Internationalising all Students’ Experience in 18 months

Title of Case Study: Internationalising all students’ experience in 18 months

Institution and initiating department/faculty:Loughborough Students Union

Departments/faculties in which initiative implemented/to be implemented:All students and staff in Loughborough University

Key Contact: Others involved:

Name: Christina Yan Zhang Global Development Officer Name: Prof. Chris Backhouse

Address: Tel: 01509227616106 Ashby RoadLoughboroughLeistershire UK, LE11 3AF

Email: c.j.backhouse@lboro.ac.uk

Director of Internationalisation Strategy,Loughborough UniversityLeicestershireUKLE11 3TU

Tel: 07515734250Email: cvyz@lboro.ac.uk

AbstractFor the past three years, Loughborough has been voted the UK's 'Best Student Experience' in the prestigious Times Higher Awards - highlighting the excellent community atmosphere, extracurricular activities and societies, and the good environment on campus and around the University. Loughborough was also recognised for its commitment to supporting students from abroad in the 2007 awards, winning 'Outstanding Support for Overseas Students'.

This case study looks at the parallel developments driven by both Loughborough University which is ‘top-down’ from the staff and Loughborough Students Union which is ‘bottom up’ from the students. The case study focuses on the initiatives undertake and the projects undertaken by the Students Union to promote a global environment.

It is a strategy that works to involve everyone and encourage everyone to contribute. It is not only the agenda of all the senior members of the university; it is also the agenda of all students. The more students get involved, the more likely that it will be successful.

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18 months after Loughborough Students Union worked with Loughborough University on Internationalisation Development, Loughborough Students Union has been awarded by National Union of Students as ‘Best International Students Union 2009’ and ‘Event of the Year 2009’ for International Students.

Background – contextual issues giving rise to the initiativeIn a world that is increasingly globally-connected, universities should prepare all students to meet this life-long challenge in this world of global opportunities. After being established as one of the UK’s premier universities, Loughborough University sees itself change again as we consolidate our successes, build on our strengths, establish strong international partnerships and respond to the rapidly changing global environment. One of the cores is to globalise all students’ experience in Loughborough.

Description of activity or initiativeChristina Yan Zhang has created a series of new initiatives to cultivate the global awareness of all students.

The position of International Development Officer of LSU was originally created to represent and meet the increasing needs of all international students in Loughborough. However, when informed about the University’s Internationalisation Strategy, Christina extended her responsibility from only to strive for the best UK experience for all international students, to help all students in Loughborough to achieve the brightest future in the globally-connected world.

However, as the positions of both International Development Officer and Director of Internationalisation Strategy were newly created that year, students and staff always associated it to do with issues on international students, and consider Internationalisation Strategy of the University is only to attract more overseas students recruitment. Also, the problems of international students are that maybe due to barrier of language, culture and study commitment, they do not really find themselves integrated into the local community. For example, the Chinese students would like to stay together, because of the above mentioned reasons. This

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stereotype has posed great difficulty in the job of both Christina and Chris. Therefore, to make things clearer, both Christina and Chris have launched their each individual initiatives to work with all departments in the students union and university to promote PMI2 together.

Christina launched her ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ campaign in Oct 2007, with a series of new initiatives to promote the global awareness of all students in Loughborough.

Overview of all the initiatives1. Promote global awareness

‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ Poster Competition ‘Lufbra’ Going Global’ newsletter, inviting Loughborough VC, MPs, national

leaders, employers to emphasize global students mobility ‘Lufbra’s Got Talent’ Competition Help initiated ‘Global Culinary Festival’ with Loughborough University Founder of ‘Global Development Committee’ Promote Weekly UK trips for international students and EU trips for UK

students Help initiated ‘Loughborough Model United Nations’ Initiated Loughborough University ‘Vice-chancellor’s Awards for

Internationalisation’- to encourage all students to promote the global awareness in Loughborough. £500 to be given to student winner, and get it approved by University Prize Committee.

Initiated ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ awards, where besides Loughborough University’s ‘Vice-chancellor’s award for Internationalisation’, another 8 new awards of Loughborough Student Union will be awarded.

2. Events cultivating Global citizens Weekly ‘Universal Thursday’ International and Postgraduate night: 800+

regularly attending including 50% International students, 36% Postgrads and increasingly strong UK contingent. One of most successful international socials in the UK.

Chinese New Year Celebration, joined by 800 students from all backgrounds ‘Lufbra Chinese Earthquake Relief’ - led 300 UK students to donate money to

China Pair hall students(UK undergraduates) with international students to make

friends with each other and then want to go overseas to explore more Language Buddy Scheme- pair UK students to learn foreign language with

international students Loughborough Adventure Day - pair UK and International students together

to finish difficult tasks together in Loughborough Universal Day - pair UK students with international students for Universal

Parade Universal Parade - with the help of international students, UK students from

each hall dressed up in the traditional costume of a foreign country, then Parade across campus to celebrate multi-culturism.

