Internationalisation of higher education

• Increasing inclusivity in the classroom for an improved learning experience. A case study. Helen Spencer-Oatey. Presentation at the Inside Government forum, Enhancing the International Student Experience in UK Higher Education, Congress Centre, 3 April 2019
  • Brief abstract: shares key findings from the Promoting Integration on Campus report and the Global Education Profiler (GEP) surveys as they relate to:
    • Harnessing the benefits of a diverse student body by encouraging students to consider each other’s approaches to learning and ways of gaining understanding of a studied topic
    • Encouraging frontline teaching staff to be more observant of the needs of international students in their seminars and lecture halls, recognising the variety of interaction styles, and adapting pedagogies accordingly
    • Outlining the importance of training staff in cultural differences among international students and exploring how this can impact on approaches to, and experiences of, learning and teaching
    • Imparting recommendations for better collection and use of data to determine how best to support international students’ learning
• Fostering 'global graduates': What are the routes to intercultural competence? Helen Spencer-Oatey. Webinar for SIETAR Switzerland, 15 January 2019.
  • Brief abstract: There are numerous compositional models of intercultural competence (those that identify the various components of IC competence) and yet there are surprisingly few developmental models (those that unpack the process of gaining competence). This is problematic, because without understanding the developmental process, our attempts to foster such development in our students or clients has no firm foundation.
    In this webinar, I explain key contextual factors that need to be in place for fostering ‘global graduates’ and report on Global Education Profiler data on students’ perceptions of the global education opportunities and support they are getting at their universities. Drawing on the Global People Growth Model, I describe key routes to intercultural competence and introduce some tips, tools & resources that can help. 
• Interaction and integration in multicultural classes. Helen Spencer-Oatey. Plenary talk at the one-day symposium, Classroom Interaction at the Internationalised University, University of Surrey, 10 December 2018.
  • Brief abstract: Research has indicated that interaction and integration can be valuable stimuli for learning in multicultural contexts, in that they can provide students with valuable ‘out of their comfort zone’ experiences (e.g. when required to work with people whom they wouldn’t naturally choose to work). But to what extent do students value such opportunities and how far are they actually engaging with them? In this talk, I report on the findings from a large-scale study on students’ desires and experiences of interaction and integration in their classes. 2360 domestic and international students from six universities across four European countries completed the Global Education Profiler (GEP), which asks respondents to answer questions in two ways: ‘Importance to me’ and ‘My actual experience’. I report the issues that were most important to students, the largest gaps between 'importance' and 'experience' ratings, and some of the students' comments on staff performance! Some fascinating opinions emerged!
• How well are we fostering 'global graduate' skills. Learning gain insights from the Global Education Profiler (GEP). Helen Spencer-Oatey. Paper given at the Legacy Project event, Learning Gain: An agenda for change. Woburn House, London, September 2018.
  • Brief abstract: Many universities are hoping that increased recruitment of international students and higher volumes of staff and student mobility will foster 'global graduate' skills. Yet research demonstrates that this is insufficient in itself. In this presentation, I draw on intercultural learning theory to outline what kind of educational context is needed in order to foster ‘global graduate’ skills, and I explain how the diagnostic tool, the Global Education Profiler, can offer detailed insights into the importance that students attach to a global education environment and the extent to which they engage with it. I report the findings from a study of 2360 students from six universities in four different European countries. I end by outlining the policy implications of our research findings.
• The internationalisation of higher education. Strategic planning for trajectories of growth. Helen Spencer-Oatey. Plenary presentation given at the LEAD project 5th workshop, Ankara, Turkey, 1-5 May 2018.
  • Brief abstract: In this talk I start by asking 'why internationalise?' and what counts as 'good internationalisation'. I then explore foundational elements for developing a strategic plan for internationalisation. Drawing on some empirical data from the Global Education Profiler, I demonstrate the insights that can be gained and how these can be used for policy planning purposes.

• Internationalisation and the development of global graduates. Insights from the Global Education Profiler (GEP). Helen Spencer-Oatey and Daniel Dauber. Presentation given at various universities, 2017-2018.

  • Brief abstract: This presentation explains the design of the Global Education Profiler (GEP) and presents findings from a case study to illustrate the insights it can yield.