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We know starting university can be a stressful time for many – new surroundings, new peers and a high level of academic expectation makes even the most confident student a little anxious. But think how much greater this is for those students whose main concern is not only finding their way around campus, but getting to grips with a different language, culture and set of customs.
It will be a question that's playing on the minds of many university staff this week as they finalise the schedule for orientation week: what really is the best way to make international students feel welcome and settled in?
While many UK universities pride themselves on their international reach, recruitment is not the end point. Are universities doing their best at integrating international students once they've arrived?
"Student friendship groups are often defined by nationality," as one blogger wrote for Guardian Students. "It's not just Chinese students who don't mix – Brits also tend to stick together." Whether this is down to "cultural differences", as Fadi Dakkak, international student officer of the University of Sheffield's Student Union puts it, or practical arrangements such as housing students in separate accommodation, it's clear there are many factors at play.
Learning and teaching is a key issue. For Xin Qu, who came from China to study an MSc in management at LSE, the biggest challenge was getting used to the UK education system – talking aloud about her opinions, using her initiative and attending social networking events.
According to Daniel Stevens, international officer at the NUS, there's definitely been an improvement in the way universities approach and prioritise integrating international students, but he says there's still more work to be done. "There is troubling evidence that a large proportion of international students still feel isolated from the university community and feel they have difficulties making friends with domestic students," says Stevens.
"There needs to be a holistic strategy, which includes collaboration between universities and students' unions on a student-led approach to integration," he adds. EUSA Global at the University of Edinburgh and World@Warwick at Warwick University are two good working examples of how to integrate students, but we want to know how your university settles in their students – and sets them up for success.
So join our live chat on Friday 13 September from 12-2pm BST, in partnership with ETS TOEFL, to discuss whether universities are doing enough to help integrate international students.
You can also follow the debate live on Twitter using the hashtag #HElivechat
Panel
Paul Woods, assistant director of Royal Holloway international
Daniel Stevens, international students' officer for the NUS. @dc_stevens
Jeremy Burgess, head of international student recruitment at the University of Warwick, and member of both the BUILA Executive and the UCAS International Advisory Board.
Caroline Magennis teaches British studies and literature at Harlaxton College, the study abroad campus of the University of Evansville. @drmagennis
Tee Holden, campus manager at SAE Institute Oxford and former international operations manager at Derby University. @Tee_Al
Shreya Paudel, committee member of the international students' campaign at the NUS. @shreya_paudel
Sylvia Hoffmann, English lecturer at University of Wales Trinity Saint David (London campus). @londonpolyglot
Rebecca Danes, global student support coordinator at the University of the West of England. @Beccadanes
Sandy Tippett, director of student outcomes at Study Group.
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