"I don't have a lot of foreign friends": a buddy scheme enhances home and international student nurse experience

Brooks, Ebba

Abstract

This research aimed to learn more about student experience of participating in a buddy scheme established to provide support for international nursing students on a one-year programme. The buddy scheme matched new international students with home students at the same level of study. It was informed by research which has identified four areas where universities can help international students successfully transition (Bell, 2016; Newman & Gulliver, 2023) – see Fig. 1 below - and focused on two of these domains (sociocultural and academic) in particular. The buddy scheme aimed to assist international students’ academic transitions by signposting them to support; and their socio-cultural transitions by combatting loneliness and isolation. The research was conducted against a background of growing numbers of international students entering UKHE (HEPI et al., 2023), and with an awareness that universities must ensure that these students have an equitable experience that will allow them to thrive (Jisc, 2023). 

Citation

Brooks, E. (2024). "I don't have a lot of foreign friends": a buddy scheme enhances home and international student nurse experience

• Report Type: Research Report
• Acceptance Date: Jan 16, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 15, 2024
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Nov 4, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 4, 2024
• Series Title: Post-Festival Publication – Exploring Authenticity in the context of "practice", "identity" and "community"
• Publisher URL: Post-Festival Publication – Exploring Authenticity in the context of practice, identity and community