3. Study and work overseas promotions Loughborough Erasmus Students Network, first year 200 membership, many

UK students

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Promote the UK government funded China Study Trip 3 times, with hundreds of UK students applied, 24 successful.

Promote ‘Host UK’ to international students to enjoy UK experience, 170 successful

Promote AIESEC Loughborough, the largest students organization for global work placement to help all students go for global work placement to enhane their employability

Promote ‘Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship’ -promote it nationally, send students to China, India, Brazil for 6 weeks and become fellows to enhance the global competitiveness of UK students

Promote Denmark Summer School 2009 Promote China Shandong Summer School 2009

‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ newsletterIn each issue of the electronic newsletter which is sent to all students and staff in Loughborough, it is composed of the following parts:

What ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’where one Executive from LSU(such as President, VP), one LU Executive(such as Vice-chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and etc ), Christina, and VIP from outside LU(such as local MPs, President of National Students Union, Office of David Lammy MP, Minister for Higher Education in DIUS) write something to highlight the importance of ‘Going Global’ in the world of global connection.

Why ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’‘The Present’ - is written by Christina to highlight the current achievements LU have got(such as 3 times ‘Best Students Experience’ awarded by Times Higher Education, ‘Outstanding Support to Overseas Students’ in Times Higher Education 2007, 6 times Queen’s Anniversary Prize, Sunday Times University Of the Year 2008 and etc)‘The Future’ - is written by Chris to look into the brightest future of the great strategic plan of LU Internationalisation to prepare all students for the brightest possible future in the world of global opportunities and promote LU as a world leading university in the next 10 years

How to Globalise all students’ Lufbra Experience? This part describes all the initiatives created by Christina to achieve the goal of Internationalisation, emphasis is put on the following aspects:

Global Job Prospects - contributed by LU Career Centre advisors, leading employers to highlight students the importance and advantages of ‘Going Global’ in helping them stand out in job-hunting and life-long career promotion

Global Work/Study Organisation - contributed by leaders of various global students organisation who have got a base in Loughborough, such as:

o AIESEC - the largest students organisation in the world promoting global internships and work placements for students

o Erasmus Students Network - one of the fastest developing organisations promoting exchange programme in all EU countries

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Global Work Study Opportunities - contributed by students who have been to various study/work overseas programme and share their great experience to encourage more global exchange among current students

Global Multi-cultural Events - contributed by various international students group, such as International Students Association and Global Development Committee on their latest plan to promote a more integrated multi-cultural campus in Loughborough

Promotion of Study Overseas Opportunity

There have been lots of promotions of various study overseas opportunities in Loughborough. The interest among all Loughborough students to go for global exchange has grown from very low to increasingly strong now. But at the very beginning, it starts with the promotion of the Easter China Study Trip in Jan 2008. Chris Backhouse emailed me about a great opportunity offered by the government for all UK and EU students to study in China for 3 weeks in the Easter Holiday. However, there is only a week before application deadline. Under this circumstance, it is very difficult for the message to be effectively spread out top-down from the university staff to all students. Therefore, Chris contacted me to see if there was anything she might be able to promote it in such short notice.

I did the following things set up the facebook group titled ‘2008 Free China Easter Study Programme’ draft a concise email of 5 short sentences, highlight the great benefits of the

study trip might offer to all students, then give the link of the facebook group I set up, invite all interested students to join the facebook group

email all the Deans of 3 Faculty of Loughborough University and asked them to forward that email to all students asap

All the 3 Deans forwarded my email to all the heads of academic departments immediately, then all the heads of academic departments did the same and forwarded the emails to all students

All the students in Loughborough University got to know this opportunity within one day after the email sent by me to the Deans and it has aroused great interest among all students

More than 100 students email me directly asking more information about the programme, I direct all of them to join the facebook group and offer to do everything I can to help all Loughborough students throughout the application process

More than 170 Loughborough students applied for the first ever China Easter China Study Trip within one week of deadline

Considering the short time for application, I carefully analysed the application process, and generalize different aspects of application process on the facebook group, to make it simple and easy for students to apply.

I sent out daily update to all members on her facebook group and answers all the questions of the students by facebook messages.

Achievements

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Of all 200 successful applicants from more than 150 university in the UK, 10 of them are from Loughborough University although they only know the deadline one week before. The following picture is the 10 Loughborough students who stayed in Shanghai for 3 weeks in 2008 Easter holiday.

