The induction process and the management of International Students

1. The induction process and the management of International Students Gina Parselle and Paul Jones Glamorgan Business School 3rd September – Swansea Metropolitan University

2. What’s wrong with this picture ?

3. International Students in Glamorgan • New International Student recruitment for September 2009 contributed: - • FAT (40%), • Business School (37%) • HASS (18%) • HESAS (3%) • CCI (2%)

4. UG International Recruitment trends

5. Bahrain 4 China 106 Kenya 2 Malaysia 3 Pakistan 25 Tanzania 17 USA 3 Taiwan 1 Vietnam 2 Canada 2 India 45 Sri Lanka 6 Zimbabwe 1 Gambia 1 Kuwait 3 Mali 1 Qatar 5 Thailand 1 UAE 2 Brunei 3 Ghana 2 Libya 4 Nigeria 51 Saudi Arabia 7 Mexico 2 Uganda 3 International students GBS 2009-10

6. GBS International Students by Course 2009-10 • MSc Management 47(95%) • BA Management and Business 40 • MSc International Business and Enterprise 28 Master of Business Administration 26 • MSc International Logistics & Supply Chain Mgnt 25 • MSc ManDIFFS 19 • BA Accounting and Finance 18 • MSc Marketing 16 • BA Business Excellence 14

7. Why ‘Managing’ ? • What are the issues associated with having International students in the Faculty ? • Their expectations • Our expectations • Non International students • Other stakeholders • Employers • Local community

8. Our expectations • appropriately qualified and skilled in being a student • written English skills are at the necessary level i.e. ILETS 6.5 • interact / communicate as UK students do • complete tasks in class and outside of the class to required standard / within time constraints

10. How much do they think beyond this ? • Getting a Visa • ?

11. Their expectations • The country of study – UK education gold standard , cheaper than USA • The University of study -?? • The academic demands • Workload • Assessment vehicles • Classroom activity / behaviour • Relationships with academic and administrative staff • Relationships with ‘other’ students

12. Expectations of Indian Students • They consider themselves to be an educational elite • That the British University experience will be a similar educational experience to that in India , eg. • Assessment will be via examination. There is little understanding or appreciation of other forms of assessment. • All work will be individual. • No projects, presentations, dissertations. • Attendance not compulsory. • Personal research not required.

13. Expectations of Indian Students • Attainment of the visa is a great achievement and often seen as the end point • Great importance on career prospects and being able to work whilst studying. • High expectations of the role the institution will play in finding them employment.

14. Expectations of Chinese Students • Attendance is compulsory • Schools/colleges often expect attendance at 40/50 classes per week. Commitment whilst in class in not guaranteed. • Chinese students will not answer or attempt to answer a question if they consider they will lose face in front of their peers • They do not expect to do external reading and all work is done in class.

15. Other students • Other International students : national, ethnic groups tend to not to integrate outside of the classroom • UK students : Final year of BABE degree direct entry of 150 European students: ‘swamped’ classes; tutors attention diverted away > group mits etc UK students acting as de facto ‘teacher’s aids’ in classes

16. Identified Issues in teaching International students • Plagiarism – understanding and avoiding • Poor attendance • Poor/indifferent performance when in class • Poor performance in exams and coursework assessments • Poor communication and written skills

17. GBSPost graduate Plagiarism cases2009-2010

18. Drilling down

19. Performance Issues • A performance gap between UK and International students especially at postgraduate level (-10% noted in one study of MBA students) • GBS statistics tend to support this and also that there is underperformance between our International students and European groups.

20. Attendance / Communication • Non attendance / erratic attendance • Late attendance • No culture of appointment making • Ambushing • Expectation that staff will provide substitute support outside of class time eg handout materials, explanations, briefing • Tend not to use Uni email accounts • Debtors communication problems

21. To Sum Up • Critical issues are: recruitment language ability student support assessment strategies student understanding of /skilled in the requirements

22. How do we get to this?

23. Consider • The need to provide adequate and sufficient student support outside lectures • Assessment – ensure adequate understanding re assignment requirements • Articulating expectations of student performance and behaviour in class • Relevance of course materials to the individual student, eg UK centric ? • Group work – need to teach them how to do it and the benefits they get from it • Importance of a work experience component in the programme

24. Suggested Best Practice • Orientation sessions on arrival • Extended induction • High quality language testing • Academic English module • Initial student skills development module. • Encourage “cultural mixing” via mixed group exercises

25. Improving Student Skills Dedicated week run by academic staff for: • Literature review – electronic databases • Report/essay writing • Presentation skills • Learning Styles • Referencing • Plagiarism

27. Impacts of the experience Post Programme of Study • Graduates recognise the development of soft skills and personal growth e.g. timekeeping, professionalism, self discipline. • Increased self reliance • Increased personal self confidence • Increased maturity • Increased communication • Team working skills • Document production – report writing skills • Cultural fluency • Detrimental effects of having to reintroduce oneself to a strict culture after the freedom of University life

28. References • Personal experience – 20 years HE delivery and management of International students • BMAF Internationalisation special interest groups at Northumbria University, De Montfort University and UIWC • StudentPulse (2009) study