The experience of postgraduate international students in a London university

In a context of growing internationalization of the higher education in the UK, with 46% of students studying at postgraduate level are from outside the EU.
This presentation aims to report the journey of international master students doing research at a university in London. The objective of the study is to investigate the learning process of a diverse group of international students (n=30), most of them Asians and Latin-Americans, focusing on the research components of various master programs in 2017. A qualitative approach is adopted, including semi-structured interviews, focus groups and, questionnaires. The findings indicated that context is key, as international students not only encountered difficulties in language but also in conducting an empirical work in a new setting. In particular, there is a mismatch between their expectations and skills, and the pedagogical approach of the university. for teaching and equipping international students to conduct research in the Implications UK are discussed. Copyright © 2018 UCL Education Conference.