Loughborough Erasmus Students Network

1. SummaryAlthough ‘The Erasmus Student Network is Loughborough newest association, it is one of the most popular and successful society in Loughborough Students Union. Formed by Adam Greenwood an Erasmus Student in Holland last year and a group of friends the association is growing from strength to strength since beginning.

The main aim of the association is for both incoming and outgoing exchange students in Loughborough University. For one thing, it provides a social platform to help all incoming exchange students to Loughborough to achieve the best possible UK experience. They provide a support network for any problems exchange students may have whilst in Loughborough. For another, it work to encourage UK students to go overseas for global exchange.

2. Background informationAfter the successful launch of ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ campaign there is an increasing need among all UK and EU students in Loughborough University to go overseas for global exchange.

During the first year of ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ campaign, I successfully promoted several global exchange programme in Loughborough University

UK government funded Easter/Summer China Study trip 3 times in Loughborough University. This was done by setting up facebook groups and helping 700 UK/EU students to apply for this nationally competitive study trip, with 24 UK/EU students successful.

‘Host UK’ programme among all EU and international students in

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Loughborough, to help them to enjoy a better UK experience, 170 successful.

various UK trips for EU students and EU trips for UK students to cultivate the idea that ‘Europeans living together as one community’

With the successful campaign on ‘Going Global’ in Loughborough, a truly integrated and diverse campus of multiculturalism is established in Loughborough University, while increasing numbers of UK students are interested to go overseas for study and work placement. According, Loughborough Erasmus Students Network is launched in September 2008 to meet this need of all students.

3. What they have done

A huge welcome party in the Union after freshers weekhighly successful with around 100 people attending, mainly Erasmus Students and also Loughborough students who had been on exchange last year attending.

Weekly "Erasmus Mondays" in the Griffin pubIt has attracted a huge amount of Erasmus students and UK students, and very much helped to raise its profile around Loughborough.

Attend Weekly Universal Thursday They work with Loughborough Students Union to promote "Universal Thursdays", the International and postgraduate Night, something that has become another regular social night for our Erasmus and UK Students.

Establish Erasmus Football TeamErasmus and UK students are regularly trained. For example, they beat the Afro-Caribbean society 2-0

Help Erasmus students to get involved in other activities in LSUFor example, they help some EU students to volunteer in the community by join LSU "Action" projects.

Monthly "Culture nights" They host it monthly, the first night being British, and then with French, Dutch and Spanish nights and etc. They

invited both UK students and EU Erasmus students to enjoy the great time together

Hold socials and sporting events with other universitiesFor example, they have agreed to hold along side the Nottingham University Erasmus Student Network for football match and socials together. Bring the UK and Erasmus students form several universities together. (Recruit students for global exchange)

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Great success in National Erasmus Platform They attended it at Sheffield University along with all the other Erasmus Networks in the Country. They beat off competition from two other Universities to win the right to host the next national Platform in March 2009. Also, their committee members- Mike Beeson is elected as National Give20 Co-ordinator, Francesca Kelly is elected as National Erasmus Board Vice-President.

4. Future PlanTo host a Erasmus National Platform Conference in Loughborough University in March 2009. As part of my plan to recruit another 25 students representing each academic department in Loughborough University to join me in the Global Development Committee. They will work closely with each department’s Erasmus programme coordinator to encourage more UK students go for exchange programme and also help all Erasmus students in Loughborough to make the best of their UK experience

Weekly ‘Universal Thursday’ night

1. SummaryHow to hold successful events integrate international students and UK students is always difficult. However, with ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ campaign, we find an effective way to integrate students from all backgrounds.

Weekly ‘Universal Thursday’ International and Postgraduate night has turned out to be one of the most successful weekly event in the UK integrate students from all backgrounds. Now it has an 800+ regularly attending including 20% International students, 30% EU students, 36% Postgrads and increasingly strong UK contingent. Universal Thursday has just been awarded National Union of Students ‘Event of the Year 2009’ for all international students in the UK.

2. Background informationSince the launch of ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ campaign of 2007, we have always been creating various new initiatives to promote the integration and understanding between students from the UK, from the EU, from other international countries. We find it especially difficult to meet the events need of international and postgraduate students. Therefore, International Students Association and Postgraduate Association of Loughborough Students Union have tried a monthly ‘Univeral Saturday’ nights in early 2008. The attendance is OK, around 100 to 300, not always very popular among students. Also, another problem is that it is only attended by EU and international students, UK students

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are not interested in it at all.

Since Sept 2008, Christina Yan Zhang raised this issue with Andy Parson, General Manager of Loughborough Students Union. Christina wanted to re-launch the international and postgraduate night, such as to make it weekly event to be better established, also encourage more UK to get involved to make friends with EU and international students. Andy fully supported Christina and asked Claire Louise Delaney, Venue Manager to support Christina to push the event forward. Besides Christina, Claire invited another 4 Loughborough students to help make the event successful.

