Global opportunities on campus
There are many ways that York students can gain international experience without leaving York. The Centre for Global Programmes provides short-courses for students from around the world with which York students can get involved through events and work experience opportunities. To keep updated with all our upcoming opportunities, register to be on our mailing list.
Academic
International Conversations Afternoon (ICA)
Come along to our International Conversation Afternoon which is held every Wednesday during term time and the summer in the informal setting of The Kitchen at Alcuin from 4 pm to 5.30 pm. ICA is a great way to meet new people from around the world, learn about different cultures and take a break from all that studying!
Who can come?
Everyone is welcome to join ICA; UoY home students, international students, visiting students, short course students, staff and even members of the public.
How do I join?
No booking required, just turn up at The Kitchen and introduce yourself to a member of our team. There is no cost for attending ICA. To be kept up to date on ICA events, register to be added to our mailing list.
Work experience
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL for CGP)
What is PAL for English language and culture?
PAL is a support scheme where University students (PAL leaders) facilitate support sessions for short course students from the Centre for Global Programmes (CGP) to enhance their own understanding of English language and culture. The CGP students will be mainly from Japan and have an intermediate level of English. The sessions will take place within a friendly and informal environment. PAL for CGP is open to University students of all years and although a good command of the English language is necessary, PAL leaders do not have to be native English speakers. All PAL leaders will receive training.
The CGP students will be studying English language and culture and will be conducting cultural research projects. The role of the mentoring scheme will be for PAL leaders to offer support and assistance in these areas to the CGP students. The purpose of PAL is both to enhance the academic experience and also to offer informal support with the personal challenges of studying and living in the UK.
How is PAL organised?
Each PAL Leader is assigned a small number of CGP students and will arrange to meet once a week for a one-hour session.
What happens in a PAL session?
CGP students choose what they want to cover in a session, according to what they feel they need support with or are interested in discussing; this will usually be English language-related queries or assistance with their cultural projects. Whilst PAL is an excellent context to practise oral language skills and reinforce understanding of key concepts, the focus is not exclusively academic. PAL is about learning in all forms, including the wider experience of University life.
Sessions are informal and are not a supplement to teaching. The main focus of the sessions is on sharing ideas at a peer-to-peer level.
What are the benefits?
For PAL Leaders:
- Developing leadership, teamwork, interpersonal and organisational skills
- Personal satisfaction of supporting others
- York Award recognition
- Excellent experience for employability, especially for those thinking of teaching English in the future
- Quality-assured, highly interactive training in small-group facilitation techniques
Upcoming PAL positions:
Who: Kobe College/Yamanashi Prefectural University (Japan)
When: 24 February 2020 - 20 March 2020
Number of PALS needed: 4 PALS (one hour per week)
Application deadline: 31 January 2020
Mentors and buddies
Throughout the year we recruit both student mentors and student buddies to work with us on our courses. The main recruitment periods are in January for work in the spring and early summer for positions in August. Both of these opportunities are great ways to increase your intercultural competency, gain international experience without leaving the campus and look great on your CV!
What is a student buddy?
The role of a buddy is to help our visiting students integrate into university life and life in York. This is a volunteer role which can be done in a number of ways, such as:
- Inviting our students to university events
- Introducing our students to your friends
- Meeting up with our students in the city centre
- Attending International Conversation Afternoon with our students
- Attending group lunches and other social events organised by CGP
- Meeting up with our students on campus for lunch/coffee
- Going on trips organised by CGP together
- Trying to see each other on a regular basis
An ideal candidate for this role is someone who is sociable, enjoys meeting new people, and learning about new cultures. You need to be available to meet your buddy at least once a week as a minimum requirement.
Important: working with us as a successful student buddy will strengthen your application for International Study Centres or other Study Abroad opportunities. Discover more about the advantages of studying abroad.
Upcoming buddy positions:
There are currently no buddy positions. Please check back here soon.
What is a mentor?
A mentor is a paid part-time role where you are required to provide social and classroom support to our short course students. Providing social support would be your main role and this may include helping students to book trips to other cities in the UK, providing advice on living in York, organising social events, assisting students to integrate into the general UoY student body, among others. You may also be asked to assist students to prepare and rehearse for their final presentations.
An ideal candidate for this role is someone who has excellent social skills and a warm, welcoming and supportive manner. Furthermore, a mentor should be able to adapt their communication style to different cultural contexts and be aware of the difficulties that visiting students might face when studying in a foreign country.
Mentors are required to be available for the duration of the course and to have some degree of flexibility with their availability. A mentor will generally be required to complete their required number of hours between Monday to Friday. Working with us as a student buddy first is a great way to strengthen your mentor application.
Upcoming mentor positions:
Who: Gakushuin University (Japan)
When: 3 February - 21 February 2020
Number of mentors needed: 4 x 9 hours per week for 3 weeks
Rate of pay: £9.33 (+ holiday pay)
Application deadline: 10 January 2020
Who: Doshisha University (Japan)
When: 17 February - 16 March 2020
Number of mentors needed: 2 x 40 hours over 4 weeks
Rate of pay: £9.33 (+ holiday pay)
Application deadline: 15 January 2020
Who: Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan)
When: 3 March - 6 March 2020
Number of mentors needed: 4 x 6 hours (students from science departments/environment or electronic engineering)
Rate of pay: £9.33 (+ holiday pay)
Application deadline: 22 January 2020
Interns
We look for part-time interns at various periods throughout the year.
Intern job description
- In the CGP office, you will be working closely with existing admin staff to provide assistance with office tasks such as photocopying, laminating, and the preparation of welcome packs as well as some PC-based tasks such as word-processing and updating of social media. You will also assist with airport and campus meet and greets, settling students into their on-campus accommodation, familiarising them with facilities and conducting campus tours.
- The University's Graduate Student Association (GSA) runs a summer programme for students and you will play a key role in liaising with GSA staff to ensure that our international students have the best possible experience in York. You should have a thorough knowledge of the UoY campus as well as sound organisational skills to assist in the smooth running of the social programme. This could involve liaising with student societies and what’s on style websites to populate an events calendar, promoting the events through classroom visits and accompanying the students to the events.
Skills/abilities required from the intern
The successful candidates should have excellent social skills and be welcoming and professional when meeting high-profile visitors on campus. They should also be able to adapt their communication style to different cultural contexts. Significant first-hand knowledge of other cultures is preferred, eg travel/exchange/study-abroad experience. Experience of office work and working in or with student societies would also be a distinct advantage.
The ability to work independently, write reports, business letters and emails, update websites and databases is essential.
Evidence of reliability, time management and ability to work to deadlines, teamwork, research skills and readiness to help is essential, as is a good working knowledge of Microsoft office, Google Suites, and social media.
We do not currently have any upcoming intern opportunities.
For more information on any opportunity, contact cgpshortcourses-group@york.ac.uk
Centre for Global Programmes
Derwent College,
University of York,
Heslington,
York,
YO10 5DDTel: +44 (0) 1904 322846
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