Welcome!

1. Study Abroad 101“What I Wish I’D known at the beginning of my Study abroad Career”Monday 2nd JulyBUTEX Conference 2012

2. Welcome!

3. Aims and objectives of today • Cover the basics of student mobility for those starting their careers in the sector • Increased understanding of the breadth of student mobility • Impact of student mobility on institutions and students • Knowledge of all aspects of the cycle for both incoming and outgoing students • Skills around promotion of outgoing opportunities • Ideas to increase incoming numbers • Activities from other people to pass off as your own when you get back to your institution!

4. Rob Carthy • International Partnerships Manager • I run the partnerships team in the International Office, and we run all student mobility in the University • Our team: 5 FTE staff, but cover a range of other activities (sponsors, US Fed Aid, scholarships, partnership development).

5. Snapshot of Northumbria University Post-1992, city-centre campus, established in 1960, became a University in 1992 A little bit about me…

6. Valerie Horwood • International Development Manager • Manage student mobility activity at Roehampton as well as managing certain functions for international overall • Our team: 4 FTE staff, but cover a range of other activities (full degree recruitment, new programme development, strategy, internal organisation).

7. Snapshot of the University of Roehampton Gained university status in 2004, having come into existence in the 70s with the merger of four higher education colleges. Collegiate, parkland campus, 6 miles from West End A little bit about me…

8. The Ice Breaker… Task: In pairs find out as much as you can from your colleague: name, university they work at, role, how long in this job, what they would like to take away today Time: 5 Minutes in total Feedback: On your new colleague to the group (10 minutes)

9. Context to Study Abroad Market • The concept of studying in a foreign country (for anywhere between 2 weeks and 2 years) • Clear positive benefits to a student’s cross-cultural competences and employability • 10,000 UK students undertook study abroad opportunities in 2010 (compared with 270,000 for the US,). • Trend currently for growth in UK students undertaking Erasmus work opportunities and non-Erasmus study opportunities.

10. What do we mean by Study Abroad/Mobility? Shout out the different ways you know….

11. What do we mean by Study Abroad/Mobility?

12. Context to institutions • Study Abroad offices act in a unique way within universities and colleges, providing: • Bespoke admissions process • New partner development • Client relationship management with partners and providers • Student advice – UK and non-UK • Bespoke welfare, arrival, handholding! • Often on limited budgets, little visibility • Student mobility acts for income generation, internationalisation, reputation development, influence home full degree recruitment

13. Context to students • CIHE 2011 report – Global Graduates – discusses the need for students to develop “global competencies” • Increased competition for graduate-level jobs and an increased number of graduates • New focus for studies • Network, skills and language development • Word of mouth advertising • Enjoyment!

14. Stakeholders (People!) These are people who either have a direct impact on your role or who can be affected by how you carry out your role within your University. They can also impact on whether you meet your responsibilities. In your group list key stakeholders & reasons why they are important (10 minutes) and then feedback.

15. Senior Management Team/our university • Income generation • Internationalisation • Profile and reputation • Opportunities for home students to go on exchange Stakeholders • Overseas Partners • Our fast and efficient processes and services – makes their job easier • Good pastoral care for students – they like us & tell their students • Generates reciprocity • Can lead to opportunity for diversification of partnership - fee paying students, research, staff exchange , etc, etc.

18. Barriers to effective stakeholder relationships How do stakeholders create barriers that hinder or stop the development of your programme? What are the solutions?

19. Break

20. Study Abroad student lifecycle Two sides: One side incoming, one side outgoing Exercise: Map it out within 20 minutes From initial thoughts of going abroad to coming home What is your involvement in each step? Why, how, who, where Feedback– 15 minutes

21. Study Abroad student lifecycle • Stage 1: Recognising the need or opportunity to go abroad Parents, friends, siblings, lecturers, home university website, high school information, study abroad fair, ancestry • Stage 2: Information Search Internet including industry specific websites (e.g., studyabroad.com), host university websites, friends/siblings/classmates who have studied abroad, parents, home university (study abroad office, professors), 3rd party providers

22. Study Abroad student lifecycle • Stage 3: Application & Decision process • Comparison of available opportunities • What are my friends doing? • Can I afford this? • What other options are open to me? • What will benefit my job prospects the most? • Will my credits transfer? • Where can I have fun! • Which opportunity will meet my needs (learning, living, financial, special, etc)

23. Study Abroad student lifecycle • Stage 4: Pre-departure Students need reassurance from home and host that they have made the correct decision, and preparation and guidance • Stage 5: Arrival and semester Finding routine, settling in to new environment • Stage 6: Departure/Alumni Re-entry orientation, credit transfer, feedback, programme advocate

24. Increasing your numbers Your stakeholders are going to be looking for you to increase the number of mobile students. This may be for those paying fees, or you may be getting pressure to increase the number of “home” students travelling. What means do you have to increase numbers of mobile students? In pairs, 5 mins (incoming and outgoing)

25. Incoming students • Online presence – e.g. Go-abroad, Hobsons, Petersons, websites, SEO, social networking etc • International visits/study abroad fairs • Partner Universities • Marketing materials e.g.: brochures • Site visits • Scholarships

26. Outgoing students • Information before students apply – high school outreach, UG prospectus, open days. • Study abroad fairs • Outreach presentations within schools/faculties/departments/units/divisions • A good web presence! • Blackboard/e-learning/email • Specific prospectuses • Use of returning outgoers & current incomers

27. Other tools of the trade… Systems and processes • How do you handle Applications including visas and registration • Paper or paperless? • Admissions decisions; Faculty or in house? • University system or stand alone database/spreadsheets? • Existing system or is there room to change? Do you want to change? • Advantages and disadvantages

28. Student support mechanisms • Pre arrival information – brochures, web, fact sheets, pre-departure briefings • Social Networking – E.g. facebook, twitter, linkedin • Buddies/mentoring – already existing ? Can you tap in? • Welcome & orientation programme – additional handholding required? • Social programme • Student Union • Student welfare – what are your duty of care requirements? Can you extract your students?

29. Establishing and maintaining partnerships Why you need these & what you can achieve: • Facilitate internationalisation strategy • Best channel to facilitate mobility Wider University agenda: • Raise University profile • Generate income • Outward mobility options for your home students • Joint Research projects • Staff mobility – academic and administrative • Opportunities for tripartite links

30. How can you set up new partnerships? • Receive approaches from them • “Cold calling” – targeting your needs • NAFSA and other conferences – networking and formal meetings to explore opportunities • Your Faculty contacts – pick their brains/address book! • Study Abroad Fairs/Talks/1:1 Meetings • Close personal network of colleagues around the world – many people move around universities

31. Partnership Maintenance • Having a partnership check list • Review system of partnership • Not just about quality of the University, it’s about shared interests • Monitoring student feedback

32. External Support • BUTEX • HEURO • NAFSA • UKCISA • AASAP • Overseas Colleagues • UK Colleagues • British Council • IIE /Open Doors report

33. Summary The Study Abroad and exchange office within a university is an organisation within an organisation – e.g. we do: • marketing • partnership development and management • admissions • pre-arrival • student support • housing • finance • visa preparation and so on! • office and institutional agenda

34. What will you take away from today?

35. Any questions? About anything at all?

36. Our contact details Rob Carthy – robert.carthy@northumbria.ac.uk Valerie Horwood – valerie.horwood@roehampton.ac.uk

37. That’s all folks! Enjoy the conference!