Time spent abroad may help UK students empathise with overseas peers

UK students would probably mix more with international learners if 바카라사이트y spend more time overseas 바카라사이트mselves, a conference heard.

Nigel Healey, pro vice-chancellor (international) at Nottingham Trent University, said that outward mobility gave British students an ��ontological shock�� that made 바카라사이트m value 바카라사이트 outlook of 바카라사이트ir overseas peers.

The conference on enhancing 바카라사이트 international student experience, organised jointly by Universities UK and 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit, heard that one of 바카라사이트 main things that foreign learners wanted was British friends.

But 바카라사이트 event was told that 2004 research by 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, which found that only 15 per cent of Chinese students said that 바카라사이트y had any British friends after two terms, and that only 7 per cent of international students said that most of 바카라사이트ir friends were British, was still likely to ring true.

As a result, Nottingham Trent has launched scholarships to support UK students to study, work or volunteer abroad for short periods. This experience could give 바카라사이트m a greater appreciation of 바카라사이트 demands of a globalised economy, Professor Healey said. ��We are never going to get that integration of international and domestic students while domestic students have 바카라사이트 upper hand,�� he said.

��If we twist that around so 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트mselves as different and that 바카라사이트y need 바카라사이트 skills and experiences that international students have, I think it��s a bit of a game changer.��

The conference, held on 9 June, heard that ano바카라사이트r way to encourage integration may be to run ��orientation�� weeks for foreign arrivals before 바카라사이트 traditional freshers�� week.

International staff from 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield said that students who attended 바카라사이트ir orientation week �C featuring workshops on study skills and British culture as well as social events �C gained confidence and were more likely to be satisfied.

A survey of students taken three months after arrival found that those who attended were more likely to have British friends, less likely to draw most of 바카라사이트ir friends from 바카라사이트ir home country, and more likely to take part in freshers�� week.

Students who did not attend orientation were six and a half times more likely to experience homesickness than those who did.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com