Track I: Enhancing our students' experiences with student exchange

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Presenters: John Hammond, Caroline Reid, Nosheen Rachel-Naseem, Sophie Ball, Dominic Lenaghan and Matilda Filolli

Caroline Reid, Dominic Lenaghan & Nosheen Rachel-Naseem,

Caroline, John, Nosheen, Sophie, Dominic and  Matilda delivered a fantastic session highlighting the importance of student exchange and the significant role it can play in enhancing the student experience. The session covered  how an exchange could be incorporated into the curriculum and drew on the extensive experience of the speakers and the many years they share of organising, promoting  and participating in student exchange. The session went some way to dispel many of the myths that have grown up around the difficulties of organising and managing student exchange and showed that the benefits to both student and institution far outweigh any perceived problems of fitting exchange into the Universities academic structures, it is in fact surprisingly straight forward.

The session also highlighted the need to encourage more of our students and staff to take up this unique opportunity  as although Middlesex has over 130 partners and an exceptional student exchange programme we still receive far more students than we send out. With the introduction of fees an exchange is an incredibly effective way of adding value to a student’s degree and of developing vital employability and skills, it is something that can give a real edge to our students in an increasingly globalised, mobile and competitive jobs market.

If the audience was left in any doubt of the benefits of exchange the compelling account from two Middlesex students, Dominic and  Matilda, further highlighted the huge benefits to be gained. Both students had very different experiences but shared a common belief that it had fundamentally changed them and allowed them to develop as both individuals and learners.

I, for one, will be taking away how important this is for us as an institution and will be doing my best to arrange my own exchange in the coming year......yes staff can go on exchange too.

Alex Chapman, CLTE

Track I Reid

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