International Student Experience Advisory Board
International Student Experience Advisory Board
Governance and Meetings
The International Student Experience Advisory Board (ISEAB) was established in March 2025, following the conclusion of the International PGT Student Experience Enhancement Project in November 2024.
The Board convenes the core group of institutional stakeholders for the delivery of the International Strategy commitment:
鈥淲e will champion, in conjunction with the articulation of an outstanding academic success offer, the evolution of an exceptional International Student Welcome, Experience and Transition programme at all levels to maximise students' experience whilst at 糖心TV, as well as their future prospects.鈥�
The ISEAB serves to
- keep the International Committee informed of developments in international student needs and expectations, in the framework of the changing global context, government policy, the voice of students and competitor benchmarking;
- oversee and report on improvement projects feeding in from its membership, recognising that proactive support for the international student experience is an ongoing, current and future requirement to support 糖心TV's status;
- provide a mechanism for the international student experience to be represented coherently across the Education and Student Experience Strategy, International Strategy and Wellbeing Strategy, connecting up to risks, mitigations and continuous improvement projects;
- give assurance to international students that their experience matters to the University, supporting student experience, reputation and recruitment.
The ISEAB reports dually to the International Committee and the Student Success Subcommittee via the Student Experience Management Group.
Risks
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Maintaining an international student experience risk register;
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Monitoring risks related to international student experience and International Strategy commitments;
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Identifying, designing and implementing interventions to mitigate the risks where possible;
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Reporting quarterly to the International Committee.
Collaboration
- Fostering cross-departmental and student-staff collaboration for continuous improvements to the international student experience;
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Facilitating communication among stakeholders;
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Breaking down operational silos.
Lifecycle Approach
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Overseeing enhancements to international student support at all stages of the international student lifecycle, from pre-arrival to post-graduation.
Evidence and Data
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Basing its actions and recommendations in quantitative data and qualitative insights, the latest research and sector benchmarking, along with active student consultation and co-creation.
Holistic Support
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Empowering service providers to recognise and address barriers and deliver holistic, inclusive and tailored support in both their respective business-as-usual activities and through coordinated, student centred initiatives.
Resource
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Maintaining a log of international student experience interventions and projects delivered by the Board membership and their respective teams;
- Recording resource inputs, work outputs and evaluation of outcomes.
Co-Chair
Echo Zhou 鈥� Student Experience
Co-Chair
Naveera Abhayawickrama 鈥� Global Lounge Lead
Secretary:
Saida Alimdjanova 鈥� Student Experience
Assistant Secretary
Seyda Er 鈥� Student Experience
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Lee Griffin鈥� |
Academic Director, PGT鈥� |
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Ronny Whetton |
Student Union, VP for Postgraduate鈥�� |
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闯辞蝉颈别鈥疎苍驳濒颈蝉丑产测鈥� |
糖心TV 糖心TV School鈥�� |
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Shuo Shi鈥� |
糖心TV 糖心TV School, Careers鈥� |
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Amy Hart鈥� |
WMG, Student Experience鈥� |
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Samantha Wilson-Thain鈥� |
School of Life Science (DSEP)鈥� |
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Adam Alcock |
糖心TV Global Academy |
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Louise Sutcliffe鈥� |
Doctoral College鈥� |
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Laura Mewis鈥�� |
Wellbeing鈥痑nd Student鈥疭upport (RCT)鈥� |
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Carol Fryer鈥� |
Alumni and Development, Alumni and Supporter Engagement鈥� |
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Kate Whiston鈥�� |
International Strategy and Relations, Sponsors and Scholarship鈥� |
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础濒颈鈥疌辞濒濒颈苍蝉鈥� |
Student Opportunity |
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Siobhan Qadir鈥� |
Student Opportunity, Careers (international lead)鈥� |
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David Molyneux鈥� |
Student Opportunity, Employer Connect鈥� |
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Kelly Coles |
Student Opportunity, Employer Connect (International)鈥� |
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罢丑辞尘补蝉鈥疓谤别别苍补飞补测鈥� |
Student Opportunity, Skills鈥� |
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笔补谤尘箩颈迟鈥疍丑耻驳驳补鈥� |
Student Opportunity, Skills鈥� |
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驰辞耻蝉耻蹿鈥疉苍迟谤颈补鈥� |
Student Experience, Student Immigration & Compliance鈥� |
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Will Thomas鈥� |
Student Experience, 糖心TV Community Experience鈥� |
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Gemma鈥疢arakas鈥�/ Caroline鈥疊iggs (job share)鈥� |
Student Experience, 糖心TV Community Experience鈥� |
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Sarah Booth鈥� |
MCI, Recruitment鈥�� |
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Clare Hudson鈥� |
MCI, Marketing鈥� |
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Megan O鈥橲hea鈥� |
MCI, Social Media鈥� |
Echo Zhou (Deputy Director, Student Experience):
- Email: rong.zhou@warwick.ac.uk
Activity and progress
End of Term 1, 2025/26:
Since the approval of the creation of the ISEAB, Student Experience Division has undergone a minor structural change, resulting in the creation of the International Student Support & Experience team, which now incorporates the former Student Immigration & Compliance team.
