Vitae SWW Hub - Focus on...Internationalisation (Cardiff)25 November 2010

Event overview

 13.30 - 16.30

Many universities now have a large numbers of international postgraduate researchers and research staff and recent funding announcements could mean expansion of these numbers.This workshop, for staff supporting researchers, will explore the possibilities and challenges that supporting this cohort produce, with particular reference to the skills training agenda.

 Participants will be able to explore:

• the benefits / risks of internationalisation
• experiences of international postgraduate researchers / research staff in the U.K
• transitions and expectations
• cultural issue - expected / accepted / respected behaviours
• how to prepare and support international postgraduate researchers and research staff
• what are the opportunities and challenges for staff supporting researchers, supervisors and PIs working with international postgraduate researchers and Research Staff at home and elsewhere?
• in what ways may practice need to change to reflect an international researcher body?
• guidance and support for staff supporting researchers and supervisors/PIs

 There will be opportunity for open discussion / Q and A so please bring ideas / issues with you.

The workshop will be facilitated by Dr Penny Dowdney. Penny has worked at Bangor University for the past 15 years. Originally graduating from Aberystwyth University, she went on to do postgraduate courses in Education, specialising in Higher Education and later in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), EAP (English for Academic Purposes) and ESP (English for Specific Purposes). She has worked overseas as a teacher, teacher-trainer and doing consultancy work in Universities, Colleges and Schools in Japan, Korea, China, South Africa and Central America. Her work at Bangor has mainly involved tutoring and consultation work with overseas postgraduate students; writing, developing and directing courses (with specialist areas including Legal and Scientific English); materials development, developing and expanding consultancy work overseas and some overseas testing and recruitment.

 She has also been responsible for the Research Skills training programme and is currently Research Skills Development Manager, KESS (Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships) a major European Convergence programme led by Bangor University on behalf of the HE sector in Wales.