Kathryn Richardson and Assoc. Prof. Rosalind Hurworth
Abstract: Fitting into a new culture brings many preconceived expectations and uncertainties, particularly for students who are also navigating the complications of adolescence. As adolescents, international students attending secondary schools still require the help and confidence of adults who they respect and with whom they can confide safely. This paper reports some of the findings from a survey and interviews investigating the needs of international students attending secondary schools. Overseas students in a variety of care settings were invited to comment regarding their settlement in Australia. There were 318 questionnaire respondents and eighteen students participated in the interviews. The study was examining the factors that enable them to move from requiring considerable support upon arrival to functioning confidently and independently within the Australian environment.
Three main factors emerged from the research. The first involved the preconceived expectations held by the students prior to arrival, and how these impacted their experiences upon arrival. The second factor involved the link between friendship patterns and communicative competence. Finally, the role of significant adults associated with the international students’ lives was examined.
Key words: International students, adolescent, welfare, culture, settlement, friendship
Abstract: A critical incident has been identified as any situation involving injury and hospitalisation, trauma and death. ISANA has been helpful in developing guidelines for international student advisers to support the student, their family and friends on behalf of the education provider in an efficient and compassionate manner. When critical incidents coalesce and escalate to include students from other education providers, the modus operandi for handling a critical incident becomes more complex. While not losing sight of the individual student, the critical incidents require crisis management on a larger scale. Handling situations on this scale necessarily involves stakeholders external to the institution. In 2006, a number of international students at the University of South Australia (UniSA) sought advice and counselling as victims of crime. Patterns emerged.
The crisis involved students from other education providers, common localities and the largest group of victims emerged as a cohort from one region of the world. The crisis received political attention as well as media scrutiny. The immediate and long term physical safety and emotional well-being of the students were the primary foci. Other issues such as media management, collaboration with other affected education providers and the concerns of the ethnic community also required attention. UniSA adopted several strategies to assist the students and resolve the crisis.
Internal key stakeholders included student support services, the international office, security staff and senior management at UniSA. External stakeholders included the State government, local councils, student support services at other education providers, the South Australian police, community organisations, diplomatic representatives, student groups and Education Adelaide. Cooperative strategies emerged and this was important to a successful outcome. Strategies included forming a core internal crisis management team, setting of clear roles for members, communication strategies (internal and external), community forums facilitated by community groups and the police and sharing information and support across the sector. International education is an important aspect in the Australian economy. International students have enriched the Australian culture and community. They are also seen as easy, identifiable target for petty crime. The crisis in 2006 made clear that international students and their issues and concerns are not a case of ‘YP’ (Your problem) or only affecting the education provider. This experience showed that their issues and concerns were a community concern. This paper will share the experience, strategies and the important lessons that were learnt along the way to resolving the crisis for the students and the universities involved.
Keywords: international students, compassion, death, family, counselling, support services
Abstract: In 2006, Tony Blair launched the second phase of his Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education, aiming to increase and diversify inward mobility to the UK, to build partnerships at institutional and national level with key target countries and to improve the quality of the international student experience. This paper will look at how a range of UK partners are working to deliver on this latter strand. “Preparation for success” has been identified as fundamental to raising international student satisfaction levels by ensuring students are helped through the initial transition period as quickly and smoothly as possible. Some resources have been focused directly on students, but much of the work is based around developing and sharing best practice in institutions, and improving professional development opportunities and resources for staff working with international students. This paper reports on key developments to date, and directions for the future.
Keywords: International student experience; integration; employment; finance; preparation; professional development
Abstract: Talking about sexuality, relationships and friendships may be perceived as a ‘taboo’ topic of conversation in many cultures. This poses a challenge for engaging international students and in providing education on sexual health and the negotiation of healthy relationships. As part of their orientation activities, commencing international students at UniSA were invited to attend a forum on relationships and friendships across cultures on 14 February 2007. The forum was held as part of Valentine’s Day celebrations and Sexual Health Awareness Week and was followed by a morning tea where SHine SA provided information about sexual health and relationships. This paper describes an educative model that utilises ‘story telling’ to engage international students in discussion about relationships and friendships in their new University and cultural environment. It offers a format by which students can seek information in a culturally appropriate and sensitive manner. It also explores the possibilities for student engagement and the shared moments that occur outside the formal classroom environment.
Keywords International students, sexual health, cross-cultural relationships, cross-cultural friendships, student engagement, story telling
Choi, Serene Hyun-Jin, Nieminen, Timo A., Bartylla, C., Bertrand, D., Gong, Y. X., Huber, E., Krüger, K., and Therkildsen, K.
Abstract: We explore the experiences, both positive and negative, of six visiting research students in physics in an Australian university. We consider their motivations for coming to Australia, their take-home impressions of their visits, and what institutions can do to maximise the success of such visits for both the students and the institutions.
Keywords: Visiting students, interns, research experience
