A study of some factors influencing progression and performance outcomes of overseas students at a UK University

The ever increasing diversity of the student population within the higher education sector presents challenges for educators. Universities need to adapt in order to provide inclusive learning environments that meet these students' varying educational needs, as well as to develop appropriate support mechanisms. In particular, a fundamental requirement is the development of a better understanding of the needs of international students, who are often learning in a second language, in addition to experiencing unique cultural, social, and financial challenges. An improved understanding can potentially assist in developing guidelines and best practice for supporting these groups of students. This study looks at whether perceptions of lower progress and outcomes for international students progressing into year 2 of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering undergraduate degrees at Queen's University Belfast, from a diploma programme, are valid. Their performance is tracked from their diploma year, through to graduation. In order to isolate areas of concern particular to the international student group, results are compared with a control group of UK students also progressing into year 2 from a Foundation Degree programme. We also report on qualitative surveys carried out to identify areas that the students perceive to be problematic. It was found that while the international students experienced minor practical difficulties, they actually perfomed better than the comparison group. It appeared that difficulties were more related to joining the programme at year 2 rather than year 1, and the expected transition issues unique to international students may have already been addressed during their diploma year.