GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE ON ENCOURAGING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
(Endorsed by the Teaching and Learning Committee, September 2009: R39/09)
The purpose of this guide is to suggest some of the means by which a greater level of
authentic interaction between domestic and international students may be encouraged. It
is acknowledged that encouraging engagement of this nature remains an ongoing task.
This guide, therefore, in articulating the University’s desire to increase interaction
between students from culturally-diverse backgrounds, does not seek to limit initiatives to
those suggested. Instead, it is hoped that it will provide a catalyst and framework for
innovative developments throughout the University.
1.
Need for Guidelines on international/domestic student interaction
Improving interaction between domestic and international students is fundamental
to the University’s goals of providing an enriching student experience, and
developing graduates who are equipped to function effectively in cross-cultural
settings. At the same time, it is acknowledged that students will tend to mix with
others from similar cultural backgrounds, unless given active encouragement to
reach beyond their natural cultural comfort zones. These guidelines are intended
to provide a structure within which such active encouragement may take place.
2.
Aims and Objectives of this Guide
The aim of this document is to define how the University’s commitment to improving
the level and quality of interaction between domestic and international students can
be realised. Its objectives are to:
3.

emphasise the University’s commitment to developing cross-cultural
competencies in its students;

increase the prominence of interaction between students as an integral strategy
in developing cross-cultural competencies;

provide guidelines on means to improve the quality of interaction between
students.
Key Principles
The following are fundamental principles underpinning the encouragement of
interaction between students:

more satisfying interaction will enrich the student experience for both
international and domestic students;

opportunities for interaction must be embedded within numerous orientation
and learning activities, rather than conducted as isolated events;

students should be made aware that interaction is one of the University’s
expectations of an effective student experience;

the University is committed to developing new opportunities and modes of
interaction, as well as refining existing approaches;

opportunities for interaction must be mindful of varying cultural sensitivities and
seek to maximise culturally-inclusive activities;

this area demands ongoing commitment, effort, co-ordination and research by
the entire University community.
4.
Responsibilities
The responsibility for best practice in encouraging interaction between students is
shared throughout the University community. These responsibilities include the
following:
4.1
The University
The University at all its levels is expected to:
4.2
4.3

nurture a campus culture that has intercultural competence as one of its
primary objectives;

make adequate resources available to achieve this;

support research into effective intercultural communication and interaction.
The Teaching and Learning Committee
This Committee has general oversight of English language skills development and
should:

encourage faculties and schools to formulate and implement their own policies
and practices on increasing interaction between domestic and international
students;

disseminate examples of good practice throughout the University.
Recruitment and Support Services (Registrar’s Office)
The Division of Student Services and the International Centre have responsibility
for recruitment, enrolment and orientation of commencing coursework students.
The Graduate Research and Scholarships Office is responsible for admission and
administration of research student candidature. It is therefore recommended that:

information on existing interaction opportunities (eg: UniLink, UniMentor,
UniStart) be presented to commencing students as early as possible, ideally at
the point of offer;

a single point of pre-arrival, pre-enrolment and orientation information be
developed as an authoritative source for all commencing undergraduate
students (the UniStart website), and that investigation be undertaken to
determine how a similar information source for postgraduate students might be
developed;

encouragement of interaction between international and domestic students be
articulated as one of the primary objectives of orientation activities;

Student Services staff continue to work closely with the International Centre,
the UWA Student Guild and faculties (through the Orientation Working Group)
to build on successful undergraduate orientation strategies and deliver studentcentric activities to promote student networking and interaction;

pre-enrolment, enrolment and orientation activities be delivered to international
and domestic students together, except where significant, specific information
relating only to one cohort is more effectively delivered to that group;

pre-enrolment activities for international students actively promote participation
in whole-of-university orientation activities;

to prevent confusion for international undergraduate students, the term
‘orientation’ be reserved for whole-of-university undergraduate orientation
activities, and not used for pre-enrolment activities solely for international
students.

consultation take place between the International Centre, Student Services, the
Graduate Research & Scholarships Office, the Guild, Faculties and Schools to
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explore how orientation and interaction activities for postgraduate coursework
and research students might be improved.

4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
as part of systematic and co-ordinated evaluation of pre-enrolment, enrolment
and orientation information and activities, feedback be sought from students
and staff on the effectiveness of efforts to encourage student interaction.
The Student Guild
The UWA Student Guild, and its affiliated clubs and societies, plays an integral part
in encouraging extra-curricular interaction between students. It is recommended
that:

Guild staff continue to work closely with Student Services staff to build on
successful orientation strategies and deliver student-centric activities to
promote student networking and interaction ;

consideration and assistance be given to introducing new, or modifying
existing, opportunities for interaction that are culturally inclusive;

encouragement be given to promoting activities that celebrate the diversity of
cultures represented at UWA.
Faculties
As partners in the transition process for commencing students, and with
responsibility for ongoing teaching of students, it is recommended that faculties:

develop interactive, engaging faculty-specific orientation activities that
encourage interaction between students;

use Link Week activities to reinforce opportunities for student interaction;

through Faculty Teaching & Learning committees, encourage and highlight
innovative approaches to fostering effective interaction between students from
diverse backgrounds.
Schools
Recognising their contribution to the orientation and supervision of research
students, schools are encouraged to:

ensure commencing research students are provided with appropriate
orientation activities within their discipline areas;

provide ongoing opportunities for formal and informal interaction between
domestic and international research students.
Unit Co-ordinators
Unit co-ordinators form a critical link in encouraging ongoing interaction within
classroom settings and building on opportunities for interaction presented during
orientation activities. Unit Co-ordinators are encouraged to:

include structured opportunities for introductions and interaction between
students during the early weeks of semester;

provide opportunities for ongoing interaction through activities such as in-class
discussions, contributions and examples from diverse cultural perspectives and
group assignment work.
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