International Students, Inclusion and Professional Field Placements

Abstract

This chapter explores how field placements can be made inclusive for international students enrolled in professional degrees in the social and behavioural sciences. It considers what is understood by inclusion, as well as the challenges surrounding developing inclusive field placements for international students. In recognition of the difficulties faced by some international students in both accessing and negotiating work placements, we outline a set of principles for facilitating inclusive placements that are underpinned by the need for institutional commitment to inclusion. These principles have flexible application, and how they are translated into practice will be shaped by local conditions and the particular placement requirements of each discipline. The chapter concludes with a discussion on how a prominent agenda in higher education, improving the employment outcomes of graduates, can be strategically employed by educators to ensure that inclusive work placements are afforded greater priority in higher education.