Supervising Postgraduates From Non-English Speaking Backgrounds

Many universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have come to rely heavily on the fees received from postgraduate research students who come from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB). These students must make huge adaptations: to another language, an alien culture, a different tradition of learning. They may suffer acute loneliness, confusion about cultural norms in the host country and, in consequence, their study may suffer.

If universities are to maintain and expand their NESB numbers, they must first understand the dilemmas faced by many NESB students in English-speaking university systems, and then devise programmes and approaches which will ensure a productive outcome for such students. This book provides important insights into the lives of NESB postgraduate students and suggests valuable strategies for universities and individual supervisors. It is the first book to tackle these issues, it gives voice to both students and supervisors, and provides practical guidance. It is a significant resource both for institutions (for international offices, research centres, and departments) and for individual supervisors.