Study Abroad 101

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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!
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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).
Post-1992, city-centre campus, established in 1960, became a
University in 1992
Student Numbers
Total Number of students
32,000
Total number of International
students
4,500
Incoming Study Abroad
120
Outgoing Study Abroad
100
Incoming Erasmus
120
Outgoing Erasmus
80
Other Programmes
50
A little bit about me…
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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).
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
Student Numbers
Total Number of students
9,000
Total number of International
students
1,100
Incoming Study Abroad
200 (including 150 direct enrol)
Outgoing Study Abroad
50
Incoming Erasmus
70
Outgoing Erasmus
60
Summer faculty led
20
A little bit about me…
Task:
Time:
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
5 Minutes in total
Feedback: On your new colleague to the
group (10 minutes)
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The concept of studying in a foreign country
(for anywhere between 2 weeks and 2 years)
Clear positive benefits to a student’s crosscultural 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.
Shout out the different
ways you know….
Direct
Enrol
Faculty lead
programmes
Summer
opportunities
Work
abroad
Erasmus
(European)
Exchange
Island
Programmes
Mobility
Custom made
programmes
Independent
Fee Payers
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Study Abroad offices act in a unique way
within universities and colleges, providing:
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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
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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!
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.
Senior Management Team/our university
•Income generation
•Internationalisation
•Profile and reputation
•Opportunities for home students to go on exchange
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.
Faculty
• Facilitate partnership development
• Impact on student experience – word of mouth
• Integration into programme
• Programme development
Student support services
• Visa advice
• Student welfare
• Accommodation
• Student Union
Students
• Manage the student journey
• New student recruitment!
• Good customer service – settling into a new culture,
environment whilst instilling a sense of independence
• Ensure the experience lives up to their dreams/expectations
• They tell their friends!
Ourselves!
Work smarter within confines of the university system and
budgets. Happy students =Happy staff = Keeps us in jobs!
How do stakeholders create
barriers that hinder or stop the
development of your programme?
What are the solutions?
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
Start
each step?
Middle
Why, how, who, where
End
Feedback– 15 minutes
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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
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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)
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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
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)
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Online presence – e.g. Go-abroad, Hobsons, Petersons,
websites, SEO, social networking etc
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International visits/study abroad fairs
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Partner Universities
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Marketing materials e.g.: brochures
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Site visits
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Scholarships
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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
Systems and processes
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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
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Pre arrival information – brochures, web, fact sheets, predeparture briefings
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Social Networking – E.g. facebook, twitter, linkedin
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Buddies/mentoring – already existing ? Can you tap in?
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Welcome & orientation programme – additional handholding
required?
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Social programme
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Student Union
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Student welfare – what are your duty of care
requirements? Can you extract your students?
Why you need these & what you can achieve:
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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
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Receive approaches from them
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“Cold calling” – targeting your needs
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NAFSA and other conferences – networking and
formal meetings to explore opportunities
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Your Faculty contacts – pick their brains/address book!
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Study Abroad Fairs/Talks/1:1 Meetings
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Close personal network of colleagues around the world
– many people move around universities
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Having a partnership check list
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Review system of partnership
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Not just about quality of the University, it’s
about shared interests
Monitoring student feedback
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BUTEX
HEURO
NAFSA
UKCISA
AASAP
Overseas Colleagues
UK Colleagues
British Council
IIE /Open Doors
report
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
Rob Carthy –
robert.carthy@northumbria.ac.uk
Valerie Horwood –
valerie.horwood@roehampton.ac.uk
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