Advice for staff

An exciting aspect of the University of Reading is the rich mix of men and women drawn from many ethnic and cultural traditions: about 20% of the student entry is international students. Inevitably, this environment holds both rewards and challenges for staff and students in the course of their daily interactions, both on formal and social levels.

Students brought up in a different educational system and culture can sometime have particular difficulties adjusting to life and study at a British university. At the same time, academic and non-academic staff may also feel challenged when dealing with students from overseas.

Further details of some of the issues facing international students can be found in the Personal Tutor's Handbook.

Staff support

Shahnaz Raven, the International Student Adviser, is available to support staff members dealing with international students, and may be contacted by email, telephone or in person. She is happy to see staff members on an individual basis or to attend departmental meetings to help them reflect upon any specific cross-cultural issues. In association with the Centre for Staff Training and Development she also runs cultural awareness training workshops for staff , and is able to tailor these to the specific needs of a particular department or group. Those who have already benefited from such workshops include staff from the Library, the Students' Union and the Halls.