International Office International Office perspectives of cultural perspectives of cultural exchange programmesexchange programmes

Eve LeungEve LeungInternational students advisorInternational students advisor

University of GreenwichUniversity of Greenwich

What is international office?What is international office?

Recruitment (SOAS)Recruitment (SOAS) International students welfare International students welfare

(Oxford Brookes)(Oxford Brookes) Combined functions (UCL)Combined functions (UCL)

Types of overseas exchangeTypes of overseas exchange

Short Term, Long TermShort Term, Long Term FieldworkFieldwork Exchange programmes Exchange programmes

(Euramus/JYA)(Euramus/JYA) Language exchange (voluntary, Language exchange (voluntary,

compulsory)compulsory)

RecruitmentRecruitment

Well advertise, in prospectus and Well advertise, in prospectus and other publications as part of selling other publications as part of selling pointspoints By doing this, you are establishing an By doing this, you are establishing an

agreement with students on what they agreement with students on what they can expectcan expect

Co-ordinate between universities Co-ordinate between universities Organise orientation programme as Organise orientation programme as

part of the welcome packagepart of the welcome package

Welfare office/student servicesWelfare office/student services

Provide information for students before Provide information for students before they leave i.e. immigration, health check they leave i.e. immigration, health check etcetc

Provide pastoral care if necessary for Provide pastoral care if necessary for student abroad (point of contact for student abroad (point of contact for emergency)emergency)

Provide advice for department if the Provide advice for department if the country chosen is suitable for the country chosen is suitable for the exchange (too dangerous?)exchange (too dangerous?)

Degree of care variesDegree of care varies

DepartmentDepartment

ToTo Establish inter-institutional agreementEstablish inter-institutional agreement Access if the programme/project is Access if the programme/project is

suitable as part of the coursesuitable as part of the course Ensure the experience can be collaborate Ensure the experience can be collaborate

into the courseinto the course Provide academic information to studentsProvide academic information to students

DepartmentDepartment

Retain prime responsibilityRetain prime responsibility Normal operation Normal operation Procedure in the event of any accident Procedure in the event of any accident

or disputeor dispute Procedure of evacuationProcedure of evacuation What kind of support should be provided What kind of support should be provided

by home institution and visiting by home institution and visiting institutioninstitution

BeforeBefore

Brief students before departureBrief students before departure FCO adviceFCO advice QAA Code of practice on placement learningQAA Code of practice on placement learning Host country laws, depends on what kind of activities they Host country laws, depends on what kind of activities they

are doing abroad, includes rights of academic appeal, are doing abroad, includes rights of academic appeal, health and safety, data protection, criminal law, drink. health and safety, data protection, criminal law, drink. Drugs, driving, breach of peace, consumer laws etcDrugs, driving, breach of peace, consumer laws etc

Written information (for everyone)Written information (for everyone) Make sure everyone is briefed before leavingMake sure everyone is briefed before leaving Advice within competent training e.g. Advice within competent training e.g.

department to collaborate with welfare office for department to collaborate with welfare office for informationinformation

BeforeBefore

Academic assessmentAcademic assessment to allow only 2to allow only 2ndnd or 3 or 3rdrd year student year student Studying relevant subject (with permission Studying relevant subject (with permission

from the department)from the department) Test on language abilitiesTest on language abilities

MentoringMentoring Either by academic or students who participate Either by academic or students who participate

in the same fieldwork/program (assign program in the same fieldwork/program (assign program leader)leader)

Give informal adviceGive informal advice

AfterAfter

Collaborate experience into the Collaborate experience into the coursecourse PROJECTSPROJECTS

Career developmentsCareer developments

Legal issuesLegal issues

Home institution is responsible!!!Home institution is responsible!!! Accuracy of all information provided (facilities)Accuracy of all information provided (facilities) Data protection act, both host and home institutions Data protection act, both host and home institutions

to comply with the normal way of EEA data protection to comply with the normal way of EEA data protection act, can include health record if student are registered act, can include health record if student are registered with it, assessment scoreswith it, assessment scores

