Jisc Change Agents' Network Conference 2024

International students attending university in the UK face challenges including significant barriers to gaining work experience, cultural adjustments and unfamiliar approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. Time with a Kaplan Pathways college forms a unique and important part of students’ transition to UK HE and we strive to integrate learning and employability in a way that is meaningful to international students during their time with us.  

Bournemouth University International College runs an annual, week-long employability project, ‘The Big Pitch’, during which interdisciplinary mixed-level student groups are assigned an empty commercial property in a high street in Bournemouth. They are set the challenge of creating a feasible business idea to pitch to a panel of judges including external professional partners from the local business community and partner university. With limited time, students conduct market research, develop a business plan, brand their business, and create an example business space that judges visit as part of the pitch experience.  

The Big Pitch has run for nine years and enabled over 1000 international students to develop employability skills, further explore their local area and culture, and begin to work directly with their destination university. Meaningfulness is created by three overarching design features. Firstly, the interdisciplinary nature of the activity allows each student to contribute by applying their individual skills and subject area knowledge to achieve a central group aim, fostering cohesive teamwork and mutual learning. Secondly, the authenticity of the challenges presented to students, being real, visible, and local to the college, provides real-world relevance. Lastly, the involvement of alumni and external partners enhances the authenticity of the learning experience and produces industry-led and meaningful feedback. 

We propose to share opportunities and challenges of designing and delivering this project, student insights and the overall impact of creating a meaningful employability experience for international students.