Jump to:
- News and opportunities
- International Student Experience
- CATE Application
- Guides for inclusive group work and field courses
- Call for contributors for our new blog series
- SEDA small grants available
- Student Research Festival – deadline for applications approaching!
- Blogs and resources
- Upcoming events
News and opportunities
This week’s theme: International Student Experience
Our theme this week is international students. With almost 10,000 international students studying with us in the year 2022/23 and more projected to join us over the next few years, exploring and improving the international student experience is a high priority in the University. But what does that mean when we’re talking about teaching and learning?
This week, we’ve launched a new guide, created from research undertaken with international students this year and focussing on five Top Tips to support students in the global classroom.
As part of our A – Z of BILT series, Dr Kevin Haines has contributed to this week’s instalment, ‘I is for International Student Experiences’.
We’re also hosting two workshops on Thursday 14th November, the first looking at curriculum design from 10am – 12pm and the second will be sharing innovations from across the University, featuring BILT Student Fellow Alumnus Ivory Wang (check our Ivory’s brilliant research here). This event takes place from 1pm – 2pm – book your place here.
Over the last year, the University has set up an International Student Experience Committee, in order to identify priorities for enhancing the international student experience and monitor progress for delivery of initiatives. A new team, ‘International Student Success’ has been established within Education and Student Success, led by Gosia Drewniok. Since spring 2024, the team has developed and then delivered the International Transition Programme which included new international student pages and self-study module, extended Meet and Greet service on arrival, and extended welcome programme of in-person events until mid-October. If you would like to raise a challenge faced by international students, or showcase good practice, please get in touch with Gosia (gosia.drewniok@bristol.ac.uk) in the first instance.
It was a toss-up between choosing ‘international students’ and ‘inclusive teaching and assessment’ for this week’s letter in the ‘A – Z of BILT’ – we’ve still included two brilliant resources on inclusive teaching below…
2024/25 CATE Nominee
We’re excited to share that the MyWorld Skills and Training Team have been nominated by the University for a Collaborative Award for Teaching Exellence, a prestigious accolade award by Advance HE. The project, led by Kirsten Cater, delivers a wide range of training opportunities to their learners, helping them to understand and embrace technical advances and build their confidence to turn their creative ideas into new careers, new client work, and cutting-edge innovations. Read more about the project in this blog post.
Guides for Inclusive Group Work and Field Course
During the 2023/2024 academic year, the School of Biological Sciences appointed two Student Disability Partners, Chloe Stevens and Kai Harper, as part of a BILT-funded Education Development Project. This project set out to enhance inclusivity and accessibility within the school and integrate student-led insights into teaching practices and resources to foster an environment where all students can fully participate in our academic offerings. Through their self-directed research, Chloe and Kai produced two insightful guides that address specific areas within the curriculum that could benefit from inclusivity improvements. These guides are:
- Running Inclusive University Field Courses for Disabled Students by Chloe Stevens: This document, designed for teaching staff who lead on field courses, outlines best practices for creating accessible field courses, and provides strategies and examples to accommodate diverse needs. Chloe’s experience and insights into practical barriers have shaped valuable recommendations to make field courses more inclusive and welcoming for all students.
- Inclusive Group Work Guidance by Kai Harper: This guide provides teaching staff with practical recommendations for structuring group work in ways that support students who may experience social or sensory challenges. Kai has included practical templates and strategies to support inclusive group work dynamics, fostering a learning environment that respects and accommodates different needs.
Small changes can greatly impact student experience, and the insights in these guides can help improve student success by fostering a more supportive learning environment.
Call for contributors: Picture This
We’re looking for 6 – 10 academics to share their opinions and perspectives on ‘near-world’ scenarios, taking part in a new blog series we will be launching. We’re looking for academics from a range of disciplines and experience levels of teaching.
Interested? Read a little more on this blog or send us an email.
SEDA Research and Evaluation Small Grants
SEDA is currently inviting applications for Research and Evaluation Small Grants. There are five grants are available, each of up to £1,000.
These SEDA small grants are to support research and evaluation in staff and educational development with the goal of continued improvement in the quality and understanding of educational development practices.
The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday 24th February 2025.
Click here for further information.
Student Research Festival
The deadline for students to apply to present their research at the Student Research Festival in January 2025 is fast approaching! This event is open to ALL students who would like to take part – all you need to do to apply is complete a short application form.
Please visit this webpage for the application form and full information.
Blogs we’ve published this fortnight
- I is for International Students
Our A – Z of BILT blog series continues with a guest contribution from Dr. Kevin Haines of the Centre for Academic Language & Development (CALD), discussing his research on international students and an upcoming event he is co-hosting.
- Screencast feedback: but what do the students think?
Dr. Lloyd Fletcher shares the fourth instalment in this series, exploring screencast feedback. This ‘episode’ explores the experiences of Lloyd’s students, presented in a brilliantly engaging way. Read the whole series here.
- Policy Watch: The Department of Education’s Curriculum and Assessment Review
BILT Research Associate Joe Gould shares this latest piece looking at the current Curriculum and Assessment Review, the potential impact on universities and how you can get involved.
- Neurodiversity in Higher Education
BILT Student Fellow Miyambo Kabwe shares this personal and evocative piece on neurodiversity within the higher education sector and the impact considerations can have on a student’s assessment experience.
- Meet the Student Fellows: Anvi Verma
BILT and Careers Service Student Fellow, Anvi Verma, has shared an introduction to herself and the work she will be undertaking as part of her Student Fellowship.
Upcoming events
Show, Tell and Talk: Teaching and learning in the international classroom, 14th November, 10 am – 2 pm
As mentioned above, the next event in our ‘Show, Tell and Talk’ series will look at the international student experience, hearing first hand from a former BILT student fellow alongside a workshop presented by our CALD colleagues.
Full details and booking link are available on this page.
Community Engaged Learning Forum, 27th November, 2.30 pm – 3.30 pm
In this event with the Careers Service in collaboration with BILT, we invite colleagues to look at the process of a community engaged learning project and share challenges or concerns within projects over cake and tea!
Full details and booking link available on this page.
PGR Supervisor Symposium: Celebrating and Developing PGR Supervision at Bristol, 27th November, 1 pm – 5 pm
After a brief hiatus, last year, the PGR Supervisor Symposium is back for 2024. The symposium offers a safe and inclusive space for University of Bristol PGR supervisors to share best practices and pedagogies, and to explore their experiences of supervising PGR students.
Full details and booking link are available on this page.
Libraries and Decolonisation: an introduction for academic staff, Tuesday 10th December 9.30 am – 10.30 am
Decolonisation is shaping and influencing how the University views itself and how it delivers programmes and services. As a central service, the Library plays an important role in this area. In this session for academic staff we aim to explore some of the connections between libraries and colonial power, discuss how information resources have the potential to be a key part in decolonial practice, and share practical tips for finding resources from under-represented communities and regions.
You can sign up on Develop.
For queries email Subject-librarians@bristol.ac.uk
Interdisciplinary Research Supervision workshop, Wednesday 11th December 2 pm – 4 pm
The Bristol Institute for Learning and Teaching are delighted to host a training workshop for Interdisciplinary Research Supervisors. This 2-hour workshop aims to guide and support research supervisors in negotiating the complexity of interdisciplinary research supervision with tips and tools for best practice.
You can sign up on Develop.
To see all our events, including more Show, Tell and Talk sessions, visit our events page.
