Session Outline

Recent research highlights the role of intercultural education in developing students’ intercultural competence and in addressing challenges related to communication, academic adjustment, and participation in multicultural learning environments (e.g. Caetano et al., 2020; Dasli, 2019; Gu, 2009; O’Brien et al., 2019; Sarı & Yüce, 2020; Yu & Moskal, 2019). However, fewer studies have centred students’ own voices to examine how they experience intercultural challenges alongside institutional support and academic advising practices, which became the focus of my research.

This presentation draws on my master’s research, an exploratory case study conducted at the University of York, which examined the intercultural education experiences of fifteen Asian master’s students from a range of programmes and countries studying in a multicultural UK university. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the research focuses on students’ own interpretations of their challenges, their evaluations of existing academic support, and their recommendations for institutional improvement, placing student voice at the centre of the analysis.

The findings show four major intercultural challenges, such as unfamiliarity with the UK academic system, as well as the types of academic support students received during their studies. These challenges significantly shape students’ academic confidence and future progression. Although students appreciated the academic skills support and supportive lecturers, they also offered recommendations and highlighted gaps in personalised guidance, clearer orientation to academic expectations, and structured opportunities for intercultural engagement.

By centring student perspectives, the session demonstrates how this qualitative research can inform practice and contribute to discussions aligned with the UKAT 2026 conference theme of Student Voices. The presentation will illustrate how students’ reflections reveal clear, student-driven directions for strengthening personal tutoring and academic advising practices in ways that enhance academic adjustment.

Alongside the research context, the presentation connects these insights to my current role as a Postgraduate Academic Tutor at the University of Salford. Working closely with international postgraduate learners has allowed me to translate research findings into practical advising approaches that respond to students’ cultural, academic, and emotional needs. This part of the session will show how student perspectives have meaningfully shaped my day-to-day practices in academic advising and personal tutoring. Moreover, it will demonstrate how research and practice complement one another, and how insights drawn from qualitative data can directly inform professional decision-making.

To help connect the research findings to real advising practice, the session will include selected quotes from interviews conducted at the University of York and scenarios from my work with international postgraduate students as a Postgraduate Academic Tutor at the University of Salford. These examples highlight common challenges and demonstrate how interculturally aware, tailored support can meet students’ academic and cultural needs.

Participants will work in small groups to discuss the scenarios, reflect on how student voice shapes more interculturally aware decisions, and develop practical tutoring strategies for their own contexts.

Learning Outcomes

Bibliography