Internationalising Higher Education

Recruitment of international staff in UK Higher Education is rising. Research has shown that, in contrast to provision for international students, there is little formal or organised support for international staff. In addition to challenges faced in learning and teaching, such as language and teaching styles, support may be needed in dealing with personal matters, such as finding adequate accommodation and schooling for dependents. The innovative website - www.internationalstaff.ac.uk - is a one-stop shop support system, providing generic and HEI-specific information and guidance for international staff coming to teach and support student learning in the UK. The development and rollout of the site to other UK institutions is funded by the HEFCE 'Leadership, Governance and Management' fund over a period of 18 months to maximise its impact and value for non-UK staff. Subscription to the site allows location-specific, tailored content about an institution to be viewed by potential and current staff. Since its launch in 2007, the International Staff website has supported non-UK staff from all corners of the globe. Users have accessed information on everything from driving in the UK to getting to grips with the UK education system to running a seminar. The site has four subscribing institutions to date and feedback has been very positive.