Universität Bayreuth took part in the International Student Barometer (ISB) for the first time in 2010. The ISB is the largest annual survey of international students in the world and tracks the decision-making, expectations, perceptions and intentions of international students from application to graduation.
Arnim Heinemann tells us more about the impact the results have had on their internationalisation strategy.
Providing a warm welcome
“Based on the ISB we have made some procedural changes in our welcome and orientation programme. We have enhanced our pick-up service, we are trying to pay more attention to the first three nights at our university and we have improved communication with our students. In none of these areas were we performing particularly badly, on the contrary. In ISB terminology we scored light green, but we came to understand the importance of getting those first few days right. Since this is an area where we can make changes as an international office, we have done so”.
The learning experience
"Bayreuth University scores very well in the learning section, but that is by no means a reason to be complacent in this area. We use the ISB to monitor closely how we are performing and how we compare with the rest of the world. Our interdisciplinary study approach, our language tutorships and our professor study ratio all contribute to achieving high satisfaction levels, but this needs ongoing monitoring. The strong focus we have in our interdisciplinary programmes on the specific needs of our students, the importance of improving language competence and the opportunity to meet in person with supervisors and get structured feedback all enhances our learning. Of course, the size of both the institution and the city enhance the focus on a supportive learning environment. Everything is geared towards maximising this learning environment”.
Tracking and benchmarking international student satisfaction with the ISB
“The ISB is a very useful instrument for a university in many ways. Firstly, it helps you with the internal conversation in your own institution. You can have a conversation with other units, both academic and administrative, backed up by data. The ISB gives you evidence of what works and what does not work within your institution, in case you need to discuss changes that are not working out as planned, for instance in the enrolment process. Secondly, it provides you with a way of interacting with your customers – the international students. They feel like they are being taken seriously and when you get back to them with ISB results and follow-up actions you are planning to undertake, the discussion can be very fruitful. Thirdly, at the academic level you are able to raise awareness among professors about what works well in learning and where improvements can be made. And last, but certainly not least, it is good to know where you stand as an institution in a competitive field.”