Recruiting and Integrating International Students
International Education brings with it, opportunities for cultural engagement, multiple perspectives, and strength in diversity. These multiple perspectives are not always well supported or recognized. A mainstay of the internationalization of higher education is the presence of international students. Therefore, a key benefit of international education is the potential for interactions between domestic and international students so that together, they can explore this diversity of perspectives. Yet, there are challenges in bringing groups of students together as many might prefer to stay within their comfort zones. Therefore, this presentation will highlight key approaches and strategies for improving interactions between diverse groups of students within the classroom.

Digital Transitions: The Online Experiences of International Students
Digital environments are diverse across the world.Digital ‘traditions’ and ‘norms’ have formed very quickly in the last 2-3 decades with cultures impacting on the ways we engage online. Therefore, Universities need also to understand the biases of their own digital environments when they are hosting international students from all parts of the world. Research and practice have shown that often, international students might miss out on crucial information of success and well-being in host countries because of not making the essential digital transitions. This presentation highlights the differences in digital environments and argues that digital transitions are just as important as face-to-face orientations in preparing international students for their new University experience.

Attracting International students through Improving their Study Experience
Prospective students trust the experiences of current international students and alumni to help them make the final decisions about where they study. They seek to know about the classes, internships, ways to be involved, and the support received (is there somewhere to go with their questions and concerns?). This session focuses on a wide variety of ways that international offices can provide information and opportunities to international students that have been successful in improving the international student study experience and in turn, help attract future students. IORs cannot individually take on all the responsibilities for the international student experience as students seek engagement throughout the institution. This session proposes a strategic approach that uses data to drive priorities and the development of campus partnerships to ensure that international students are not the sole responsibility of the IOR, but rather a university-wide effort is in place to welcome and support students throughout their full academic experience.

Improving Communication with International Students: Useful Tips
We communicate with students through many different channels – one-on-one meetings, information sessions, programs and events, email, social media, and institutional messaging. In this interactive session, participants explore the current strategies they use and assess whether they know how well these work for reaching their goals. Drawing upon the creative ideas from fellow attendees, participants will explore ways they can gain feedback and make improvements in the variety of ways they connect with the international community and broader community on campus. Participants leave the session with a variety of tips and ideas for improving communication with international students at their own institution.

This professional development workshop series supports universities to:

• Support the readiness of universities to integrate International students.
• Enable both Czech and International students to learn deeply and together.
• Enable all students to build 21st-century skills and thrive in interconnected world.

E.G. Embracing Diversity in the Classroom
Teaching international classrooms with hands-on tools and strategies to employ in our teaching. In a Fishbowl Activity, we will unpack the complexity of international classroom. Using Hofstede’s Cultural dimensions theory (1980), we will explore how the cultural backgrounds of students impact their learning and teamwork. Particular attention will be given to ways of designing successful cooperative learning actvities and support of teamwork in cross-cultural teams

We can help you widen the international experience of all your students through methodologies such as COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) and support you in co-teaching with your international colleagues. With experts from EU, USA, and Australia, we can also assist you in expanding your digital international campus presence and create a welcoming international online environment.

COIL Workshop Series:
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is the co-teaching of two or more teachers from universities in different countries who jointly deliver their courses. They provide the students with opportunities to gain international knowledge and to learn in an international classroom without the necessity of travel.

COIL workshop series provides academics with:

• Step-by-step guidance to set up and run COIL with their colleagues
• How to maximize cross-border online collaboration of students, and
• Overcome the challenges of intercultural co-teaching.

Contact us if you would like to support your academics in “COIL skills”.

Internationalization of Learning Outcomes : Guiding participants on how to integrate international dimensions in courses/programs by working with their own syllabi. Internationalized learning outcomes at the level of programs (PLO) and modules (MLO) are considered key indicators for the quality, relevance and consistency of internationalization. Participants ideally bring a colleague that they can work with and discuss the internationalised study programme.