Internationalisation: student voices and university practice
Global perspectives: using what
students say to enhance our practice
Jane Spiro and Juliet Henderson
December 2007
1. Student Voices research project: presentation of findings
2. Learning from student voices: first findings and discussion outcomes
3. Discussion questions: where next?
4. Bibliography
1. Student Voices research project
The presentation shared the early outcomes of a small-scale research project
designed to ask the following questions:

What can Brookes students tell us about internationalisation at Brookes?

How do they define internationalisation at Brookes?

What are their experiences of internationalisation of the curriculum in seminars
and lectures?

Is it curricular or extra-curricular activities that afford students the richest
opportunities to reflect upon the new conversations opening between social and
political spaces at local and global levels (Hall, 1996)?

What do they feel should be the core values and competences that Brookes’
graduates emerge with on completion of their studies?
Since June 2007, using semi-structured, small group interviews with 8-12 broad
focus questions probing the issues above, we have collected audio data from 46
students in the following disciplines: Planning, Architecture, History, Communication,
Education, Sports and Coaching, International Relations. The transcriptions of this
student voice data have been interpreted and coded using two approaches. One of
us used a ‘bottom up’, grounded theory approach, taking the data as the starting
point and letting the theory emerge from the analysis. The other took a theorised
approach, starting with international graduate competences in the literature and
coding alongside these. We then blended the two approaches to form an integrated
response.
What follows are selected extracts of our student voice data that:
1. illustrate different stories of intercultural communicative competence sorted into
five main categories which correlate with five notions of graduate intercultural
competence
2. outline recommendations for good practice sorted into three categories: content;
pedagogy; the environment outside the classroom – correlated with categories in
the Brookes Student Learning Experience strategy.
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Internationalisation: student voices and university practice
This is work-in-progress. Category definitions are as yet only tentative. They are
here on this website as a resource to be used by all, but also as an invitation for your
comment or additions.
Student voices project: work-in-progress data
The categories here are expressed in two ways: the first part of the title suggests the
category that derived directly from the data; the second half is the terminology of
graduate competences, extracted from the Universities of Bournemouth, South
Australia, Leeds Met and Oxford Brookes. (See biblio at the end of this document).
i.
Tower of Babel: the capacity to value diversity
Here students offer us examples of the challenges raised by a multilingual
environment. The data below illustrates the fact that both multilingual students and
monolingual students experience diversity as a challenge: the former in that they are
sometimes misunderstood and the latter in that they feel shut out of conversations
they cannot understand.
(History student) there are some Polish girls who are in some of my classes,
and I just like find it really strange when they start speaking in Polish, like when
there’s people around them that don’t speak Polish and it seems like a thing to
do, like to divide, like to make a wall between you and other people because
purposely you’re speaking a different language. And obviously, no-one knows
what you’re saying so … I really
(Linguistics student) I often mention being able to speak foreign languages, and
they are like “oh, she can speak foreign languages, why’s she saying that” and
they’re not very comfortable I might be educated--- there was a Mexican student
and I was speaking Spanish and another one speaking French and Arabic, and
I managed to juggle with all four languages and this girl was looking like “oh is
she trying to show off?”
ii.
‘Them and us’: the capacity to appreciate and respond to both own and
other cultures
(Architecture student) it’s just the fact they do tend to sit in groups. I’m saying
‘they’, (that’s an awful thing to say – aside) it’s just that they do seem to sit in
their comfort groups in lectures. You tend to find that the, say, Chinese sit with
Chinese people, so you don’t necessarily get, say, the opportunity to talk to
them…as you would with ..
to a large extent (the University) is also very national because I found quite a lot
of segregation (Sudanese student)
sometimes you feel pressure the English students can’t understand (Chinese
student)
What is inside a British house? I have been inside a British house but not here,
not in Oxford, but I would like to see what it is like. (Pakistani student)
A mixed nationality in the class is a great combination for learning from each
other, and share different cultures. --- to have social life with other people is
quite hard (Taiwanese student)
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iii.
Doing and accomplishing: the capacity to develop practical skills for
empowerment and self-fulfilment
(Languages student) I also had a Japanese housemate that explained me that
even if you knew the good answer you are not supposed to talk or if you are
very good at something you have to show that you are not that good because
you have to be modest … you have to show that you respect other people and
you have to hide your capacity, or your knowledge, so, in this case, it is
absolutely normal that people don’t want to speak that much.
(Linguistics student) In order to know your culture you need to get out of it. It
has to be something new just to shock you a little bit.
(Education student) I have to stop myself sometimes from talking too much.
What I mean is I assume non-UK students know what I’m talking about – for
example, I was telling a classmate how to order books from Amazon and she
said what’s Amazon? I was a bit shocked and felt stupid, because I assumed
there was some sort of language problem but it was a knowledge/cultural one.
What are the core values you think you have learnt from studying at Brookes?
The skill of interact with people, the attitude to future work
iv.
Stereotyping: the capacity to recognise the ‘complex and interacting
factors that contribute to notions of culture’ (University of South Australia)
(American history student) But there have been a few kind of, especially last
year, a few lecturers did some stuff that did kind of offend me. Like for example,
I was in a lecture about the American revolution and at the beginning of the
lecture the lecturer got up and had a slide with various images that they thought
kind of represented America and it was loads of things that I think most
Americans would be ashamed, like embarrassed about … like George Bush,
McDonald’s, Dolly Parton, things that I don’t identify myself with at all, and it
was rather frustrating coz obviously … it was frustrating in the fact that it had
nothing to DO with the American revolution… and also, just because I didn’t
believe it was representative of the American people , ooh goodness knows
how George Bush got fitted in, no-one really knows why but, you can’t ..
What core values have you learnt through studying at Brookes?
You can learn a lot from the way other cultures approach things, don’t be
dismissive of ideas just because they’re alien to your way of thinking. It’s
something that’s easy to say but not always so easy when you put it into
practice. Wait and listen and get all the facts and don’t judge too quickly there’s
often a really good reason people think the way they do.
v.
Ethnocentrism: the capacity to recognise the ‘limitations and problems
that rise from ethnocentrism) (Whalley 1997)
When I was younger I was the only coloured girl and the only Moslem so as a
consequence I was racially abused, I know what it was like to be picked out,
you don’t think you are different but you are – now when I’m the only coloured
girl in the class I feel proud, I feel more courageous.
Do you think this has evolved during your time as a student at Brookes?
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Definitely. I have been made to re-evaluate my perspectives a little. A good
example is how easily some western people such as myself, fall into the trap of
assuming that everyone agrees with (me) --- it’s important that I don’t make
sweeping assumptions based on my educational background. I’ve learnt that
I’ve had a very westernised view of learning/teaching. (Education student)
2. Learning from student voices: first findings and
discussion outcomes
The points clustered below derive from two sources:
1. the data from the student voices project suggested various areas of good practice
2. these points were discussed and expanded with 12 colleagues at the Brookes
Internationalisation of the Curriculum conference on Dec. 12th 2007
The comments are collected under three categories which explore the meaning of
‘internationalisation’ on the ground – both inside the classroom through content
decisions and task design, and outside the classroom in specific provisions which
can be made institutionally.
Content

