International Student
Accommodations and
IntegrationBy:
Takeshia BrownAbby DeHaas
Shannon McKenzie
Overview
Introduction
Statistics
Theoretical Background
Data
Survey
Focus Groups
Summary and Recommendations
Future Implications
Q & A
Introduction
By Shannon McKenzie
Introduction
Global trend of internationalization
Increase in international students = increase in higher
education services
Results in multicultural staff awareness.
Impact of International Students:
Key Statistics
International (non-UK) students in UK HE in 2010-11: totalled428,225 compared with 405,810 in 2009-10 (an increase of 6%),
full-time undergraduate study up 9%,
full-time taught postgraduate courses up 8% and full-time research postgraduates up 4%, while full-time "other" undergraduates and postgraduates, and all part-time non-UK student numbers decreased.
made up 14% of full-time first degree students and 13% of all first degree students
made up 70% of full-time taught postgraduates and 46% of all taught postgraduates
made up 48% of full-time research degree students and 41% of all research postgraduates
Economic Impact
A research paper from the Department for Business
Innovation and Skills called Estimating the value to the
UK of Education Exports (June 2011) estimates that in
2008-09 tuition fee income to the UK was worth over
£4 billion - £2.4 billion for HE.
Significance of International Students
Heavy Financial Sacrifice
“…many international students will have borrowed
heavily from friends and relatives in order to afford
their UK studies; their overseas education represents
a huge investment by family/community, and they are
expected to repay the investment on their return. This
places students under huge pressure to achieve
academically…” (Bailey, 2006)
Barriers to Integration
Socio-cultural
use of alcohol
religion
Language
Focus on Studies
Quieter accommodations
Theoretical Perspective
Schlossberg's Transitional Theory (1981, 1995)
defined a transition as any event, or non-event, that
results in changed relationships, routines, assumptions,
and roles.
Schlossberg identified four major sets of factors that
influence a person's ability to cope with a transition:
situation, self, support, and strategies, which are also
known as the 4 S's.
“Where possible, services and support for
international students should be seen as
part of the institutions core service to all
students, in order to foster an inclusive
environment and promote integration and
inclusion of international students in all
aspects of university life.”
Statistics
Survey Results
526 Students Completed the
Survey
Please State Your Nationality:
11%
53%
32%
4%
Number of Students
EU
UK
International
Other
Graduate vs Post Graduate
Students
050
100150200250300350400
Undergraduate: 76.78%
Post Graduate: 23.22%
400
121
Amount that Answered the Survey
Amount that Answered the Survey
Integration and
Accommodation Issues
with International
Students
By Abby DeHaas
Survey Results
For:
Assuming that there is the right balance of nationalities for you, what
do you think is the best number of students to have sharing a flat?
(choose one)
38%
54%
5% 1%
2%
How Many Students Should Be In A Flat?
(All Students)
up to 5
6 to 10
10 to 12
12 to 15
more than 15
Student Per Flat
Survey Results
For:
Assuming that there is the right balance of nationalities for you, what
do you think is the best number of students to have sharing a flat?
(choose one)69%
28%
0%
2%
1%
Number of Students in Flats
(Chinese Students)
up to 5
6 to 10
10 to 12
12 to 15
more than 15
Student Per Flat
Questions Used to Guide the
Student Focus Groups
What did you expect your accommodations to be?
How do you feel about the change in international housing policy, with a guarantee for international students, will affect your experience?
How do you think that housing should be assigned within flats?
How did you expect your housing assignment to affect your social activities?
What type of accommodation material were you expecting prior to arriving?
What affect do your accommodations have on your academic progress?
How can the university, in your opinion, improve accommodations?
What experiences with students of other nationalities have you had?
Questions Used to Guide the Staff
Focus Group
For you, what has been your biggest challenge housing international students?
What are some of the challenges you been faced with integrating international students
What have been the most successful methods?
How do you feel that the changing in international housing policies will effect your job and students?
What resources, suggestions, or changes do you feel you need to better serve international students?
How do you provide services for international students without abandoning the home students?
How can communication be improved between departments?
What do you think the biggest issues are that are caused by a lack of this?
Open Ended Responses from
Student Survey
“All met apart from a lack of living space in Cartmel to socialize in. A small common room would help.”
“More assistance in dealing with international students when there is a language barrier.”
“More help during the first week when students are homesick.”
