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The Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics (C-SAP), part of the Higher Education Academy, is looking for case studies of international undergraduate and post graduate students who are studying (or have recently studied) at a UK higher education institution. The key focus of this project is to provide an opportunity for students to reflect upon their recent experiences of learning in HE. The focus of the case study could be on assessment, feedback, group working or working independently. We are also interested in students experiences of how they develop the skills for note taking, reading, reflective learning and avoiding plagiarism. 


As part of a national project being run by the HEA (see details below), C-SAP are seeking a broad range of examples from across sociology, anthropology, politics and criminology.  We hope to collect 12 to 15 such examples. The report will provide staff teaching in the UK social sciences with a series of case studies and ideas for teaching of international students.


High street vouchers (£100) will be paid to those whose proposal for a case study is successful in being commissioned and accepted for inclusion in the final portfolio of case studies.


What to do next


Tung Suen, University of Oxford, is leading on this project. Please contact Tung for further information before you submit a pro forma. You can contact Tung at [log in to unmask] to discuss your ideas.
When proposals are accepted, the deadline for submitting case studies is 30th June 2011.


Background to the project


The Higher Education Academy in partnership with the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has launched a  two-year project focusing on teaching and learning for international students -  the 'Teaching International Students' project.


Increasing student mobility and successful national policies to recruit international students have led to more culturally diverse higher education landscapes around the world.  The UK is the most popular destination for international students due to the quality of its provision, and it is important that this quality is maintained. Teaching staff can sometimes feel unprepared to meet the learning needs of international students and to support them in working in class with other students.


Co-funded by the Academy and the second phase of the Prime Minister's Initiative (PMI2),  and led by Dr Janette Ryan ,  the Teaching International Students project focuses on the ways that lecturers and other teaching staff can better meet the diverse learning needs of  international students, and, importantly, in ways that will benefit all students.


Professor Sue Law, Director of Academic Practice at the Academy  commented: "As an independent broker for the higher education sector, the Academy is  ideally placed to take forward the debate about teaching and learning for international students in the UK. Our mission is to support the sector in providing the best possible learning experience for all students in the UK  -  whether that's  our home or our international students."


Beatrice Merrick of UKCISA  explained: "As international student numbers have grown, issues around teaching them have gained increasing prominence.  This project aims to save academics from reinventing wheels, to let them know just how rich and varied the existing research and resources are and to build a forum in which people can exchange ideas and experiences."


The project focuses on two core areas of work: the establishment of a research database and resources bank on teaching and learning for international students, and guidance on staff development strategies relating to teaching and learning of international students via events and guidance material.


The  project's website -  http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/internationalstudents
-  aims to provide a 'one stop shop' for staff who teach international students and who are looking for networks, events and resources (both academic and practical) to support their teaching. The resources for teaching staff will be organised around the 'International Student Lifecycle' and will include suggestions for improving teaching and learning in areas such as postgraduate supervision, group work, academic writing, language issues and developing intercultural communication among all students.


It will also include suggestions for further reading, including research that examines the complex issues and challenges and often contested concepts and theories in these areas. Case stories from students as well as teaching staff will also illustrate these challenges as well as the ways that lecturers can respond to these challenges more effectively.

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