<div class="fr-view"><p><strong>Student consultations</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left"><span lang="EN-GB">Together with Open SU’s Research and Strategy Engagement Officer, I held a Focus Group for international students in February. The aim was to get our international students’ views on student community – more specifically about how we as Open SU can improve engagement with international students, and about the spaces and activities that international students would like to see.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left">In collaboration with the OU Student Consultation Team, we also held a Student Consultation Forum for international students in February. The topic was international students’ wellbeing. A key aim was to identify the ways in which Open SU can improve engagement with international students.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">The main findings of the Focus Group and the Consultation Forum are:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left">Students commented on the difficulties around finding information in a timely way, as it is currently located on too many separate pages. One student was worried that if they lost any of the links they had collated over the years, they wouldn’t be able to find their way back to that information. Clearer signposting to resources would therefore be welcome.</li>
<li style="text-align: left">Being located in different time zones makes it challenging for international students to attend online events. International students could also have limited access to social media depending on their location.</li>
<li style="text-align: left">Students found our International Forum a good source to get information. Even though active participation in forums has decreased, students are still using them as a source of information. Exploring ways to increase interaction on forums would be helpful for international students, particularly those not active on social media.</li>
<li style="text-align: left">Students would find it helpful if relevant forums, such as our International Forum, were automatically added to the student’s dashboard on Study Home.</li>
<li style="text-align: left">Regarding attending events, international students would like to explore options for in-person meet-ups, as well as having online events specific to time zones (such as an event for students in Europe).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Student issues  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ; [Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@farzadme?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Farzad Mohsenvand</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/three-brown-wooden-tables-pKhfJme9mP0?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>]</strong></p>
<p><strong><img class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-fir" style="width: 247px" src="https://thehootstudents.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/farzad-mohsenvand-pKhfJme9mP0-unsplash.jpg" alt="Wooden tables and chairs in a room with clocks on the wall in the shape of the flags of the world" data-id="35217"></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">Several students contacted me about a range of issues international students are facing, namely:</p>
<ul style="text-align: left">
<li>Not being able to attend tutorials due to the time difference with the UK, and most tutorials not being recorded.</li>
<li>Financial costs for students having to phone their SST.</li>
<li>Not being able to pay module fees in instalments, as international students must pay module fees upfront.</li>
<li>Not being able to use the Scheduled Contact Service used by the Student Support Team, as the system does not allow international phone numbers.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: left">As these problems are recurring issues, I will continue to liaise with the OU about this.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">I also had regular meetings with OU staff from the Careers and Employability Services and with the OU Senior Marketing Manager to discuss challenges faced by international students, as well as opportunities for international students. Furthermore, I met with the OU Senior Experience and Insights Manager to discuss how we can work together to improve the experience for international students.</p>
<p> ;</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><img class="fr-fic fr-dib wp-image-35206" style="width: 526px" src="https://thehootstudents.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/nick-fewings-BAZejJdZ57w-unsplash.jpg" alt="Flags of the world" data-id="35206">[Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@jannerboy62?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Nick Fewings</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/multi-colored-paper-on-brown-cardboard-box-BAZejJdZ57w?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>]</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><strong>International Students Club</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">I am proud to announce that the International Students Club was created earlier this year. It is a place where international OU students can interact and further build the international students community. The Club has a dedicated space on OU Students Connect and <a href="https://www.oustudents.aluminate.net/app/space/International-Students-Club/view/apply">students can join through the following link</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">More information is also available on <a href="https://www.oustudents.com/organisation/6574/">the International Student Club’s website page</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><strong>International Students on OU Students Connect</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">It gives me great pleasure to inform you that <a href="https://www.oustudents.aluminate.net/app/conversations/join/4000da15-c093-4d8e-a798-b10b13843386">there is now a dedicated page for international students on OU Students Connect</a>. It is a place where international students can have a chat and connect with each other. I will also post updates and advertise events on this page from now on. This page is separate from the International Students Club. Students do not need to join to access it.</p>
<p><strong>International Students Newsletter  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ; [Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@mathyaskurmann?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Mathyas Kurmann</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/six-assorted-color-mail-boxes-fb7yNPbT0l8?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>]<br /></strong></p>
<p><strong><img class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-fir" style="width: 209px" src="https://thehootstudents.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/mathyas-kurmann-fb7yNPbT0l8-unsplash.jpg" alt="Six mailboxes outside in front of vegetation" data-id="35208"></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">Since the start of this academic year, there have been three editions of the International OU Students Newsletter, namely September 2024, November 2024 and January 2025. The open rate remains high – 63% and 66.3% for the 2024 editions. The click rate also shows a small increase, from 6.1% in September 2024 to 9.3% in January 2025.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">If you haven’t signed up for the newsletter yet, <a href="https://www.oustudents.com/get-involved/sign-up-for-news/">you can do so via our ‘Sign up for news’ page</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Social events  ;</strong><strong><img class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-fir" style="width: 193px" src="https://thehootstudents.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/brooke-cagle-uHVRvDr7pg-unsplash-1.jpg" alt="Four friends having coffee, laughing and looking at a laptop and a tablet" data-id="35223"> ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ; [Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@brookecagle?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Brooke Cagle</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-friends-at-a-coffee-shop--uHVRvDr7pg?utm_content=creditCopyText&;utm_medium=referral&;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>]</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">The Area Representatives for England, Ireland, Wales and I hosted a Nations and International Quiz. I also hosted an online meet-up for international OU students during Welcome Week, as well as monthly Bingo games.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><strong>Other activities</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">I participated in the OU Vice-Chancellor Recruitment Stakeholder Group. Furthermore, I took part in the OU’s Virtual Open Days and answered any questions prospective students had. I also attended a student debrief by the Office for Students (OfS) about working together to improve the student experience.</p>
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