“Matching people together better. I’m a 3rd year and a majority of my friends are from different colleges so I chose to live on campus in a flat to meet new people. I feel like the people in this flat, just got chucked together. I have nothing at all in common with any of them…. There has been little opportunity for us to socialize together and I have not enjoy living on campus this year at all.”
Related Comments from Students
When in Canada you could pick a “Global House” could choose to be in a multicultural area.
One foreign, one home person. Good in the respect that you got to mix. BUDDY SYSTEM.
International students are not as vocal about their complaints. Then it’s hard for changes to be made.
“The mix of freshers and final years has been problematic.”
Put at least two people of the same nationality in the same flat, it would make everyone a lot more comfortable.
More assistance in dealing with international students when there is a language barrier.
Related Comments from Students
Cont.
Matching people together better. I am third year and the majority of my friends are from different colleges to me so I chose to live on campus in a flat to meet new people. I feel like the people in this flat just got chucked together, I have nothing at all in common with any of them, it can be awkward at times when in the same room as them. There has been little opportunities for us to socialize together and I have not enjoyed living on campus this year at all.
There is a lack of nationalities in my flat, which is not an issue. However I have noticed in other friends flats some minority nationalities at Lancaster seem to only socialize with people of their own nationality. Lancaster should encourage the mixing of students more in order for everyone to benefit.
A communal area with sofas to socialize with flat mates.
Integration
IssuesStudent Issue
Lack of of initiative by the Chinese students to socialize outside of their nationality
When they are housed in en-suite accommodations they are more likely to spend a majority of their time inside of their suite
Even when invited don’t participate
Staff Issue
International students not
voicing their concerns with
their accommodations
Students are weary that
voicing opinions may
have negative
repercussions in general
Accommodation
Issues
Student Issues
Communal spaces in the living
facilities
Prevent integration
Some people, especially
in the en-suite style living
facilities would isolate
themselves by not leaving
their rooms
Staff Issues
Assignments and Placements
Find the balance of international and home students
Gender issue
UK students aren’t concerned opposite sex accommodations
International students (Chinese and Indian) are the ones who request to live in the single sex accommodations but, they are also the ones who contradict the most about cooking together because of dietary preferences and restrictions
Recommendations for
Integration and
Accommodation Issues with
International Students
By Takeshia Brown
Recommendations
Placement of students with consideration of student’s
personality
Include personality questions on housing application
Include a question asking whether students want to live
with international students
Student Personality Survey
Student Personality Survey
Example #2
Recommendations
Global Village Community
Purpose
Proposal
Anticipated results
Examples
Cultural Exchange Community – Clemson University
International House at Maxcy College –University of South Carolina
Future Implications
International Student Task Force
Assess the effectiveness of the Global Village Community Program
Reassess the needs of international students
Representatives from various offices and student groups
Effects of new policy no longer guaranteeing housing to international students for 3 years
How will this affect the number of international students attending Lancaster? How does this affect the institution’s strategic plan? How does the institution plan to meet the needs of the students who are no longer on campus? How are students included in the integration?
Future Implications
Establishing an international student contact in LUSU
to aid with off campus accommodation
International Student
House-Hunting Checklist
A critical challenge for every college and university is
to educate its diverse student population so that they
are multicultural competent and can successfully
functions in America’s pluralistic society. It therefore
becomes incumbent that the various activities under
the umbrella of student affairs join to assume their
responsibility in supporting, facilitating and enhancing
this multicultural mission faced by institutions of higher
learning (Grieger, 1996).
Q & A
Thank You For Your Time
References
Bailey, C. (2006). Supporting international students in UK higher education: Key issues and recommendations for further research. Retrieved on June 14, 2012 from
http://wlv.openrepository.com/wlv/bitstream/2436/7590/1/Supporting%20International%20Students.pdf
Rushall, M. (2010). Managing accommodation for international students: A handbook for practitioners.UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA). Retrieved on June 14, 2012 from
http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/files/pdf/about/material _media/accommodation_guide.pdf
Shideh, H. and Tidwell, R. International students in higher education: Identification of needs and implications for policy and practice. Journal of Studies in International Education. (2002) 6: 305
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2012). International students studying in the UK –Guidance for UK higher education providers. Retrieved on June 1, 2012 from www.qaa.ac.uk
www.ukcisa.org.uk
www.clemson.edu/campus-life/international-programs/cec.html
www.iss.sc.edu
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