These pages offer an overview of current support for international and EU students and provide examples of new initiatives aimed at better supporting international students during their transition to the University.
The Project has decided to approach international and EU students as a distinct group. There are very specific needs within this diverse group. The Project recommends that services offered to students in transition are promoted inclusively, avoiding separate approaches for home, international and EU students (which could work against the integration of these groups).
A useful resource bank with case studies and resources developed in the sector to better support international students can be found on the Teaching International Students Project Website.
The Teaching International Students Project is a joint initiative between the Higher Education Academy and the United Kingdom Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) with funding from the Prime Minister's Initiative 2 (PMI2). It is a two year project, hosted and co-funded by the Higher Education Academy. The project focuses on the ways that lecturers and other teaching staff can maintain and improve the quality of teaching and learning for international students. This is done through providing guidance and information on how to meet the diverse learning needs of international students.
The areas where international students need more support are not necessarily the same as those of "traditional home students". Understanding what the international student experience is like before they arrive at university, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their home education system, is very important. It helps us to map the areas where students might need more support. The presentation that Dr. Anja Timm, Senior Research Fellow in Education gave at the first Annual University of Southampton Transition to Living and Learning Workshop last year on the Previous Learning Experiences of International Students summarises the results of her field research in India and China and Greece and provides links to further online resources.
We are always looking to increase our resource bank. If you have developed any material in this area that you would like to share with colleagues in the University e-mail Sarah Rogers.