Inclusion of data or references that are not narrowly Western/ Anglocentric.
The only activity we were looking at childhood statistics from the UN all over the
world, all other countries like Japan, Egypt, that was the only time I thought
“yea, I know what I’m doing” but when I said to the teacher about more she
said, “Oh it’s not easy to find international data.” I don’t personally buy that.

Inclusion of information that is complex and negotiated with the students to include
their knowledge, experience and skills. Eg. images of America negotiated with
students who are American

recognition of ‘languages’ which are universal and their meaning and application
globally; eg. mathematical and architectural principles (eg. Built Environment,
Engineering, Maths, Architecture)
Pedagogy

Discussion that allows for diversity and comparison and does not presume a
common or single experience
I feel like I’m always the one that has to put up my hand and say, “Can I speak
about my international background?”, there should be a way I could speak
about it, no teacher actually asks “what about your international background?”
(Linguistics student)

Discussions that involve questioning assumptions and deconstructing current
standpoints
The questions asked of me by my classmates have really made me analyse not
only my attitudes but the reasons for those attitudes. ---- It has made me realise
how dangerous it is not to have an international perspective on issues – people
of the same cultural background share ‘norms’ which would otherwise go
unchallenged. (Education student)
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
Opportunities for continuity to establish trust and familiarity with working in diverse
groupings
probably you have better chances to have a good group work with foreign
students in a course which goes for two semesters and there is a real good
spirit and people get to know each other better, because then they feel more in
confidence and they can cope better with the differences.

