A guiding principle of CQUniversity is to provide opportunities for the ongoing support and social inclusion of its culturally diverse students, so they are successful and achieve their full potential...

Story by Dr Chris Keane

Dr Alison Owens, Senior Research Associate at Sydney Campus, suggests that the international learning journey can be a challenging one:

"International students struggle to adapt to a comprehensively different learning environment where examination no longer dominates assessment. They must perform across many genres and in changing contexts. They require guidance, support and opportunities to practice the advanced oral and written skills necessary to progress in their studies and become the independent learners that Australian universities expect."

Specialised Learning Skills Units (LSU) therefore operate at all international campuses to support and reinforce the international student learning experience.

Newly-enrolled students are scheduled to attend 6 two-hour workshops where they are tutored in a range of learning strategies such as researching; correct referencing; essay-versus-report writing and tips for tutorial presentation and oral presentations.

Upon completion of the program students are presented with a Certificate of Participation.

"All students are encouraged to take advantage of the excellent service," says Professor Ross Lehman, Manager of the LSU at Sydney Campus.

Participating students clearly agree. "Preparing assignments was like a rocky trail for me," says one. "LSU made it a smooth road". Another student commented that "LSU gave me advice and confidence which helped me to pass all my subjects successfully".

LSU's friendly staff members are committed, ably qualified and experienced in tutoring CQUniversity students.

"There's a team spirit and special ethos among the trained staff which makes the LSU a great place to work," says Professor Lehman.

Take Julius Parker, for instance, who holds a Master of Applied Linguistics from Macquarie University.

Other LSU staff such as Kath Taito and Cecile Raskall are specialised in English language training. Another staff member is employed to diagnose and test students' numeracy skills.

"Our students are encouraged to make use of additional support services such as our Job-Ready program and English Conversation Corner," says the LSU Manager.

What's more, CQUniversity students and graduands can now register with the LSU to obtain free access to ‘English for Living' (EfL) software to improve and test their English communication skills and IELTS ranking.

"We offer just one of many integrated support programs designed to build student confidence, social inclusion and to ensure successful outcomes for them," Professor Lehman comments.