International Student Experience

Induction & inclusion for Study Abroad students

Fee-paying international students (already at undergraduate level) who come to UAL for 1, 2 or 3 terms and then return to their home institution with the academic credit they earn here

Managed from International Centre at High Holborn for LCC, CCW and CSM and from Short Course Office at John Prince’s Street for LCF

Most students stay for 1 term – very little time to make an impact on them

In 2012/13, 63% of students came from the USA. Continuing trend of more students from elsewhere, notably Mexico and Brazil

Increasingly looked to within UAL as a way of recruiting MA students

What is Study Abroad?

Study Abroad student expectations

Their money’s worth…one term will cost almost £5k in 2013/14

Details about their College, course, timetable, teaching hours, housing

Support – from teaching staff, from Study Abroad Office (increasingly seen as a service that is provided to students

A warm welcome – orientations at their home institutions are huge and official events with lots of resource, for example University of San Francisco, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

That induction and inclusion is an ongoing process through all parts of their time with us

Study Abroad induction & inclusion: pre-arrivalCommercial incentive – important part of recruitment and marketing of the programme. Study Abroad is run as a business and needs to be approached in this way – everything possible has to be done to entice students in

Students tend to be quite nervous and expect fast turnaround on questions

UAL course handbooks are not easy to make understandable to Study Abroad students. Makes it challenging for Study Abroad Office staff and can be frustrating for students

We try to keep them involved by offer letter, pre-arrival information, email newsletters about what’s happening in London, Study Abroad Facebook page, increasing use of video

Study Abroad induction & inclusion: welcome dayRun in Freshers’ Week in September but students who start in January usually arrive at the end of the Christmas break and go straight into teaching. Could a January "re-freshers week" be run?

Most important part of induction process

Formal and informal events – including sessions from SUARTS, Library Services, session on UAL teaching style, lunch, walking tour, pub

Huge disparity about what is provided in this area at College/course level for academic induction

80% of students in 2012/13 agreed/strongly agreed that the day helped them settle in

Study Abroad induction & inclusion: term timeOngoing effort to stay in touch with students: doesn’t end because induction/enrolment has finished

Not all UAL course structures are helpful for Study Abroad students (and exchange) who might be joining mid-year, with class units overlapping terms

Study Abroad staff run drop-in sessions each week in Colleges

Mid-term event (eg pub meet-up, street art walking tour, photography competitions)

Weekly email newsletters to students about events in Colleges & London

End of term exhibitions/events

Study Abroad induction & inclusion: post-programme

Students required to complete survey of UAL experience - we actually withhold transcripts until we have seen feedback. Shows we take their comments seriously

In 2012/13, 93% of students said they were happy or very happy with the service received from Study Abroad Office

Continual involvement with UAL through alumni association, and Study Abroad ambassador programme to help promote Study Abroad at UAL to future students

Study Abroad Facebook page and social media

Teaching staff at home institutions

Any questions?

studyabroad@arts.ac.uk

www.arts.ac.uk/studyabroad