welcome induction events that acculturate students to University study, without
separating or differentiating between home and international students (eg.
Engineering)

paired or group activities in which home-based and international students explore
a topic from different cultural perspectives (eg Built Environment and School of
Education)
The outside class environment
Visual images
Images in publicity, posters, and WebCT to include students from all ethnic groups,
including black students (who are currently under-represented visually).
Why did you choose Oxford Brookes?
The website of Brookes University. I appreciated the picture of international
students smiling, they’re on the campus and I was thinking I could be one of
those and I could be happy and international flavour
Languages exchange
There’s a language exchange noticeboard and I noted down the name of a
Japanese guy, I hear Japanese and it’s interesting to listen to it, if I get more
time we can meet up, he wants more time practicing English and I want to
practice Japanese, but I did really have to hunt around, the board moved, it was
first in this room, then when I went back it said the board had moved to another
room. (Education student)
Possibility of a virtual noticeboard in which students might ‘meet’ one another to
exchange languages.
3.
Discussion questions: where next?
The following discussion questions are offered as a follow-up and extension of the
dialogue that began on 12 December.
Questions in the HE sector about internationalisation

Are some subjects intrinsically international in their character and need no
change?

What does internationalisation actually mean for home students?
(Ritchie, E. (2003) Newcastle University strategy document)

Whose knowledge circulates around the world and why?

Who assesses the significance and the validity of this global knowledge?
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(Welikala, T. (2007) London University Institute of Education)

What is the potential benefit of internationalisation to Brookes?

Where would you like to see the focus of the internationalisation of the curriculum?
(Raftery, Gwinnet and Piggot 2006 Oxford Brookes University)

What would graduate skills deriving from an international curriculum actually look
like?
(Haigh 2002)
Your questions
Definitions of internationalisation
Internationalisation is

“a process that prepares the community for successful participation in an
increasingly interdependent world” (Francis 1993)

“a process of transformation in which areas of activity are increasingly geared to
operating in international surroundings, under international market conditions and
with an international professional orientation” (Haarlov 1997)

“the process of integrating an international/intercultural dimension into the
teaching, research and service of the institution” (Knight cited in IDP 1995)

“teachers and students learning from each other, meeting the needs of overseas,
offshore and local students, creating interdependence between students”

“to produce graduates capable of solving problems in a variety of locations with
cultural and environmental sensitivity” (Aulakh et al 1997)

These are cited in McTaggart, Rivzi and Gough 2003

“the process of embedding an international (and European) focus into all of the
University’s core business: teaching, research and consultancy.” (Raftery, Gwinnet
and Piggot 2006)

“the process of designing a curriculum that meets the needs of an international
student body. The ideal international curriculum provides equably for the learning
ambitions of all students, irrespective of their national, ethnic, cultural, social
class/caste or gender identities.” (Haigh 2002: 51).
Your definition
Issues and polarities
Power distance
 Great Britain ranks 42nd out of 53 countries and regions in its willingness to accept
unequal power distance. (Seymour and Constanti: 2)
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
“teachers are supposed to treat the students as basic equals and expected to be
treated as equals by the students” = low power distance

“teachers are treated with respect – the education process is teacher-centred. In
the classroom there is supposed to be strict order with the teacher initiating all
communication” = high power distance (Hofstede 1994: 34)
Uncertainty avoidance
 “Students from strong uncertainty avoidance countries expect their teachers to be
the experts who have all the answers. Teachers who use cryptic academic
language are respected---- Students in these countries will not, as a rule, confess
to intellectual disagreement with their teachers.”

