Learning By Doing Makes Economic Sense

Opinion

Robert Lundy and Ken Buckle

Over 20 years ago, the International House at the University of New South Wales began a unique approach by focusing on the concept of “Learning by Doing”.   The main idea of this approach is to enhance the student’s learning through experiential activities. If the purpose of a university experience is to teach students, then why not use the residential college as a practical, hands-on learning laboratory?   Why not use the activities that occur naturally in the college as an opportunity for residents to apply the ideas taught in the classroom and develop new skills that will better equip them to undertake their first career job and enter the labour market?

The goal at International House is to involve the residents in as many activities as possible so that they can learn by doing.   The focus is not on producing the best outcome, but providing as many learning experiences as possible. Employers are looking for graduates with real-world capabilities. Learning by doing provides valuable real-world experiences that will make the students more employable in the rapidly changing workplace.

While academic qualifications are important, employers are also looking for people with skills that are often hard to measure.  Employers want people that are good communicators, capable of teamwork and with cross-cultural understanding and experience.  At International House residents have a unique opportunity to gain real-world experiences that will better prepare them for their future careers.

Engaging the residents in the management and activities of the College has additional benefits.   The goal is to motivate the students to work with the staff in a cooperative way not because they are paid but because they truly want to get involved and make the community in which they live in a better place.  Hopefully the experiences they obtain will not only be good for their future career prospects but will make them better people.

The key to this bottom-up management structure is empowerment.   By being involved the residents view the College in an entirely different perspective.  The College is not just a place to sleep, eat and have some fun; it is home.  Residents do not abuse the facilities, they take care of it and they take an active interest in the welfare of the other residents.

That’s the theory. But what does this mean at the practical level? At International House at the University of New South Wales, the Executive Committee of the Residents’ Society works with the Master to establish policies and procedures for the College.  The Seniors perform administrative duties in the evenings and weekends when the office is closed.

The IT Support Team provide computing services and support to the residents as well as the office staff.   They designed and maintain the College website and just recently they launched a new website.  They also created the International House resident/alumni database system and this year’s team will be responsible for negotiating a new contract with the internet service provider. Ex-residents of the House serve as backup IT support as needed. Architecture students become involved in renovations to the building.  Accounting and finance students work with the Master on the budget and the setting of room and board fees.   The Social, House and Food Service committees work very closely with the staff to improve the quality of the services and activities of the House.

Besides practicing what they are learning in the classroom “Learning By Doing” provides the students the opportunity to develop essential interpersonal skills that are difficult if not impossible to teach.  Skills such as effective communication and leadership, negotiation and decision making, team work and group effectiveness and most importantly cross-cultural understanding.

Involvement of the residents not only creates a wonderful caring and learning environment it also reduces operating cost and enables the College to keep room and board fees lower than would otherwise be the case.  The room and board fees, for the full academic year, at International House are $10,630 which is $266 per week.   International House is probably the most affordable full-board residential college in Australia while remaining very profitable.  Last year the operating surplus was 34 per cent of the total income and if you only include the fees from the residents then the surplus was 22 per cent.

 “Learning By Doing” not only provides excellent learning opportunities for students, it makes good economic sense.

Dr Robert Lundy is Master and CEO of UNSW International House.  Emeritus Professor Ken Buckle is Deputy Chairman of UNSW International House

The above article was printed in the Australian Financial Review, Education Section on Monday 22 September 2014.

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Affordable Housing for University Students

Opinion

Robert Lundy and Ken Buckle

In the past 10 years universities have become dependent on full-fee paying international students, particularly from Asian countries.   This dependence is likely to increase to help universities fill their growing funding gap.

But there is a threat on the horizon.  American universities are intensifying their efforts to attract international students from Asia and this drive by US institutions is putting pressure on our universities.  More importantly, it is highlighting the fact that we are increasingly uncompetitive in terms of delivering value for money for fee paying students.

According to the HSBC News Release, Australia is the most expensive country for overseas students. Its research found that the average cost of university fees at an Australian university is more than $US25,000 ($27,000).  But this amount jumps significantly to over US$38,500 when the cost of living is included.  By comparison, according to the HSBC, the average cost of university fees and living expenses in the United States is just over $35,700.

As is shown in the tables, a problem for Australia is that room and board fees at university residential colleges here are higher in most cases than the fees charged at the halls of residence at major public and private universities in the United States.  In order to make a fair comparison, the US figures shown are for accommodation in a single room, which is the norm in Australia.  But sharing with a roommate is the usual practice in the US for first-year students and this is less expensive.

 
The high Australian dollar is often blamed as the cause for the lack of competitiveness of our higher- education sector. However, even if the Australian dollar drops to $0.86 by the end of the year, which HSBC forecast in its report, Australian residential colleges are still not competitive with the United States. Meanwhile, US universities are attracting more and more students, particularly from Australia’s main market in Asia.

The “2013 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange” reported that, last year, the United States enrolled 819,644 international students in its universities – a 7.2% increase over the previous year. Undergraduate international students increased by 10% and graduate international students increased by 4%.  Last year there was a 21% increase in the number of students from China studying at an institution in the United States.  Students from China, India and South Korea represent 49% of the total number of international students in the United States.

Due to the recent financial crisis and cuts in funding to universities, public institutions across the country are increasing their enrolment of out-of-state and international students who pay considerably more than students from in-state.  But the financial crisis has also seen a drop in the number of high school graduates deciding to attend a university outside their home state.  This and other factors, has contributed to a significant increase in the recruitment of international students particularly by public universities in the United States.

How can Australia respond to this challenge?  Besides tuition fees, the next major expense international students face is the cost of accommodation and meals, and it is possible to offer this more cheaply.  Our own residential college, the not-for-profit University of NSW International House, compares very favourably in its fees with the residence halls of American universities.  International House cost $266 a week for full room and board, which is $10,630 for the academic year. Even with what is believed to be the most affordable fees of any full-board residential college in Australia, International House remains very profitable.  Last year the operating surplus was 34 per cent of the total income.  If you include only the fees from the residents, the surplus was 22 per cent.

We believe that lowering room and board costs is an important way to keep Australia competitive in international education.

Dr Robert Lundy is Master and CEO of UNSW International House.  Emeritus Professor Ken Buckle is Deputy Chairman of UNSW International House.

The above article was printed in the Australian Financial Review, Education Section on Monday 11 August 2014.

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