Human rights act 1998Human rights act 1998 Sex discrimination act 1975Sex discrimination act 1975 Disability discrimination Act 1995 (plus amendment in Disability discrimination Act 1995 (plus amendment in

2001)2001) Law in the host countryLaw in the host country

WebsitesWebsites

www.ukcosa.orgwww.ukcosa.org www.fco.org.ukwww.fco.org.uk www.drb-gb.org/drc/informationandlegislation/page34a.aspwww.drb-gb.org/drc/informationandlegislation/page34a.asp

(disability rights commission draft code for (disability rights commission draft code for practice)practice)

ExamplesExamplesDisabilitiesDisabilities

As part of an art history course at an As part of an art history course at an university in UK, students spend a university in UK, students spend a month in Italy on a programme run month in Italy on a programme run by an Italian university. A student, by an Italian university. A student, need to have wheelchair access, need to have wheelchair access, who’s responsibility it is to ensure who’s responsibility it is to ensure the host university to provide the the host university to provide the provision for the students?provision for the students?

ExamplesExamplesDisabilitiesDisabilities

UKUK

ExamplesExamplesDisabilitiesDisabilities

Students on a language course spend 2 Students on a language course spend 2 months in a partner institution in months in a partner institution in Europe. Despite the work that the Europe. Despite the work that the British institution has done with the British institution has done with the European institution to explain the European institution to explain the needs of disabled students on the needs of disabled students on the programme, disabled continue to programme, disabled continue to complain that they have been complain that they have been discriminated against during their stay. discriminated against during their stay. Whose responsibility to resolved the Whose responsibility to resolved the situationsituation

ExamplesExamplesDisabilitiesDisabilities

UKUK

DepartmentDepartment Welfare officeWelfare office

ExamplesExamplesEmergency situationEmergency situation

In April 2003, WHO announced Beijing In April 2003, WHO announced Beijing had reported cases of SARS. A group had reported cases of SARS. A group of language exchange students were of language exchange students were studying there for a year. A student studying there for a year. A student representative e-mailed home representative e-mailed home institution asking what they should institution asking what they should do? What will you advise?do? What will you advise?

ExamplesExamplesEmergency situationEmergency situation

Check FCO advice if they is any Check FCO advice if they is any warning against visiting the citywarning against visiting the city

To ask if students feel unsafe staying To ask if students feel unsafe staying the country, if so, home institution the country, if so, home institution may choose to call back all studentsmay choose to call back all students

ExamplesExamplesEmergency SituationEmergency Situation

Call back/evacuation procedureCall back/evacuation procedure

ExamplesExamplesWithdraw programme procedureWithdraw programme procedure

A student called the department A student called the department requesting to withdraw from the requesting to withdraw from the exchange programme. He expressed exchange programme. He expressed that the course is not what he that the course is not what he expected, and was suffering from expected, and was suffering from homesick. He also had problems in homesick. He also had problems in accommodation and banking that accommodation and banking that prevent him to enjoy his stay within prevent him to enjoy his stay within the first 3 weeks. What should you do?the first 3 weeks. What should you do?

ExamplesExamplesWithdraw programme procedureWithdraw programme procedure

Check if students just suffering from Check if students just suffering from short term or long term problem by short term or long term problem by referring him to talk to a counsellorreferring him to talk to a counsellor

Student mentoring programme before Student mentoring programme before and during is helpful to prevent and during is helpful to prevent homesickhomesick

Check if it is the only case, if not, home Check if it is the only case, if not, home institution should start an investigationinstitution should start an investigation

If student insist in withdrawing the If student insist in withdrawing the programme - programme -

ExamplesExamplesWithdraw programme procedureWithdraw programme procedure

Withdraw programme procedureWithdraw programme procedure

Any questions?Any questions?

E-mail:E-mail:e.h.leung@gre.ac.uke.h.leung@gre.ac.uk

Thank youThank you

Eve LeungEve Leung