“Students from weak uncertainty avoidance countries accept a teacher who says ‘I
don’t know’. Their respect goes to teachers who use plain language” (Hofstede
1994: 119 - 120)
Support systems
 “mono-cultural (co-national) bonds are of vital importance to foreign students, and
should therefore not be administratively interfered with, regulated against,
obstructed or sneered at. On the contrary, such bonds should be and, if possible,
shaped to become more open to bi- or multi-cultural influences.” (Furnham and
Alibhai 1985: 719)
Individualism versus collectivism
The student who is acculturated personally or culturally to working for and by
him/herself through self-help to reach personal targets:

“the emphasis of the UK students was on their individual current average mark,
that group work tended to pull this down, and the feat this would impact adversely
on their final degree classification” (Ledwith 1996: 6 cited in De Vita 2005:77)
versus

the student who is accustomed personally or culturally to working collaboratively
and supportively for the achievement of collective goals
Do these issues have a resonance for your own experiences in the classroom?
Are there any further polarities to add to this list?
Taking the international agenda forward
What does the international agenda mean for your subject discipline?
For your notion of graduate skills and qualities?

Open to otherness

International perspective

Self-awareness
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
Awareness of international professional contexts

Respects ‘otherness’

Understands otherness
(Haigh citing Leask 1999: 6)
See further examples of graduate skills and qualities related to Internationalisation on
the OCSLD Internationalisation website at
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/ioc/programme.html
For your notion of pedagogic strategies in class?
For your notion of educational opportunities in your subject discipline?
Resolving barriers
The following are barriers identified through research at the Open University, that
make change within an institution difficult.
Are these barriers present in your situation?
How might these barriers be broken down within your subject discipline/department?
Barrier
True or not for you?
Examples?
Suggested strategies for
change
Conflict of priorities
for individual staff
A culture that
discourages
teamwork and
collaboration
Limitations in staff
time and resources
Lack of overall coordination: teams
work in isolation
with little sharing of
experience
Lack of research to
inform curriculum
development
Lack of coordination between
marketing, outreach
and course teams
Lack of coordination between
schools and
departments
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Lack of specialised
staff development
programmes
Marginalisation of
activities that are
not seen as
mainstream
Examples Open University, cited in Haigh (2002)
Case study examples of good practice
Examples in the literature highlight good practice across a wide range of subject
areas including:
Aeronautical engineering, computer science, landscape architecture, civil and
geological engineering, accountancy, business, hotel and catering, hospitality and
leisure. (See Patrick 1997, OCLSD website 2007).
Is there anything you, a colleague, a team of colleagues, has done in or out of
class which offers an example of good practice?
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4. Internationalising the curriculum
Bibliography
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Internationalisating the curriculum across RMIT University Melbourne: RMIT
Byram, M (2004) A Framework for intercultural citizenship. Unpublished paper from
Intercultural Communicative Competence: Europe and beyond University of Koper
2004, Slovenia
Clifford, V. (2005) Embracing and resisting border pedagogies: student views of
internationalisation of the curriculum in higher education in A. Brew and C. Asmar
(eds.) Higher Education in a Changing World. Research and Development in Higher
Education vol. 28, 116 - 123
De Vita, G. (2005) Fostering intercultural learning through multicultural group work in
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Psychology no. 20: 709 - 723
Guilherne, M. (2002) Critical Citizens for an Intercultural World Clevedon, Buffalo:
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Haarlov, V. (1997) National Policies for the Internationalisation of Higher Education in
Europe 1985 - 2000 (Case: Denmark) Stockholm: Hogskoleverket Studies,
Hogskoleveket Agency for Higher Education
Haigh, M.J. (2002) Internationalisation of the Curriculum: designing inclusive
education for a small world Journal of Geography in Higher Education, Vol. 26 no. 1
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Hofstede, G. (1994) Cultures and organisations: software of the mind London:
HarperCollins
Leask, B. (1999) Bridging the gap - internationalising university curricula. NLC
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vision and reality. Sydney, July
McTaggart, M with F. Rizvi and N.Gough (2003) Internationalisation of the
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http://www.jcu.edu.au/office/tld/teachingsupport/documents/International_Curriculum
_AB.pdf
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Association of Commonwealth Universities and Universities UK
OCSLD (2007) Internationalisation of the Curriculum Oxford Brookes University
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/ioc/html
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OUCPG (2000) A Strategy for Race Equality: building regional and faculty
partnerships, conference report/consultation paper for the interim consultation (Milton
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http://www.pvci.rmit.edu.au/ioc/back/report.htm
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international strategy for Oxford Brookes University Oxford Brookes
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