Published paper in the first edition of the SEM Quarterly, 2013

  21. Key Findings • Each of the broad areas of international student support are available at Ontario university campuses • 45 percent of our campuses provide maximum level loans/bursaries to international students of $2,000 or more • Most (80%) campuses provide an international student resource centre that services as a one-stop location for international student services • 30% of our campuses offer 20 or more international student-oriented clubs and organizations

  22. Key Findings (Cont’d) • 44% of Ontario university campuses provide a home-stay program for international students • Nearly half (45%) have 5 or fewer dedicated international student services staff, with only 30% having 6-10 staff persons

  23. Services Used the Most • International student advisor • Immigration advising and support • Employment support (off-campus) • International student handbook • Health and medical services • Specialized orientation for international students (in addition to regular orientation programming) • Residence opportunities guaranteed for international students • International student resource centre

  24. Services – Not Widely Available • Financial literacy for international students • Space where international students can engage with students from their home country

  25. Canadian Bureau of International Education Survey • Surveys conducted in 2004 and 2009 • Satisfaction increased in all service areas • More than half of the respondents indicated they had “little or no success” or “some success” with: • involvement in off-campus activities • involvement in on- campus activities • making friends with Canadian students • obtaining academic advice

  26. Comparison - International • 10 universities participated in the International Student Barometer (ISB) • Levels of satisfaction across the Ontario cohort were 2% lower than the ISB cohort, which suggests some possible areas of improvement • When usage is factored into student satisfaction, the areas where there appears to be the most potential for improvement include: health centre and campus eating places International Student Barometer i-Grad, 2012

  27. Our Recommendations • RECOMMENDATION #1: universities should focus their thinking away from the commonly used retention rate and toward the more useful retention risk factors. In other words, the institutional view would ideally shift toward early prevention and efforts to assist international students in real time as they confront challenges to remain and thrive at the institution.

  28. Our Recommendations • RECOMMENDATION #2: OCSA recommends that Ontario universities focus their efforts on five critical student support areas: • Health & Wellness • Student Living • Academic Support • Transition • Cultural Sensitivity

  29. Our Recommendations • Health and Wellness: Ensure the availability of on-campus student health services, including both physical and mental health care, and develop a culturally-sensitive strategy for handling instances of sexual assault involving international students

  30. Our Recommendations • Student Living: • Enhance campus eating places to make them more attentive to international students, especially with regard to dietary restrictions which students may have for religious or cultural reasons; • Provide residence opportunities that meet the needs of specific international communities and married students, and support students throughout the break and summer periods; • Increase involvement of international students in on- and off-campus activities and in initiatives that will result in international students making friends with Canadian students early in their student experience; and • Provide appropriate faith-based and spiritual support

  31. Our Recommendations • Academic Support: • Provide professional and culturally sensitive academic advising for international students; • Enhance academic acculturation initiatives, including those associated with academic integrity; • Provide support for verbal and written English communications; and • Increase connectivity between career services and international student support departments

  32. Our Recommendations • Transition: • Develop in-semester, first semester orientation programs; • Increase awareness efforts to ensure that international students learn about their rights and responsibilities in Canada, especially for students from different countries who may have unique circumstances and different requirements; and • Provide transition support to spouses, children and family members

  33. Our Recommendations • Cultural Sensitivity: • Provide intercultural competency training to all support staff, faculty and students.

  34. Our Recommendations • RECOMMENDATION #3: OCSA endorses the creation of service metrics with respect to supporting international students on our campuses. Such data would help guide best practices in international student retention and support continuing research into the indicators of international student persistence.

  35. Our Recommendations • RECOMMENDATION #4: International students benefit from some of the same student services as domestic students. These services should continue to be supported. Some of the key services include: • academic support • accommodations (residence) support • employment support • financial support • health and wellness support • transition support

  36. Questions & Comments • Clayton Smith • Vice-Provost, Students & International • University of Windsor • csmith@uwindsor.ca • Suzanne Blanchard • Associate Vice-President (Students and Enrolment) & University Registrar • Carleton University • suzanne_blanchard@carleton.ca

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