Enhancing International Students’ Experiences: An Intercultural, Multi-Stakeholder Approach (original) (raw)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY International education makes a major contribution to the Australian economy. This submission focuses on the vital role of international students in the life of Australia’s universities. The State of Victoria is uniquely placed to take advantage of the immense opportunities presented by the large number of students enrolled at Victoria’s nine universities. But to do this well we need to take account of the total student experience, which includes pre-arrival contact and advice; the educational experience itself; university life; and more generally life in Australia. While Victoria must make every effort to attract a large and growing share of the international student market, attention must at the same be directed to the quality of the total student experience. The number of students (and their parents) prepared to entertain study in Australia depends on perceptions of the quality of what is on offer. In the long run such perceptions are more likely to be shaped by the word of mouth reports of students who have had direct experience of Australia and its educational institutions than by clever promotional and recruiting campaigns. Victoria’s approach must therefore incorporate two strategic priorities. The first priority relates to the critical importance of culture. By its very nature international education involves all kinds of intercultural encounters involving teachers, international and domestic students, university administrators, government officials, and the wider community. To ensure that these encounters are as productive and positive as possible each university has to provide its staff, in particular those that have extensive contact with international students, with an appropriate level of cultural competence. At the same time, international students must be given ample opportunities to experience the different facets of Australian society and culture, in a preliminary way before arrival in Australia, and more systematically during the course of their studies. Only in this way can they be expected to become active ambassadors for Victoria and its educational institutions. The second strategic priority for Victoria is to develop coherent, transparent and accountable processes whereby the multiple stakeholders in higher education can effectively coordinate their efforts. To this end the Victorian Government should take the lead and establish a state-wide council comprising representatives of relevant Victorian government departments and agencies, all Victorian universities, international student associations, local government, business peak bodies, and a number of ethnic and other community organisations. The council’s work should be supported by ad hoc working groups that focus not only on crisis response but also on educational innovation, international partnerships, professional development and program evaluation. A strategic effort is needed to use effectively the networks international students and alumni have in their home countries, and so enhance Victoria’s global engagement, especially with Asian countries, notably China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The university sector, in close collaboration with government, business and community organisations, must provide international students with structured opportunities for: a) interaction, both formal and informal, with domestic students; b) work integrated learning programs; c) workshops, visits and role play designed to expand the student’s future employment prospects; and d) short international projects that deliver firsthand knowledge and experience of the educational, university, professional or business environment of other countries in Asia and beyond.