By Corina van Beelen & Kate Taverner

How do schools and universities support international students in their post-secondary pathways? What are the associated challenges? What does success look like?

In 2019, we discovered that the two sectors were experiencing several common challenges but were discussing them separately. We felt a responsibility to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between schools and universities and developed the  CIS Summit of University & School Leaders, where they identified specific issues and opportunities to generate solutions together.

Cross-cultural transitions were identified as an area where collaboration could truly benefit students.

The leaders acknowledged a gap in understanding international students' needs during their transition out of secondary school and into life beyond and how they may differ from those of domestic students.

Bridging the gap: What we’ve learned

Over the last few years, we’ve fostered dialogue and partnership across sectors to increase awareness and seek opportunities to bridge the gap via collaboration, research, expert insights, strategies, and practical resources.

We’ve learned what international schools and universities consider to be the key enablers and barriers to international student well-being and success, as well as the kinds of support and skill development they believe will help international students successfully transition into and through university. We’ve learned from student insights and recommendations for transitions-care programming at schools and universities.

We’ve also explored what success looks like. From broadening definitions of success by celebrating different types of success to evaluating and measuring the success of programmes.

We’ve explored valuable research and conducted our own (learn more in the WHY section on this page).

We know CIS schools are dedicated to preparing their students for the new social and cultural contexts and norms that they will encounter at university and life after secondary school.

They want to better support the unique needs of international students in their transition to university.

We know CIS universities are keen to build on the schools’ transitions-care programming to ensure a smoother student transition.

They want to better understand the expectations and needs of international students preparing for and arriving on campus, providing better opportunities for student success and retention.

What comes next (and we’re excited about)

We eagerly approach the publication in early 2025 of our new transitions-care support pack for members. It contains a new CIS Transitions-care Model and resources addressing the common questions listed below.

A new workshop on 13 November in Basel, Switzerland, will provide participants with an exclusive look at the emerging model and explore related resources. They will also learn from experts presenting insights and strategies from the field.

Common questions we receive from our community about post-secondary student transitions

• How can we help students prepare for and navigate the practical issues they encounter in a new country related to immigration, housing, health, finances, and more?
   
• How can we best support students with mental health needs and learning differences in their transition to university?
   
• How can we help students with the digital transitions in their post-secondary pathway, such as online learning, communication, and collaboration tools?
   
• How can we effectively build and measure transitions-care programmes, and what practical strategies and tools can we use?
   
• What do student services and admissions reps at universities think schools should be doing differently, or more of, to better prepare international students for university?
   
• How can we better support students with their social and cultural transition to a new academic environment?
   
• How can we tailor our student services and resources to the diverse needs and preferences of international students?
   
• How can we foster a sense of belonging and community among international students and the wider campus population?
   
• Where do the school and university responsibilities start and finish regarding transitions-care?
   
• What do counsellors think universities should do differently, or more of, to better support international students arriving on campus? Do you have insights to share on this topic? Get in touch with us to share information.

This blog's authors, Corina van Beelen and Kate Taverner, work for CIS. Learn about them and their colleagues across the CIS Global Team.

Related content:

• Post-secondary pathways: Ways to broaden definitions of success
• How are higher education policy changes affecting international students? Spotlight on the Netherlands
• How to celebrate different types of student success in their final school year
• Key trends in international university guidance and admissions
• What if we were anti-bias? Envisioning & moving admissions & counselling beyond myths of cultural neutrality