These 4 students and Claire meet fortnightly to ensure the event become more and more popular among not only EU, International and postgraduate students, but also UK students. The 4 students are Malle Koido(Estonian), Jane Niit (Estonian), Antoinette Brown (Germany) and Adam Greenwood (British).

3. What is the secret of this great success? Every Thursday Night, from 9pm-3am

It is a time that all students are free to attend. Previously, the event is put on Saturday night, where many UK students are going back home for weekends, which makes them impossible to attend

Promotional salesIt is the best offer one can get from any weekly Loughborough Students Union event. For example, free entry, buy one get one free drink, free international buffet served from 9pm

International musicDifferent from average union party, the music played in this party are from every corner of the world, which makes the party very different form other union events

PublicityLeaflets - As a new initiative since last year, we have produced lots of leaflet to promote this event to all students.

Public Speech - I had the opportunity to promote this event to hundreds of new international and EU students when I was invited to attend the International Students Induction by the university.

Facebook - As the majority of Loughborough students are on facebook. We created a facebook group named ‘Universal Thursday’ to promote this event. It now has 319 members http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php? gid=33106886429&ref=ts

Totty Spotter for ‘Universal Thursday’ - Christina suggested Claire to employ students to take photos for students who attend ‘Universal Thursday’ and put them at the website of Loughborough Students Union. The purpose for that is students like photos taken and will be more likely to come back every

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Thursday night. It is very interesting to see students hold the big inflatable globe and pose in all interesting way, or literally just point at the country they are from!

PHD students Discussion Ben - As a PHD student myself, I have put weekly reminder on the PHD students Discussion Ben to invite all PHD students in Loughborough University to come to this party and make friends with people from all nationality.

Attract UK students - Every Thursday night, besides Universal Thursday, in JC bar of Loughborough Students Union, lots of UK students would like to take part in the quiz competition. When they finish the quiz, they are happy to go upstairs to dance in the Universal Thursday.

Here are some of the photos taken from http://www.lufbra.net/toptotty/galleries/

Global Development Committee

1. SummaryIn order to get more students involved in ‘Lufbra’s Going Global’ campaign, and also to institutionalise all the achievements in the past 18 months, I created LSU Global Development Committee. I recruited a group of 10 students from all backgrounds, with various speciality and networks to help the whole campaign become stronger and stronger.

2. Key Committee Roles

Chair: LSU Global Development Officero Lead all projects to create the best global experience for all students in

Loughborough, promote Loughborough globally

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Events Officero Organisation of events that are educational in terms of various cultures

and that would encourage respect and interest in the differences in the ways around the world.

Student Exchange Officer o Raise awareness of study abroad opportunities around campus and

offering advice to students who are currently on exchange or would like to go on exchange.

International Study Trip Officer o To find out information on International study opportunities that are

available for all Loughborough students and to promote these experiences in any way possible. Key trip is China Study Trip (Easter and Summer intake), and help them throughout the application process and pre-departure preparations.

Global Enterprise Officer o Advice on reaching to a bigger network through AIESEC, enhancing

all students’ global employability by encouraging them to take global placements and internships

British Council Liaison Officer o Introducing new projects and national programmes from external

organizations,such as British Council.

Action Liaison Officer o Liaison with all LSU Action projects to create/promote more projects to

integrate both home and international students

Evaluative commentsGenerally, the great success of the Internationalisation development of Loughborough lives in the following facts.

1. It is a paralleled development driven by both Loughborough University which is top-down from the staff and Loughborough Students Union which is bottom up from the students.

2. It is a joint efforts by both British staff(lead by Prof. Chris Backhouse, Director of Internationalisation Strategy in Loughborough University), and an international student(lead by Christina Yan Zhang, a full-time PHD student and Global Development Officer----a part-time Executive of Loughborough Students Union). Therefore, this unique partnership between British and Chinese people makes it possible to fully understand all the key issues in cross-cultural communication and integration.

3. It is a strategy that works to involve everyone and encourage everyone to contribute. It is not only the agenda of all the senior members of the university; it is also the agenda of all students. The more students we can get involved, the more likely that it will be successful.

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Advice to othersMobilise all students and staff to work jointly to promote this strategy.

Reflection/any other commentsWe should always try to get as many students involved in university’s development strategy as possible. One of the best ways to implement a new strategy is probably to get as many parties involved as possible.

Further details Loughborough Students Union Globalisation page http://www.lufbra.net/international/ Facebook group: Loughborough Internationalisationhttp://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2412598328&ref=ts

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