Design of a three year laboratory programme for international delivery

This chapter has been written as a result of personal experience in setting up teaching laboratories in the UK and teaching non-English students, rather than using an evidence informed approach. From experience, it is known that practical skills of Chinese students entering university could be limited. The programme design needed to teach basic introductory practical skills also develop students scientific chemistry language over three years, so that these students can then travel to the UK where they are fully integrated with the UK university cohort to complete the final of their degree year.

Following a carefully structured and planned programme in China delivered by UK staff, these students were fully integrated with the UK cohort for the final year of their BSc at the University of Sheffield, with minimal language support. Without teaching by UK staff in China, such integration is not as successful and often students need to be taught as a separate group when they come to the UK. Previous personal experience highlighted that teaching scientific writing needed development over the three years, and the programme described introduced scientific writing skills from the start of Year 1.

As well as curriculum development, it is important to consider the laboratory facilities in the host country before teaching a laboratory programme in a different language in another country. To enable the reader to set up their own joint laboratory programme, full guidance and tips are given from experience throughout this chapter. This will inform about the kinds of detailed practical requirements and guidance for chemicals and equipment that can be given to the host University in good time before delivery.