Working with the International Student industry to enhance students’ experience in Australia: ISANA Conference 2015
The Welcome Dinner Project was excited to be invited to the 2015 ISANA International Education Association Conference in Melbourne. Held at the Pullman on the Park hotel in December, the conference attracts international student advisors, student groups, accommodation providers, chaplaincy services and many more involved in the provision of services to International Students. Given that international students come to Welcome Dinners in large numbers, we were excited to meet and learn from the experts in this industry and work together to make the international student experience in Australia a first class one.
joiningthedots Founder, Penny Elsley, lead a workshop on how a social technology called Theory U is shaping the Welcome Dinner Project and guiding us in creating transformative experiences for Australian communities. Victorian Coordinator, Meagan Williams, was part of a panel which discussed collaborations with community organisations in providing services to international students.
Through our Welcome Dinner stall on the Wednesday of the conference, we met dozens of delegates who expressed interest and enthusiasm for the project. All that we spoke to confirmed the need for more connections to be made between international students and Australian people. We even spoke to a representative of Tulane University in New Orleans who expressed a great desire to launch the project there!
We hope that in 2016 we can at least double the number of international students coming to Welcome Dinners. Through the links we made at the ISANA conference, we are confident we will be able to achieve this!
Tweets:
ISANACan I come over for dinner? Pot luck dinners with #thewelcomedinnerproject #ISANAnational conf16 a great initiative! #intled
Penny Elsley presents on @The_WDP at @ISANAnational ‘transcending cultural barriers with a shared one’ @welcome2aussie
Gary LeeSo proud to be in the company of changemakers @salvos @melbournefc @AFLdiversity @The_WDP @apchundu78 @isananational
