Presenter profile - Track G: Luciano Celini

International Students' Learning Journey

Luciano Celini, Senior Lecturer in Academic Writing and Language, Learner Development Unit.

Luciano Celini

Luciano joined Middlesex University in 2009 as a lecturer in English for Academic Purposes. Since then, he has taught in-sessional Academic Writing and Language in the Business School, the School of Art & Design and the School of Health & Social Sciences. Earlier this year, Luciano was appointed Coordinator of Academic Writing and Language for the Business School.

Special interests: Luciano is particularly interested in the relationship between technology and pedagogy in writing instruction, and has been involved in various projects developing online academic writing materials for the Learner Development Unit at Middlesex University. Luciano is also interested in professional writing instruction in higher education. He is currently researching the use of professional writing simulations in undergraduate Business School programmes.

Track G: International students' learning journey

Link to Abstract
Presenters: Salma Ibrahim, Shelia Karsan, Bob Fisher, Luciano Celini, Middlesex University


The team has given us a wonderful overview of the work they have been doing on the BA International Business Administration (BAIBA) programme. This programme is taken by students all over the world and the challenges of supporting the academic needs of such a diverse group was discussed. One of the key points highlighted was the need to recognize the power of collaboration and that students don’t learn in silos. Collaboration was also necessary on the behalf of the programme team in order to co-ordinate the input of staff from Learning Resources, the LDU, Student Achievement Advisors, and Academic Assistants. The feedback received from students showed that they appreciated all the support offered and helped them gain more confidence and improved the various skills expected from graduates in the 21st century.

Agi Ryder, CLTE

Track G Karsan

View more presentations from Steve Chilton.

Presenter profile - Track I: Nosheen Rachel-Naseem

Enhancing our students' experiences with a Student Exchange

Nosheen Rachel-Naseem, Student Exchange Manager

Nosheen Rachel-Naseem

Nosheen Rachel-Naseem is a PhD student at Middlesex, currently at the writing up stage of her thesis on the introduction of student peer mentoring to Universities in Pakistan. Nosheen is also the Student Exchanges manager for the University. After completing her Masters in Chemistry at the University of the Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan, she taught Chemistry at O and A level at Lahore Grammar School, as well as teaching Science Education at Ali Institute of Education to pre- and in-service teachers. She joined Middlesex to take a Masters in Education: Leadership, Management and Change, after which she began her PhD in the School of Arts and Education. Inspired by the effectiveness of peer-mentoring in UK HE and after experience as a mentor with the Aimhigher and Student Associate Schemes here at Middlesex, she developed her PhD project with the aim of bringing these benefits to HE in Pakistan where such schemes to enhance student support were non-existent.

Through her work in international education, and especially in the student exchange area, she has gained considerable expertise in both the principles and the practice of student mobility in higher education. As one of the presenting team on the topic of student exchange as an enhancement of the student HE experience, she will bring detailed knowledge of the benefits of this cost-effective and highly valued strategy for enriching the lives of students, for increasing employability for those taking part in exchanges, and in the benefits to the University of supporting a much expanded scheme of student exchange at Middlesex, particularly as the 2020 target approaches for 20% participation of all HE students across the EU in cross-border student mobility.

Nosheen’s research interests are: The emotional and social development of young people, including counselling and student needs in specific cultures; Comparative analysis of student support services in higher educational institutions in developed countries and their implementation in developing countries. Management of change and measuring the impact of change in educational institutions in developing countries through action research. Management in Education for Sustainable Futures and Global Citizenship. Policy and Practice, Learning and Teaching in Science Education.

Information on the student exchange programme at Middlesex can be found here

Presenter profile - Track G: Bob Fisher

International Students' Learning Journey

Bob Fisher,  Senior Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes

Bob Fisher

BA in English & Related Literature (York University); DTEFLA (Barcelona); MA in TESOL (Institute of Education, London University).
Roles
Bob has worked as a lecturer for Pre-sessional, In-sessional and Foundation courses at Middlesex since 2004. He has also worked at the Universitat d’Auutonoma de Barcelona, the Institute of Education, Imperial College and Brunel University. He has been Postgraduate Pre-sessional Coordinator at Middlesex since 2007.
Professional Interests
He has written course materials for the Pre-sessional and IFP and his academic interests include Socio-cultural Theory, cross-cultural awareness, corpus linguistics and phonology.
Conference presentations include 'Pre-sessional Listening Assessment – microskills testing or an integrated approach?' BALEAP Professional Interest Meeting, Glasgow University, 2009.

Bob's Co-Presenters:  Salma Ibrahim, Sheila Karsan, Bob Fisher & Luciano Celini

June the 26th

The conference programme for 2012 is near completion and will be advertised shortly, along with this year's promotional video, on the booking website - http://elearn.mdx.ac.uk/learningplanet/.
Notification of the booking period will be emailed in February.

This year's conference is being organised by the Business School and the Centre for Learning and Teaching Enhancement (CLTE) and the international theme provides the opportunity for a wide range of workshops and presentations with something of interest for everyone and a few surprises...

Spaces will be limited this year so please do book early.