Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Challenges & opportunities faced by both institutions and international students alike
Employment
Employment
Higher education extended course Training/work experience Personal reason
The Exchange Students Experience: - The academics perspective - The students perspective - The English tutors perspective Implications
Conclusions
University of Surrey
1966 Battersea College of Technology became the University of Surrey 1968 Relocated from Battersea to Guildford Approximate student numbers: 12,700 total - Undergraduate: 8,095 Postgraduate: 4,532 - International students: c.2,800 - Students from the EU: c.1,250 - Approximately 120 different nationalities Total staff: 3,000 (c. 1,800 Academic)
Bologna: Aim to harmonise university education in Europe to facilitate academic mobility (1999) c.60% of the worlds top 100 universities in English speaking countries
Providing challenges and opportunities for Higher Education Institutions, academics, students & their families.
Lack of confidence
A lot of pastoral care involved I student went home after 1 day didnt like the food Tutors need to understand exchange curriculum Different semester length Visiting students promotes links e.g. for research
Plagiarism:
Academic Culture
Academic cultures are the systems of beliefs, expectations and
cultural practices about how to perform academically.
(Cortazzi and Jin 1997)
Academic Culture in the UK Independent learning Critical Thinking, students expected to challenge Creativity, inductive learning
Speaking:
Presentation Skills
Academic Listening Legal English
Conclusions
Perceptions are positive from all perspectives Need for preparation in 3 areas: - Practical orientation - Language - Study skills Need for greater awareness of the realities of the experience on the part of academics and co-ordinators Students are learning to communicate across cultures and communicating for learning across cultures (Cortazzi and Jin 1997)
References
British Council/UUK/IDP (2004). Vision 2020 Forecasting international student mobility, a UK perspective. (London, British Council)
Cortazzi, M. and Jin, L. (1997). Communication for Learning Across Cultures. In McNamara, D. and Harris, R. (eds), Overseas students in Higher Education. London, Routledge.
Dow, E. (2006). Britannia meets Bologna: still making waves? Perspectives 10/1. (Taylor and Francis)
EC Commission (2004). The new Generation of Community Education and Training Programmes after 2006. Communication from the Commission 156, 9.3.2004
References (2)
Graddol, D. (2006) English Next. London, British Council
Reichart, S. and Tauch, C. (2005). Trends IV: European Universities Implementing Bologna (Bergen). Available online at: http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/Docs/02EUA/050425_EUA_TrendsIV.pdf
Scott, P. (ed.) (1998). The Globalisation of Higher Education. Buckingham, SRHE/Open University Press.
United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation (1995). Policy Paper for change and development in Higher Education. Paris. UNESCO
Sarah Michelotti
Head of English Language Programmes
Setting Language Standards in Higher Education: Is Compromising a False Economy? GOING GLOBAL 3 International Education Conference London
Dr Sacha DeVelle 3 December 2008
Outline
Relating IELTS test scores to language ability Key findings from IELTS funded research programme
Educational admission purposes Predictive validity of test scores
IELTS Scores Explained DVD package Standards setting research in collaboration with Cambridge ESOL
Entry requirements very different across institution and sector Increasingly competitive environment tension between standards and the need to recruit Majority admitted not having a clear understanding of the IELTS content and process.
Standard Setting
Two key questions:
What is the minimal level of English needed? How does this minimally acceptable level translate into IELTS scores?
Summary
IELTS test scores and language ability
Key findings from IELTS funded research programme: Educational admission purpose Predictive validity of test scores
Standards Setting
IELTS Scores Explained DVD Standards setting research in collaboration with Cambridge ESOL.
Thank you