Ms Helen Kronberger, Ms Bronwyn Gilson, Mr Joe Hernandez, Ms Sharon Cook
1Austrade, , Australia
Digital platforms are a critical complement to in-person international student services, extending reach and connections to students across time and space.
This panel brings government, student advisory services, and private industry perspectives to blended digital and in-person student support and information services. The value of multisector collaboration will be highlighted through recent Australian case studies. Opportune moments and models – throughout the student journey – to disseminate key messages will be identified.
The opportunities as well as the challenges associated with blended models will be explored. The advantages of digital platforms to provide multilingual and culturally appropriate content, empower students through self-serve access, and deliver sensitive health and wellbeing information while ensuring confidentiality will be considered.
Through a practitioner professional development frame, the importance of individual (student) and collective (student and staff) agencies in the provision of high quality, responsive and appropriate interventions, including referrals to services, when necessary, will be discussed. Participants will consider opportunities and challenges associated with providing multi-sector, blended in-person and digital services to support international students and learn about the critical intervention points for student support services and information throughout the student journey. The presentation will also consider the role international students play in their own journey and the importance of individual agency in support seeking and validating and creating content that matters.
Biography:
Helen Kronberger has over 20 years of experience in international education across higher education, VET and government, including representing Australian providers in-country across Asia, Europe, Scandinavia and the Americas. Helen is passionate about the benefits of international education to domestic and international students alike, to campus and community life, and to global society.