Arriving in a new city is always difficult for international students. But Practera can help!
The Global Exchange Challenge is a team-based, extracurricular program for international students and exchange alumni at the University of Melbourne. The program helps students feel welcomed to campus, navigate the city of Melbourne, make the most of student life and develop their skills in a professional environment.
According to the World Economic Forum’s list of sixteen 21st century skills in New Vision for Education collaboration is one of the most critical skills to contribute to students’ future employability. Both programs are designed to help students become better collaborators and deliver project outcomes as they develop their self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Students make friends and explore their new environment
First, students participated in the induction program which allowed them to meet and build a social network with other international as well as domestic students. During the induction, the students went through a series of enjoyable tasks and activities that enhanced their experience at the university and provided them with useful information like landmarks, Melburnian culture, university life, and student discounts.
Renee, one of 120 students who went through the program said: “It was a good resource for exploring Melbourne and being exposed to the opportunities and resources available, as well as building relationships and seeing new places”.
Experiential learning at the core of the app
Students also needed to set goals for their experiences and engage in bi-weekly reflections. This cycle of planning, executing and reflecting ensured their experience was robust and exciting and prepared them for the requirements of the program that followed – Global Trade Accelerator (GTA). This a virtual program enabling students to work in teams on the market research briefs from national exporters.
Custom apps available to all Practera customers
Practera provides tools and templates to create your own welcome and on boarding apps. If you are interested how it might help your students, let’s have a chat!