Sponsored Student Briefing Session

1. Sponsored Student Briefing Session Soufiane Rboub International Sponsored Student Advisor International Student Centre (ISC)

2. Definition A sponsored student is: • A student who receives financial assistance from a government or, • A company/organisation (not private individuals or relatives). Sponsors are usually based in the student's home country, but not in all cases. For any assistance, you can contact me at the International Student Centre: Mr. Soufiane Rboub International Sponsored Student Advisor Soufiane.rboub@adelaide.edu.au http://www.international.adelaide.edu.au/support/sponsored/other/ Tel: 08 8313 0547

3. Some Sponsors: • Botswana Government • Aceh Government (Indonesia) • Saudi Arabia Government • Saudi Aramco • Vietnam Government • Petro Vietnam • Iran– Chile - Aceh Government • JPA (Malaysia) • MARA (Malaysia) • Petronas • United Arab Emirates Government • Oman Government • …etc

4. In this presentation • Our Aims • Your Responsibilities • Academic Issues • Getting Help

5. Our Aims • Provide welfare support and advice to you • Referral to Counsellors and Academic Advisers • Liaise between your sponsor and the University • Assisting you to fulfil the requirements of your sponsorship agreements • Monitor your academic progress and forward your academic results as requested by your sponsors • Invoice your sponsor for your tuition fees

6. Your Responsibilities You will need to: • Complete your program within the duration of your scholarship & • Fulfil your obligations to your sponsor You should also: • Study consistently • Respond to all requests for meetings and/or information from your sponsor and the University • Make sure your progress towards completion is “on schedule” • Attend alllectures, tutorials, practicals, meetings with supervisors Records of attendance may be taken into account when assessing overall academic performance

7. Your Responsibilities Factors that might interfere with your progress at the start of your studies: • Language: Do you have the necessary background knowledge • The University teaching & learning style: It will take you a whole semester to adjust to a new learning environment • Family issues: missing your family and friends • Time management: get to make good use of your time “To fill the hour - that is happiness.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

8. Your Responsibilities Time Management: How effectively you manage your time depends partly on how well you plan your time during your studies “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Theophrastus (372 BC - 287 BC) • Develop a full semester program plan • Develop a study routine and weekly schedule: you need to update the schedule weekly to meet assessment deadlines. • Allow for flexibility and change (Plan B) • Persevere and stick to your schedule

9. Your Responsibilities To seek help and use available resources: • Consultation times with academic staff • On line help from academics • Group discussions – postgraduates private/individual tutorials • Postgraduate students can expect to have regular meetings with supervisors • You will come to an agreement about the frequency of these meetings at your first meeting with your supervisor People that you can approach at your School: • Course Advisors • Postgraduate Coordinator • Head of School

10. Academic Issues: Teaching style Teaching styles at the University: • Lectures are non-interactive • Tutorials are interactive Q&A • Labs/pracs: Engineering and Sciences You need to attend all lectures and tutorials and pre-read before class/tutorial and revise material weekly. Seek help if you do not understand the material.

11. Academic Issues: Understanding Uni-Terminology Faculty – An organisational structure that coordinates the activities of Schools – e.g. Faculty of Sciences • School – A body responsible for the teaching and research of a particular discipline – e.g. School of Chemistry & Physics refer to http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/future/glossary/

12. Academic Issues: Understanding Uni-Terminology Program, courses, units…etc: A Program consists of different courses (coursework only): • You have been accepted as a sponsored student at the university for your current program • Students wishing to change or transfer programs must have written permission/ financial guarantee from their sponsor organisation before applying for program change. • A 12 Unit load is a full time load (100%) in a semester • You must maintain an enrolment load of 12 unit load per semester to avoid being at risk of not completing your program within your current COE • You must successfully complete 24 units per year to be on track to complete within the duration of your student visa/ sponsorship • Summer and Winter School (requires sponsor’s approval?)

13. Definition: The method by which a student's knowledge of course subject matter is tested, usually through essays, examinations, projects, presentations or reports being submitted to your tutor or an assessor for marking. Grading at the University of Adelaide Grade Point Average (GPA)Your GPA is the average of the grades obtained in all courses, weighted by the unit value of each course. Academic Issues: Assessments

14. Academic Issues: Dates Enrolment: Census DateThe last day a student can withdraw from a course(s) without incurring liability for student contributions or tuition fees. Critical dates for semester 1 *Sponsor billed for both these dates Sourced from http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/dates/critical/2014/

15. Getting Help: Personal or Administrative Issues • International Student Centre - first point of contact for welfare related issues, student visa issues, OSHC issues, sponsor liaison • Adelaide Graduate Centre - administration of candidature (research students) • Student Finance Office - invoices to you/or your sponsor • Counselling Centre – counselling help • University Health – doctors on campus • Ask Adelaide – one stop, one step to resolve your issue and get an answer to your query , now has merged with the Contact Centre and Card Services providing general administration related inquiries, invoices, transcripts, payments…etc. (Level 3, Hub Central).

16. Getting Help: Learning Issues Contact the Writing Centre, to help you develop your academic skills. Level 3 East, Hub Central , North Terrace Campus • The Writing Centre (Drop in Service) • For international and ESL students • Communicating with Confidence • Postgraduate Research Students (Integrated Bridging Program IBP, compulsory) http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/ http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/all/intntnl

17. Getting Help: Learning Issues Maths Learning Centre Level 3 East, Hub Central , North Terrace Campus • The Maths Drop-In Centre provides free assistance to all students encountering maths and/or stats in their studies. Opening hours are 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday • During teaching weeks and at selected times during mid-semester breaks and swot-vacs. No appointment required. http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/mls/drop_in/

18. Welcome to the University of Adelaide Thank you, any Questions?