Using science learning partnerships to enrich and internationalise student experiences

The Glasgow Caledonian University-University of Massachusetts Boston International Science Learning Partnership has promoted curricular internationalisation through 137 Year 1(Freshman) students exploring challenging bioscience and computing issues in international study visits. Students used ‘a mission to Mars’ metaphor, encouraging collective responsibility in overall achievements, benefiting from the UMB ‘Freshman Success Community’ approach. Students used ‘shared learning’ approaches, overcoming time zone differences, scheduling group video sessions, and collaborating through common delivery tools. Collective research work, included wikis on personalized medicine, stem cells, carcinogenesis, robotics programming and enquiry visits to scientific and engineering facilities developing autonomous learners, boosting self-confidence and increasing appreciation of international collaborations through global citizenship. 97% of students wanted to be part of future international initiatives whilst 96% wanted this unique partnership to continue. Freshmen engaged in learning experiences in an inspirational and life-changing manner through cooperation between like-minded institutions, achieving mutual goals of social inclusion and internationalising the student experience for the common good.