Today’s top business schools realized the need to develop year-round academic and extracurricular opportunities that encourage cultural exchanges between international students, their peers, and their community.
The challenges of the last couple of years have brought another layer of uncertainty and complexity to business school experiences for international students.
Fostering Inclusive Social and Learning Environments
The majority of international students seek education abroad in the hopes of growing, learning more about cultures, gaining a global perspective, and engaging in meaningful conversations with locals that go beyond networking or projects. Learning how to interact with people from different cultures is an important professional ability, even for students who travel with the relatively specific aim of obtaining an academic degree.
This is where the role and the duty of the hosting business school is in creating a safe environment for international students to thrive and avoid mistakes that could cause them stress. How?
Students develop a sense of belonging, acceptance, and mutual understanding in inclusive settings. They feel accepted judgment-free and a part of their surrounding.
Encourage a Welcoming Campus Climate
As a crucial component of open campus culture, business schools should think about developing social areas that purposefully unite international and local students. This refers to a campus that promotes participation among students from various cultural backgrounds, including those who are studying abroad.
Additionally, it entails advocating for a welcoming perspective on cultural diversity, because it has become critical to offer an inclusive and varied campus culture that respects individual cultural contributions, recognizes cultural differences and similarities, and encourages peer social interactions.
That way, international students are genuinely helped in this way to make the necessary social, cultural, and academic adjustments for greater long-term success.
Academic Integration
When students from different disciplines from across the world come together to experience culture and learn as a group, this can promote emotional involvement and the growth of intercultural communication skills.
For the past couple of years, faculty members have been developing curriculums that include “social spaces and projects” where students can engage in social learning and interactions in exchange for academic credit.
Work that requires reflection on academic learning objectives and “soft” interpersonal skills may be given to students.
This gives international students the chance to smoothly transition into their surroundings throughout the year without feeling added pressure as well as add value to the project by sharing their experience, culture, and input.
How is EMLV Supporting its International Students?
International students are supported by their school’s advisors, peers, and alumni network, which organizes conferences, professional talks, training sessions, and most importantly, ongoing professional career advice by sharing the experience of its members both academically and professionally.
EMLV understands that another significant problem for international students is typically homesickness, cultural shock, and language barrier. This is a fairly common and natural phase that comes at different stages of the international experience.
This is why EMLV believes in maintaining a healthy balance between being in touch with family and meeting new people will lift spirits and ease homesickness and help international students practice the language in a stress-free setting.
Studying in Paris? Let’s help you transition in the smoothest way possible from you moment you step in till the moment you graduate, and even beyond.
