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Posted June 10, 2013

Lack of Social Integration at UK Universities

The UK is home to one of the most diverse intakes of university students in the world, and for postgraduate studies in particular, it is common to have classes with up to or even exceeding 50% of students from outside of the UK. This is fantastic news for all involved as it breaks down the barriers of country, race, and culture, allowing for a truly global platform for students to learn in. However, what is becoming apparent from students and faculty staff is that outside of the classroom, social integration is extremely low and that foreign students are not mixing with UK students in a social setting nearly as much as you might imagine.

What are the Reasons for this Lack of Social Integration?
 

One of the most obvious barriers to socialization is cultural differences in behavior. Whilst it is common for UK students to meet up for drinks at the pub, or to go on a night out clubbing, this is not common place in many other cultures, and this could well be preventing inclusion in social activities. This by no means makes it impossible for social interactions to take place, but for groups of people who commonly meet up and drink alcohol, it could well play a role. Many foreign students also like to have a drink and go clubbing, and there are plenty of other activities that do not involve alcohol, so this cannot be the main reason for lack of socializing between students. Many UK students have attested to the lack of socialization and have put this down to a cultural divide and the language barrier, claiming that although they have tried to make an effort to be inclusive, the natural status quo was for people to hang out with those from similar backgrounds.
 

Making a More Inclusive Future

Many universities are aware of these issues and are making big steps towards closing the gap and creating a more harmonious and integrative campus environment where individual nationalities are not keeping to themselves but are mixing based on interests and shared activities. The University of Sheffield is making a concerted effort to do this, saying in a video campaign that “We want to blur the distinction between home and local students. While we work with people from around the world on a daily basis, we are all international students.” Many universities are addressing the situation by using initiatives such as pairing up home and foreign students for work assignments, making provisions for foreign students to stay with UK families during holiday periods, and creating engaging social activities that will appeal to all cultures. Hopefully these steps will help to increase the level of socialization between those studying for postgraduate degrees, no matter where they are from.
 

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