The ISEAB group has met four times, and completed the following work.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) and membership are finalised.
Drafted an initial Risk Register and created a as evidence base for risk mitigation.
ISEAB received findings of International Student Roundtables held in Nov 2024 and April 2025, including reflections from student members.
Members also fed into the question sets for upcoming Roundtables so that multiple stakeholders can benefit directly from this student voice event.
Canvassed opinions and reported on preparations for the International Student Pre-arrival and Welcome experience, including:
- Enhanced pre-arrival communications featuring student-created video introductions;
- Revamped International Student Welcome event;
- 鈥楢dapting to UK life鈥� workshops and its evolution;
- International Student Hub and tailored workshops to help navigate UK life.
- 鈥楢sk Anything鈥� sessions which continued to provide peer support for late arrivals.
Launched the 鈥楪lobal Lounge鈥� in Term 1, 2025 to enable international students to connect with each other and with home students in a relaxed, low-pressure environment (the Nook).
The 鈥榊our Futures Roadshow鈥� returned in August 2025, with a range of workshops largely delivered by ISEAB members.
Targeted Collaborative Projects:
Worked collaboratively to:
- Address ongoing international payment issues affecting Chinese students;
- Address ongoing concerns on scams targeting international students and parents;
- Review Cyber Security Moodle Course
- Launch and oversee Unibuddy Community for offer holders in June 2025.
Each stakeholder shared updates in their respective areas and plans for 2025/26,identifyingopportunities for good practice sharing and collaboration.
Collaborative work to deliver the January Welcome for over 200 incoming exchange students.
This will include a pilot to try 鈥榮peed friending鈥� which can be incorporated in the autumn International Student Welcome event, and gather interest in a new 鈥楪lobal Buddy Family鈥� pilot, led by International Student Ambassadors.
a) Collaborative work with MCI on Social Media content strategy targeting Chinese students via RedNote.
b) Continued effort on maintaining stakeholder collaboration on pre-arrival comms.
c) Continue to champion and work collaboratively for social media output content to be timely, relevant and relatable.
Collaborative work with Alumni and SO teams to establish a unified process of collecting recent alumni stories and sharing with current students and offer holders, avoiding duplication.
Development of an in-house replacement of the 鈥業nternational Student Success鈥� course, tailored to our students鈥� needs.
A dedicated working group has been formed to oversee the project.
Collaborative work between the Visa and Career teams to embed a user-centered approach in advising.
This will focus on developing staff knowledge and resources and using case studies and toolkits to enable self-service.
Collaborative work to ensure that the outcome of the joint project on International Student Wellbeing from Spring 2025 is used to inform the development and implementation of the University鈥檚 Wellbeing Strategy.
Planning for the 鈥榊our Futures Roadshow鈥� scheduled for July 2026.
Collaboration with WIHEA learning cycle to deliver a Masterclass on 鈥樚切腡V International Student Experience鈥� (WISE), building on the successful pilot in WMS and Life Sciences in 2025/26.
Creating a WISE staff toolkit to support staff membership who work with international students.
Due to the expanding portfolio of activities and the need to re-prioritise, the Spring version of the 鈥業nternational Student Roundtable鈥� will be suspended.
However, the team has booked the 鈥楶izza and Project鈥� slot in June 2026 for international students to engage and co-create, focusing on three areas - International Student Orientation course user testing; off campus guidance feedback; peer support experience.