Analysing the communication hub: A reflection on the successes and challenges of a project aimed at improving the experience of ANESB students at university

Many studies show that difficulties with English language lead to failure and dropout amongst Australian nonEnglish speaking background students (ANESB) particularly in the first year of tertiary study. It is evident that underdeveloped grammar, structure and reading ability can add to the difficulty of completing assessments; breaches of academic integrity may also occur. One regional university’s learning centre implemented a Communication Hub as a retention strategy, targeting ANESB students from low socio-economic status backgrounds. Through explicit teaching, workshop activity and identification of student needs, the Communication Hub aimed to equip ANESB students with the skills for successful engagement, which include communication skills, increased self-confidence and social interaction. The Hub also attempted to create a sense of belonging for ANESB students, ensuring there are collaborative learning opportunities and peer-to-peer contact, catering to diversity, and integrating and scaffolding opportunities for students to learn tertiary literacies. The project was carried out by experienced advisors across six campuses. Evaluation of the project was carried out through attendance data, focus groups and surveys completed by staff and students involved. Findings revealed that staff assumptions of this group were misinformed; however, while the uptake of this adjunct service was low, students who did engage experienced significant benefits. This evaluation also identified the need for a holistic and embedded approach to supporting all students, including ANESB students. This new approach is currently being trialled and further careful research undertaken to identify the needs of this target group and the services that best support them.