13 June 2008 International students keen to have their 'voices heard'

 

 

That's a surprise finding from the first meeting on campus of the University's International Student Representatives.

 

"In other words, not all international students know other international students on campus," says Lincoln's acting International Student Advisor, Dr Ryota Nishino, who is originally from Japan.

 

"A Saudi student representative for example, commented at the meeting that he had never met or spoken to students from China or Malaysia.

 

"Obviously this is an area we will work on," says Ryota, "and it's among the topics to be explored in the future along with proposed international events."

 

The meeting was called to give the Lincoln University International Student Representatives an opportunity to meet, for the first time, the Ethnic Affairs Advisor, from the Office of Ethnic Affairs (OEA), Ms Oga Cho.

 

Visiting and listening to ethnic community members is a key task of the OEA. This initial visit to Lincoln University was an informal one to identify any issues the University's students might have as students and as long-term residents in New Zealand. Ms Cho explained to the representatives the role of the OEA within the Government.

 

The meeting was attended by seven Lincoln University International Student Representatives - from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, China and Iran.

 

A key outcome of the meeting was a resolution by the student representatives to unite and get their voices hear.

 

The representatives agreed that international students should not remain silent and should act as ambassadors between their home countries and Kiwi students and the community.

"They agreed that this had to be a 'two-way process' and that it would demand 'patience and time'," said Ryota.