International students

How can universities best attract and offer value to international students? These resources offer advice on marketing strategies that boost international enrolments, to providing a warm welcome and effective student support for international cohorts in order to ensure successful outcomes for graduates and post-graduates from all over the world.

A teacher at the front of a class full of students

Just call me Alex! Why dropping the ‘professor’ could boost students’ confidence

When students are allowed to address teachers by their first name, it can calm nerves and encourage even the quietest voices to join the conversation

Multiple authors

The University of Edinburgh

Different languages in speech bubbles on a laptop

International students don’t need ‘fixing’

To internationalise education, and not just enrolments, educators need to move feedback on academic language from correction to collaboration. Here Nashid Nigar offers a framework for rethinking inclusion through literacy diversity

Nashid Nigar

University of Melbourne

How can higher education better support international students with disabilities?

Institutions need to work harder to understand international students with disabilities’ needs and challenges, and put in place more obvious and intentional communication with them

Carol Evans, Maurie van den Heever, Ralph E. McKinney

University of Salford, GoodX Software, Marshall University

Tackling accent bias: the ‘last acceptable form of discrimination’

Accent bias undermines Black international students’ confidence and belonging in UK universities. Institutions must tackle this exclusion through awareness, training, and a proactive celebration of linguistic diversity

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Campus Talks: Why internationalisation must remain a cornerstone of higher education

Hear academic leaders in the UK and Singapore discuss what is needed for effective cross-border collaboration

Lily Kong, Manuel Barcia

Singapore Management University, University of Bath

Spotlight guide Teaching and researching across international borders

Teaching and researching across international borders

How to support a global higher education system in which international students and academics work and learn alongside peers from all over the world

Campus contributors

Campus

Make your university a home away from home

International students need a strong support system to settle them into their new environment. Find out how to provide one with these tips

Aray Saniyazova

Nazarbayev University

Why inclusion in EAP needs a rethink

Teaching English for academic purposes should be inclusive by its very nature. Here’s how to centre student voices, challenge assumptions about academic language, and design learning for meaningful participation and belonging

Angelos Bakogiannis

Independent academic

The importance of educational cultural awareness in the multicultural classroom

What happens when you mix contrasting worldviews and pedagogies in one university classroom? Find out how to balance students’ biases – and your own – to prepare them for a globalised world

Marie N. Bernal

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The power of a 30-minute meeting

One-to-one coaching sessions with students are an ideal forum to share individualised feedback, advice for academic and professional growth, and ways to build learner self-efficacy and confidence. Here’s how they support student success in a global classroom

R. Katherine Samford, Kendall Nelson

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

How a ‘Global Week’ could advance internationalisation at your institution

How to embed internationalisation across your university’s education? An interdisciplinary, cross-institution event could be the answer

Francisco Narbais

Universidad Austral

A teacher live streaming from a smart phone

Go live on social media to engage with prospective students

Meeting prospective international students in person isn’t always possible. Here’s how to create engaging live streams on social media, from selecting valuable content to structuring sessions and encouraging interaction

Alex Fenton

University of Chester

Market orientation must be an institution-wide endeavour

As higher education becomes increasingly global, universities must adopt a market-orientated philosophy, balancing student needs, national priorities and competitive differentiation, writes Emily Owen

Emily Owen

THE Consultancy

Unlock the potential of internationalisation in higher education

Let’s smash through the barriers to effective internationalisation. Here’s a four-part framework to do so

Wafa El Garah

Al Akhawayn University

Enhancing the thesis experience: insights from master’s students

Early preparation is essential for students’ successful thesis journey – so postgraduate course coordinators and programme leaders should put supports in place from the beginning

Shino Takayama, Ransi Jayawardena

The University of Queensland

Teaching region-specific political science courses: Hong Kong as a case study

Strategies implemented in two Hong Kong-specific courses aim to ensure students unfamiliar with the region remain as engaged in the learning process as local students

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

We should be using social media more to understand students

How to use netnography to improve communication with prospective and current students

Alex Fenton

University of Chester

Create an online learning environment international students feel comfortable in

For international students, navigating online learning is just another challenge among the many they’re already facing. Rajeev Kamineni offers advice based on his own learning journey

Rajeev Kamineni

Adelaide University

Unlock the benefits of multilingualism in higher education

To create inclusive campuses, we need to embrace multilingualism. Here’s how the Multilingual University project helped celebrate linguistic diversity and fostered a sense of belonging

Katherine Mansfield, Julio Gimenez

University of Westminster

Three male students laughing and chatting

We need to get to know our international students better

To create inclusive classrooms for international students, we must address bias and challenge assumptions. Here’s how

Meg Maclean

The University of Edinburgh

Young male with backpack looking up at a plane overhead

Measuring the environmental impact of student relocation

A simple but robust tool and methodology can help universities calculate the carbon emissions from student travel when they relocate for study

Roederer Rose Lyne, Fraser Lovie

University of Aberdeen

A group of four students working on a project

Use student-centred learning strategies to motivate international business students

Support your international students by incorporating strategies that promote student-centred learning into your teaching

Giselle Bate

University of Chester

Teaching international students about academic integrity

Cultural misunderstandings can lead to international students being referred for academic misconduct. An answer for university educators can be to tailor course content to bridge gaps in your students‘ understanding

Julija Jones

University of Southampton

Taking an administrative office performance from process-focused to people-driven

Improving processes can start with an objective to help team members be happy in their jobs while supporting their office’s activities. These steps focus on staff, faculty and students rather than systems

Joanna Daaboul

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

Students at an employability event at university

Empowering international students for global career success

Supporting our students to prosper and thrive is not only beneficial to them but also to the broader community

Alex Fenton, Trevor Omoruyi

University of Chester

A Black student walking around campus with books in hand

Improving the digital experience for Black international students

Strategies UK institutions should take to enable Black international students’ smooth transition into university

