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Create an international campus

An international campus is one which welcomes and supports international students and researchers, and one which provides an international experience for the institution’s Israeli students as part of their studies (Internationalization at Home). The overall goal is to create a campus which is open, diverse and pluralistic.

An international campus will make the institution more appealing for international students and researchers, and will also enhance the learning experience of local students, who will get the opportunities to gain important skills both inside and outside the classroom.

 

Internationalization at Home

International at Home (IaH) has been defined as “the purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments”. (Bellen & Jones, 2015)

The focus of IaH is on integrating global perspectives and experiences into study programs for all students, whether or not they spend time studying abroad. IaH is particularly important in light of the fact that the majority of students do not study abroad during their degree (according to statistics from the Council for Higher Education of Israel, only 8% of students in Israel spend time abroad during their degree).

IaH includes a relatively broad range of activities, including integrating relevant subjects and skills into the curriculum, creating interactions between local and international students both in and outside the classroom, and utilizing digital tools to enhance international learning experiences. Given its broad nature, it is recommended that each institution should focus on those aspects of IaH which best fit their intuitional internationalization strategy.

In Israel, the WILLIAM project, a collaborative initiative between 12 Israeli and European institutions, works to advance IaH within Israeli higher education.

The following section provides information about the different aspects of IaH and links to sources for practical tips and information.

 

IaH – General overview

• Internationalization at Home – EAIE
• Dr. Jos Beelen, “National Policies for Internationalization at Home”
• Wish to advance intercultural relations and understanding in your campus? You can do so by implementing student activities as were developed by the Tempus DOIT project

 

 Internationalization of the Curricula

Internationalization of the Curricula (IoC) is a term which is often discussed in conjunction with IaH and relates to the integration of international or intercultural learning outcomes into curricula. An international curriculum has been defined as one that will “engage students with internationally informed research and cultural and linguistic diversity and purposefully develop their international and intercultural perspectives as global professionals and citizens” (Leask, 2009). The focus is not only on the content of academic programs, but also the teaching, learning and assessment. The acquirement of English or other language competencies can be part of IoC but is not the central goal (for more information on English Medium Instruction, please see here).

IoC requires academic staff to rethink what they teach and the way they teach, and it will be interpreted differently across disciplines. In order for IoC to be implemented effectively, there is a need to provide support for academic staff throughout the process, and this is best done with the facilitation of an expert in this area.

• Dr. Amit Marantz Gal: Internationalisation of the Curriculum in an Israeli College: Responses, motivations, interpretations and enactment across 3 academic departments
• NAFSA: Internationalizing Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Resources
• American Council for Education: Internationalization in Action: Internationalizing the Curriculum
• AACU: Global Learning
• University World News: How to engage faculty in curriculum internationalisation
• Information relating to developing 21st century skills amongst students can be found here

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Social Integration Strategies

• Social integration strategies aim to foster connections between international and local students outside the classroom, so that students can get to know each other in a less formal setting. Activities to promote social integration include intercultural communication workshops, buddy programs, and other kinds of social and extracurricular activities. Numerous studies have shown that such strategies can be beneficial for both international and local students for a number of reasons, including the enhancement of student well-being and achievement, as well as the development of intercultural and language competencies.
• WILLIAM Buddy System Toolkit
• University of Warwick: Promoting Integration on Campus: Principles, Practice and Issues for Further Exploration
• Learn from the Erasmus+ DARE project knowledge and experience how to  increase and sustain diversity on campus
• Learn from Project TEACHEX on Diversity and Accessible Instruction

 

Virtual Mobility

Virtual mobility is defined as a “set of activities supported by information and communication technologies (ICT) that realize or facilitate international, collaborative experiences in a context of teaching, training or learning” (Erasmus+ 2019 Call). Virtual mobility seeks to provide students with similar benefits as one would have with physical mobility but without the need to travel. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including online collaboration or exchanges between students in different institutions, joint online courses, and blended mobility combining physical and virtual mobility. The focus of virtual mobility is on the use of digital tools to support collaboration and learning activities between local and international students.

• Digital Pedagogy in International Courses – Best practice from Kibbutzim College of Education
• Digital Pedagogy: Background and Guidelines
• IN2IT Project Evaluation
• WILLIAM: Virtual Classroom Best Practices
• Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange
• EADTU Portal

 

A Welcoming Campus for International Students

In order to prepare your institution for accepting international students, whether for full academic degrees or short-term programs, there is a need to put in place administrative structures and protocols and to support academic staff in integrating international students into their courses. Here is a short list of the things you might like to consider:

 

Administrative issues:

• How to build services & info in English at every stop the student will have to pass – from the first application to a program, admission & rejection letters, registration for courses etc.
• Timetable of the academic year (for short-term mobility).
• How will you provide services to help incoming students get to know the campus and the city?
• Information about the learning atmosphere, new culture and local norms (for example – working days, holidays).
• Safety – Provide information related to personal safety and national safety. What is happening and how to act/respond to an event?
• Support – provide information for emotional and personal well-being as well as physical well-being.
• Accommodation and Finance – How will you provide assistance with finding accommodation and signing a lease in English? How will your institution handle financial questions? It is important to provide the student with information about tuition, cost of living and any available scholarships and loans as well as allow payment in various currencies.
• Health Issues – When using local providers, check for availability of services in English. Define the minimal coverage that you require from students and provide information on the health system in Israel.
• Visa Issues – Understand the local law regarding visa for international students and provide full visa guidance and help for incoming students.

 

Further resources:

• WILLIAM: Incoming Students Guidelines
• ICEF Monitor: Enhancing the student experience with essential student services
• ICEF Monitor: Promoting Mental Health on Campus
• Ben-Gurion University's Pre-Arrival Guide for International Students and Researchers and a map to facilitate student's familiarity with the campus and university surrounding.

 

Academic issues:

• Evaluating credits and degrees from different countries – It is important to understand and know the different education and higher education systems.
• Defining the requirements for admission of international students – GRE, TOEFL, interview etc.
• Israeli Credits vs. ECTS – how to convert between systems?
• Read more on ECTS here.
• Evaluation system of students’ performance (verbal/written) – international students may be used to different methods of evaluation to those used in Israeli institutions.
• Integration of international and local students in classrooms – what support needs to be provided to academic staff in order to facilitate effective learning outcomes for all students?
• How to raise awareness among your staff (administrative and academic) regarding the different cultures the students are coming from?
• Tips for Teaching International Students
• Inside Higher Ed: Teaching International Students