In this post, Shirley Tian, a second year student of History and Politics at the University of Edinburgh, discusses her experience participating in a SACHA project, which focused on enhancing international students’ experience at the University. This post belongs to June-July Hot Topic series: Students as Change Agents (SACHA)↗️.
As an international student and a former participant of the student-led think tank Students as Change Agents (SACHA), I have had the unique opportunity to delve deeply into the issues of student engagement, curriculum design and inclusive education. Our project focused on enhancing international student autonomy, and through this journey, I have come to realise the profound importance of student voice in academia and the role of inclusive education in fostering a supportive learning environment. In this post, I reflect on my SACHA experience and link the reality of this experience with the theoretical ideals of inclusive education. I offer some observations on barriers to inclusive education for international students, and conclude with some take-away messages.
Reflecting on my SACHA experience
Despite having completed our proposals and final presentation outputs more than three months ago, it still seems like yesterday when our SACHA team was engaging in conversations with interested stakeholders about our strategies for improving the international students’ experience with their academic life at the university, and introducing ourselves using our native language to demonstrate the diversity of our campus.
To say producing our research output wasn’t hard work would be a lie. Those midnight discussions with our team members in the main library about how we could research existing initiatives that bridge the cultural gaps of international students, or booking a last minute room on campus with our SACHA coach to practice our presentation, would suggest a different story.
Now, looking back at the process of researching and communicating with my team members on how we could best present the strategies of improving student autonomy in curriculum design, it struck me that the most effective strategies were the very ones we were experiencing within SACHA.
For example, our self-led weekly sessions where I collaborated with students from some of the most diverse backgrounds I have encountered were facilitated using innovative tools such as the MURAL board, which allowed us to brainstorm and organise our ideas effectively by theme. The informal meetings we held with our coach – Dr Thomas Bak – on our respective experience as students attempting to engage with our own curricula were all demonstrations of the practice of inclusive education. In particular, regular meetings with our coach were instrumental in guiding us through the SACHA process, especially when we were struggling with finding the right angle to tackle the challenge question, and using the meetings as brainstorming sessions to shape our research focus.
The power of inclusive education
Inclusive education is an approach that ensures all students, regardless of backgrounds, capabilities or circumstances, have access to equal opportunities in the educational process and face no barriers in the process of doing so. Its principal values encompass equity, diversity and active participation. At a higher education level, inclusive education should address the diverse needs of students by examining the circumstances of existing student communities, such as the international students community that we paid specific attention to as part of our SACHA proposal. Inclusive education occurs when students are given a chance to voice their opinions and needs, essentially taking ownership of their studies, and eventually enhancing their willingness to engage with the curricula they are undertaking. This could be showcased by linking a few examples of inclusive education theory with my SACHA experience.
1. Inclusive education theory: Encourage student empowerment and ownership
When students are given a voice in how their curriculum is designed, they typically feel more empowered and are more likely to take ownership of their learning journey through increased motivation, and there is evidence of increased classroom engagement and academic success. Students are more likely to experience a mindset shift, seeing themselves as co-creators of their academic future rather than passive recipients of pre-designed modules.
The reality: I was given a variety of different opportunities to engage with my team members and SACHA staff on how we could approach our challenge question from different angles. We had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and talk about our own motivations behind joining the team, and potential ideas to tackle the question during some of our first sessions, both remotely and in person. This set the pathway for autonomy in conducting offline meetings and research drafts later on.
2. Inclusive education theory: Incorporation of diverse perspectives
Students should be given the chance to bring their diverse perspectives into the academic dialogue. Diversity in the academic environment should be promoted as it enriches the learning environment, leading to a more understanding and respectful culture on campus, as well as a more comprehensive and nuanced way of understanding the subject matter.
The reality: One of the most unique aspects that our team discovered about our profiles is that we are all from different academic backgrounds, have lived in multiple countries and are studying distinctly diverse subject matters. This diversity enriched our weekly conversations with our coach, as it ensured that we always had a different perspective to consider when drafting engagement strategies and analysing case studies of student communities.
Barriers confronting existing student groups: Observations as a SACHA student and as a student representative
During my research for the SACHA project and as a student representative at the College Education Committee, I identified several key barriers faced by a specific student community – the international student community – which highlighted the need to implement more inclusive education practice to enhance a stronger international student voice in academia.
1. Lack of representation: International students make up over 40% of our university’s population, yet there is only one international student representative. This insufficient representation means that their diverse perspectives and needs are often overlooked.
2. Unawareness of resources: Our SACHA survey showed that many international students are unaware of available resources. For example, 42% didn’t know about the international student representative, and over 90% were unfamiliar with the Transitions and Mentoring Toolkit and the International Foundation Programme. This lack of awareness limits their access to essential support services.
3. Cultural and language barriers: International students frequently face language difficulties and cultural adjustments that are not adequately addressed in curriculum design. These challenges can hinder their academic performance and sense of belonging. As a result, some students resort to using AI tools to translate assessments and lecture slides, highlighting a gap in institutional support and accessibility.
4. Insufficient institutional support: Despite available resources, there is a perceived lack of formal support for international students. This includes inadequate promotion of existing resources and a lack of structured support mechanisms to help them integrate academically and socially.
5. Disengagement for commuter students: Commuter students often experience disengagement from campus life and academic activities. This disengagement is partly due to policies that do not adequately address their unique needs, such as the inconsistent enforcement of compulsory lecture recordings.
These issues illustrate how current practices fail to fully support all student groups, emphasising the need for more inclusive and responsive educational strategies that recognise the diverse circumstances of each student group.
Key takeaways
- Student engagement enhances curriculum design: Involving students in curriculum design empowers them and makes learning more relevant and engaging, introducing them to inclusive academic practice such as collaborative learning leads to higher sense of engagement.
- Inclusive education fosters equity: Inclusive education integrates diverse
perspectives, creating a more respectful and effective learning environment. - Addressing barriers is essential: Identifying issues like lack of representation and resource awareness highlights the need for better support and inclusive practices for all student groups.
In conclusion, my SACHA experience was proof that those frequently advertised concepts of open communication, collaborative problem-thinking, independent research and mentor-style teaching were not just theoretical concepts, but lived experiences that significantly enhanced the production of our research and play a crucial role in shaping the trajectory of how students manifest their voices in their education.
References (Inclusive Education)
Ali Raza Bukhari, S. (no date) ‘Barriers related to language and culture which prevent overseas students from achieving their potential’. Available at: https://www.jmu.edu/global/isss/resources/global-campus-toolkit/files/barriers.pdf
Equity, inclusion and the transformation of higher education | UNESCO (no date). Available at: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/equity-inclusion-and-transformation-higher-education
Five principles of inclusive education (no date) Monash Education. Available at:
https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/five-principles-of-inclusive-education
Newsome, L.K. and Cooper, P. (2016) ‘International Students’ Cultural and Social Experiences in a British University: “Such a hard life [it] is here”’, Journal of International Students, 6(1), pp. 195–215. Available at: https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v6i1.488.
Trolian, T.L. (2024) ‘Student Engagement in Higher Education: Concceptualizations, Measurement, and Research’, in L.W. Perna (ed.) Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research: Volume 39. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 265–324. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38077-8_6.
Shirley Tian
Shirley is an international student in her second year of History and Politics at the University of Edinburgh, currently serving as a student representative for the College Education committee and the School of History, Classics and Archaeology. With a passion for researching the politics and policies behind delivering quality education and improving student engagement, Shirley has been actively involved in student-led initiatives such as the SACHA project and improving joint-degree student communication at the college level.