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Young black male university student with a backpack

A sustainable strategy for educating the next generation of African youth

Young women and men from African countries will soon comprise the most significant group of globally mobile students. What if universities met them with a sustainable, positive vision for their communities and the host institutions? Here are practical strategies and resources

Melissa Aberle-Grasse

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Campus Talks: Cross-cultural communication in the international classroom

Whether it’s teaching creative writing and media in a multilingual course or providing future doctors with clinical communication skills, two experts share tips for connecting with students and bridging language and culture divides

Lucy Palmer, Katalin Fogarasi

University of Central Asia, Semmelweis University

Students chatting outside a campus building

It’s all in the presentation: how to engage international students during lectures

The visual dimension of lectures and seminars can create additional challenges for international students, but simple strategies can help in creating useful presentations that support learning

Mark Whalley

University of Chester

Mind your language: inclusive teaching for international students

Learning about your international students and being mindful about how you use language in classes can have a profound impact on students’ experience and attainment

Mark Whalley

University of Chester

International students holding up flags of their home countries

Eleven ways to support international students who use English as a second language

A disconnect between lecturers' assumptions and the realities of the student experience can hinder learning. Read strategies to bridge it and foster a compassionate learning environment in the process

Peter O'Rourke

The University of Exeter

Diversity in the classroom as an advantage for learning

Cultural diversity can have practical benefits in the university classroom if we reflect on it from a culture-sensitive perspective, writes Attila Dobos. It can enhance the quality of discussions and lead to a deeper understanding between teacher and students

Attila Dobos

Semmelweis University

A group of students arriving on campus with suitcases

How can faculty facilitate short-term international student mobility programmes?

Let us pave the way for student mobility options to help our students make the most of their university experience and build the foundations for a successful future, writes Sunila John

Sunila John

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

The left hand side of a woman's face with her hand held up against her ear

How to create effective listening environments for deaf, neurodivergent and international students

It’s important to consider the influence of your learning environment on listening effort, cognitive load and cognitive fatigue. Here are some tips

Lindsey Jones

The University of Manchester

A group of students working on a project together

Use design thinking and storytelling to help international students find their voices

Exchanging stories allows students to express themselves and relate to others. Here are activities, based on co-creation and empathy, that encourage this

Bo Kelestyn, Nikita Asnani, Minali Sanghani, Weiwei Su, Janet Zheng

The University of Warwick

A teacher writes English phrases on a whiteboard

Writing courses can be more enriching for international students than you think

For many international students, English writing courses are a requirement. While such courses can help them polish their definite articles, they can do so much more. Umasankar Patra suggests harnessing the diversity in your classroom

Umasankar Patra

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Six ways to boost international student recruitment

International students bring diversity, talent and economic value to our universities and society. Here are some ways to encourage them to apply to your institution

Steven McGuire

University of Sussex

A range of international flags, shot from below

Four key hurdles international students face – and what to do about them

How can we make international students’ academic journey a positive one? Katherine Mansfield suggests ways to alleviate their social, academic and language challenges

Katherine Mansfield

University of Westminster

Two women walk away from the camera, their arms around each other's shoulders

Ease the transition for international students with a holistic peer-mentoring programme

Enlist peer mentors to help make international students’ transition on to your campus a smooth one. Naia Robinson shows how

Naia Robinson

Australian National University

Let’s make the international student experience as valuable as the degree

Given the unique challenges international students face, how can universities create an inclusive and supportive community? Educators share suggestions for helping international students thrive

Multiple authors

Adelaide University

A buffet table, groaning with food, stretches nearly as far as the eye can see

A smorgasbord of strategies to help international students feel included

Educators are like seasoned chefs with the responsibility to create harmonious classroom environments that celebrate the flavourful cultural diversity of international students, says John Sinclair

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

A young woman boards a plane in glorious sunshine

What will it take to ensure that international students are treated fairly?

Treatment of international students needs to shift to a social justice approach, and the interim report from Australia’s Universities Accord Panel doesn’t go far enough. Here’s how we can do more

Carly Steele, Sender Dovchin, Ana Tankosić

Curtin University

Helping international students in their transition to US institutions

International students enrich and add value to American campuses. Here, Ashlee Toomey-Flinn offers practical tips for helping them transition successfully into their US university experience

Ashlee Toomey-Flinn

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Navigating the choppy waters of intercultural differences in an international classroom

Farish A. Noor draws on three decades of teaching across different continents to offer advice on the challenges inherent in teaching students from diverse backgrounds

Farish A. Noor  

University of Malaya

How to help international students prepare for university life ahead of and after their arrival

Ayten Ordu provides five top tips that will help ensure international students have a smooth transition to their new surroundings

Ayten Ordu

Near East University

How to support international students’ smooth transition to a new country

Orientation is an ongoing process for international students, so welcome programmes need to extend further than a single day. Here, Mengping Cheng explains how to support new arrivals throughout their adjustment

Mengping Cheng

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

How to create and run pre-sessional courses to enhance future success

A team from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China outline the starting points for providing short-term English proficiency courses for non-native speakers

Multiple authors

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China

What about lifelong learning for international students?

International students might not be comfortable with the student-centred mindset that underpins continuous, self-directed learning. We must prepare them for lifelong learning so they are not left behind, argues Graham Wise

Graham Wise

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Five useful measures for welcoming students to international classrooms

Preeti Aghalayam explains why it’s worth examining the effectiveness of your teaching, acknowledging the changes needed for an inclusive classroom and how to do it

Preeti Aghalayam

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Help students make the most of studying overseas at branch campuses and beyond

Chris Pirie offers advice on how to run a smooth international student exchange programme

Chris Pirie

Heriot-Watt University

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