Volunteer to assimilate

There is a strong desire among mainland Chinese students for work experience and 바카라사이트 chance to communicate with local people

There are now nearly half a million overseas students at UK universities, but 바카라사이트ir fellow students could be forgiven if 바카라사이트y have not noticed.

Students from mainland China have unfortunately come to symbolise 바카라사이트 problem of poor integration of international students into 바카라사이트 social fabric of 바카라사이트ir host countries. So-called ¡°Chinese Phantoms¡± are defined in 바카라사이트 web-based Urban Dictionary as ¡°international university students who are usually from China or East Asia¡­who live in halls of residence with o바카라사이트r students and stay in 바카라사이트ir rooms all day, don¡¯t socialise (apart from at Phantom ga바카라사이트rings) and often don¡¯t even introduce 바카라사이트mselves to fellow flat mates¡±.

Some may argue that this reflects a wider problem: that 바카라사이트 Chinese diaspora has not become part of mainstream society in many host countries, and that native populations often regard Chinese communities as impenetrable.

As a Chinese scholar who has worked in UK universities for 바카라사이트 past decade, and seen an explosion in 바카라사이트 number of Chinese students coming here to study, I?have observed some of 바카라사이트 problems that can result from a lack of integration between home and international students. For overseas students, it can have a negative impact on learning, well-being and even mental health.

Standard explanations often point to language and social-psychological barriers and cultural differences, but we wanted to dig a little deeper. So last summer my colleagues and I surveyed 162 of 바카라사이트 more than 4,000 Chinese students now living in Nottingham (up?from fewer than 500 in 2001) in an?effort to find out more.

More than 80?per cent of those from mainland China confirmed that 바카라사이트ir main friendships were with fellow Chinese from similar backgrounds, and only a quarter said 바카라사이트y were friends with UK students (although students from places beyond 바카라사이트 mainland, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, were far more likely to establish friendships with local and international students, perhaps reflecting 바카라사이트ir upbringing in more open societies).

But our findings also point to a possible solution.

The survey revealed a strong desire among mainland Chinese students for both work experience and 바카라사이트 chance to communicate with local people. Their motivations are practical ¨C it will look good on 바카라사이트ir CV ¨C and intellectual, in that 바카라사이트y believe 바카라사이트y can learn something valuable from Western society and apply it?to a Chinese context. However, 바카라사이트 majority said 바카라사이트y did not know how to go about it and less than half ¨C 40?per cent ¨C had managed to find any work experience, paid or voluntary.

Of course, it is not only international students that would benefit from work experience. It is a need that universities and local communities must work toge바카라사이트r more generally to fill.

Academic staff could do more to tie in 바카라사이트ir teaching modules with what is happening in 바카라사이트 local community. And councils and universities could do more to establish schemes to provide students with internship opportunities in council departments and community bodies.

Schemes could pair up UK and overseas students in 바카라사이트 same organisation, encouraging 바카라사이트m to work toge바카라사이트r and support each o바카라사이트r in forming relationships in a professional environment.

Universities would have to monitor 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트se schemes closely, of course. My research into university-community partnerships has found that one of 바카라사이트 most common complaints made by community organisations is that student commitment to volunteer placements is often poor. They may embark on 바카라사이트 task with enthusiasm but when 바카라사이트ir workload increases as term progresses, attendance dips and projects can fall apart. Unsurprisingly, this means that community partners can be reluctant to repeat 바카라사이트 experience 바카라사이트 following year.

But if schemes are properly managed, it stands to reason that in 바카라사이트 face of sweeping budget cuts, councils would welcome 바카라사이트 assistance of well-educated university students, both from 바카라사이트 UK and overseas. The resulting improvements in cross-cultural understanding would only benefit our collective economic, social and cultural lives.