Blog post by Sarah Watson and Simon Overton

The following resources were co-created by colleagues from Educational Enhancement and ten non-EU international students at the University of Sussex.

Familiarising your students with the University 

The students we worked with spoke about the value of having key University information highlighted by their lecturers in the first few weeks of term. They stated that students are often unaware of these services, even if they have been introduced to them during welcome week. We know that students are most likely to listen to the academics who are teaching them, which is why it is important that this information also comes from you. One student stated: 

It is important to remind students of the services available at the beginning of the semester as it enables them to get the right information they need to excel academically and break any form of confusion in blending into the UK education system. 

Student quote, from the focus group: Supporting the International Student Experience at Sussex and beyond 2024

These slides highlight some key services and tools related to living and studying at Sussex. We recommend that you share the slide in class so that students are reminded of the support available.

Here is a breakdown of some of the key the information on the slide. We have highlighted this information as we realise you may wish to signpost to certain services and tools, rather than sharing the slide as a whole.  

Canvas 

The students continually praised the University’s use of Canvas. They appreciated that it stored all course and module information in one place and that it was often used as a space for class cohorts to come together and connect. However, many students commented that at the start of their course, they didn’t know how to navigate Canvas and weren’t aware of the excellent content it contained. One student commented: 

I think Canvas is really helpful. It has everything from – well I think it’s going a little overboard if I say everything, but it has, I think, a lot of things that a student needs to navigate throughout the course. But there’s this one thing that I feel is lacking, that’s making students acquainted with what Canvas really has. It took me some time to navigate throughout it and to understand all the resources that it has got, and it has plenty.  But I think many people find it difficult. In fact, most of them don’t even know the resources that they have access to and what the privileges that they are getting through Canvas. 

Student quote, from the focus group: Supporting the International Student Experience at Sussex and beyond 2024

To help students become more familiar with Canvas, this video highlights the tool’s key features, and introduces students to Sussex Direct too. You can share this with students by linking the video on your Canvas site, or simply by playing the video to students in one of your classes. We hope you find it useful.  

ELAS 

If students have English as an additional language, English Language for Academic Study (ELAS) provides free workshops, tutorials, drop-ins and time to write sessions to develop knowledge and understanding of academic language, skills and culture. Learn more about ELAS through this student video and students can enrol via the ELAS webpage. ELAS is based in the Department of Language Studies in Arts A. Find Arts A circled in red on the campus map. 

The Student Centre 

The Student Centre unites all the student support services at the University. Students can contact the Centre if they have questions or concerns about living and studying at Sussex. Find out more about the excellent services that sit within the Student Centre via this student video. Find the location of the Student Centre circled in red on the campus map. The welcome desk is open 8.30am-5pm, Monday-Friday or call 01273 075700, 9am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday. 

Skills Hub 

The Skills Hub is an online resource that helps students to develop the academic skills that are essential for studying at Sussex. Learn more about the benefits of the Skills Hub in this student video.   

My Sussex 

My Sussex is an online tool that offers personal and academic support. Find out more about the services contained in My Sussex in this student video. 

Health Centre 

The University has an on-campus NHS health centre. Find out why it is important to register with the health centre in this student video. Students and staff can register as a new patient online and can find the location of the health centre circled in red on the campus map. 

The Students’ Union 

The University of Sussex Students’ Union exists to make student life better. Find out the different ways the Union can support life and studies while at Sussex in this student video. The Union is located in Falmer House, which you can find on the campus map.  

The importance of getting to know one another 

We recognize the challenge of fitting all key content into modules and courses. However, the value of staggering your introductions in seminars and creating space for students to get to know both you and their peers cannot be underestimated from both an academic and a wellbeing perspective. Getting to know your students’ backgrounds can shed light on factors that may impact their learning, such as living situations, learning differences, cultural backgrounds, finances, relationships, independence, and work. While you can’t amend your teaching to best suit everyone’s circumstances, having an understanding of the multitude of backgrounds that comprise your cohort can help build an empathetic, inclusive, and diverse learning environment. Spending time getting to know one another will also facilitate socializing among students. Despite a desire to integrate, it can be challenging for students to mix with others, especially those from different backgrounds. One student commented: 

There’s the whole culture clash between different kinds of international students, as well as the home students, as well as between the different ethnic groups of one country. So, yeah, sometimes socialization is in a bubble … your social life is often limited to either international students within your country or something even a specific ethnic group within your country as well. So yeah, socialization is a huge challenge.

Student quote, from the focus group: Supporting the International Student Experience at Sussex and beyond 2024

Here are some suggestions for getting to know one another 

1. Introductory slides. You can make a shared folder on OneDrive for seminar groups, and encourage students to create a few introductory slides about themselves. You could upload your own as an example. The slides could contain images or short videos representing students’ backgrounds and interests. For example, flags of countries they have lived in. 

2. Knowing, and pronouncing, one another’s names. An important part of getting to know one another is taking the time to learn how to pronounce each student’s name. This practice serves as a great equalizer! When taking the register, read out each student’s name and ask them to repeat it back to you. Explain that this helps you ensure correct pronunciation. If needed, repeat their name back to them with the correct pronunciation. This approach demonstrates to the class that it’s okay not to pronounce every name correctly on the first try, and with practice, everyone will be able to pronounce each other’s names accurately. For more guidance, see our resource on pronouncing Chinese names. 

3. Get students working in groups. Getting students working together is a great way to build academic and social connections in class. See our guidance on facilitating inclusive group work. 

4. In-class polling. The initial teaching sessions hold significant importance for both you and your students. It provides an opportunity to share expectations and clarify any doubts that your students may have about the course/module. If possible, get to know your students in class. While this is challenging in large lectures, it can be achieved through in-class polling. You can ask students to share something about themselves, their interests, concerns or questions about the course or module.  

This resource was generated from an Education and Innovation Funded project aimed at closing the international awarding gap. To help understand why this gap exists, ten international students participated in a focus group to discuss their experiences at the University. A key theme from the focus group was the importance of feeling welcomed into the institution, particularly through getting to know lecturers and peers in teaching spaces, and understanding key University support systems. Drawing on the focus group discussions, the students then worked hard to develop resources aimed at helping you welcome your students to Sussex. They hope you find these resources useful.