International Student Experience ~ Sport’s Contribution Zena Wooldridge April 2010

Relevance ? UK ~ a global leader in provision of higher education: Export earnings of HE: £5.3 billion pa [5% of world’s scientific research and 12% of cited papers] Intl students contribute £3.3bn pa to UK national income 368,000 intl students studying at UK HEIs in % of all students studying in the UK 10% of all undergrads 34% of all post-grads 55% of all PG research students ⅓ = other EU nations; ⅔ = RoW

Top 10 HEIs Top 10 HEIs by intl student numbers

Top 10 HEIs Top 10 HEIs by % of intl students

Relevance to HEIs Income ~ academic fees + other spend UG ~ Home & EU£45.6m PGT ~ Home & EU£14.6m UG ~ RoW£15.0m PGT ~ RoW£22.0m other£7.3m TOTAL =£104.5m 35% Academic Fees (Birmingham ) Enhance global reputation & ranking Centre of culture: developing ‘cosmopolitanism’ Preparing graduates fit-for-purpose in a global economy Intl activities ≈ 15% of total UoB turnover

Challenges to UK HE plc Global recession New UK immigration system (barrier) Growing competition world-wide Fees (relative) Cost of living in the UK ~ despite £ exchange rate  Importance of Intl Student Experience Need to ‘raise our game’  Sport’s contribution Best Practice

How Intl students fund themselves Half of Intl students rely on families 80% of Chinese students rely on families 25% are self-funding 20% take out loans ⅓ Malaysian students receive govt awards 45% of PGR students receive UK/university awards Pattern varies across EU/RoW Pressure to get best value from studies Raises students’ expectations of universities

Market Segmentation Intl students are not an homogenous group wrt expectations, circumstances, experiences and needs UG / PGT / PGR Other EU / RoW Nations Cultures …….

Good Practice Advice 1.Pre-arrival information and communications 2.Arrival, welcome & orientation 3.Cultural & Social Integration 4.Careers & employability 5. SPORT

Pre-Arrival Manage expectations: Cost / affordability Career outcomes and employability Clear communications Customised service Web-site Customised ? Integrated services ? Clear offer ? Peer-to-peer social media network groups & blogs ?

Arrival, Welcome & Orientation Many intl students will enter an unfamiliar environment in an emotionally charged state where simple things such as a friendly face can make a world of difference in how the initial experience is perceived Intl Student Barometer ~ meeting new friends on arrival:  Intl average = 65%  UK = 75%  Lead USA = 78% Service integration affects intl student experience Smaller universities sometimes do best Qu: To what extent does your sports dept work with the Intl Office and others on welcome/orientation programme ?

Cultural & Social Integration Intl students want to experience UK cultures (90%) How to best offer integration with: domestic students (2-way) local communities (learn language & other skills) ? other nationalities within intl cohort On-going, not just arrival & orientation 60% want to meet students of own nationality Higher for nations more distant and culturally different [80% for China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia) less important in HEIs with higher % of intl students

Careers & Employability Relates to intl students as much as domestic Need to earn money (some) UK degree a major step towards rewarding career ~ success critical to UK attracting intl students 50% of intl grads that go straight into employment work in the UK for first 2 years Support generic skills development for global careers: comms, presentation skills, team-work, problem-solving and time management Volunteering & sport scholarship programmes Example: Raymond Priestley Centre

SPORT (1)

Important for integration Sports facilities: more important to Intl students (73%) than domestic (59%) ~ though domestic students more satisfied (86%) More important to Intl UG than Intl PG students Satisfaction highest amongst EU students (83%) Lowest amongst US and Pakistan students (73%) Higher satisfaction at larger universities than smaller Issues around quality & breadth of provision Intl Student Barometer ~ sports facilities satisfaction:  Intl average = 76%  UK = 79%  Lead USA = 84% [Domestic students = 86%]

SPORT (2) Most frequent complaint is COST expectations of free sport due to fee levels Clear pre-joining/marketing info &/or add to overall fee Student Clubs: Intl students less likely to join student clubs Most likely to join in HEIs with higher % of intl students ~ due to wider range of clubs ? PGTs less likely to join clubs (intensity of course) Issues around alcohol

SPORT ~ suggested actions (1) Train sports staff in cultural awareness and inter-cultural communication Integrate planning & delivery with Univ Intl Office Consider range of activities attractive to intl students (including clubs) On-going provision through period of study Offer combination of mixed and culturally-specific groups Consider how to use sport to encourage intl student integration with the local community Cost: be clear on costs prior to arrival &/or consider adding annual fee to intl tuition fee

SPORT ~ suggested actions (2) Consider design/content of web-site and use of peer-to- peer social media network around sport Offer mix of formal and informal activities Balance alcohol and non-alcohol events Promote benefits of volunteering Promotes integration with domestic students & local community Enhance employability Assists language, other skills and cultural awareness Offer incentives for participation e.g. certificates, plus emphasise the value to CVs

ACTIONS Intl Student Experience Strategy/Guide for Sport ? Your HEI ? BUCS Best Practice Guide ? Best Practice Case Studies ? Find out the numbers and profile of intl students at your institution 2 changes to your programmes for intl students ?

Questions Do you have a welcome / orientation programme for Intl students that includes sport Do you train your sports staff in cultural awareness ? Do you provide programmes specifically targeted at intl students ? Do those target mixed students or culturally- specific groups ? Does your sport web-site specifically address intl students’ needs ? Do you promote the benefits of volunteering in sport to intl students ?