Meet our Plenary Speakers

Shirley Tian is a third-year History and Politics student at the University of Edinburgh, currently on exchange at Sciences Po Paris. Originally from China, she has studied across China, New Zealand, and the UK, shaping her passion for international student experience, language transitions, and belonging. Shirley has worked as a tutor, mentor, and student representative at committees such as Internationalization and Global Partnerships supporting learners across age groups and cultures. Her work spans teaching, student engagement, and policy advocacy, with a focus on amplifying student voice and fostering inclusive academic communities.  

Plenary Abstract: Fluid Identities, Hybrid Belonging: Reflections from an International Student Journey 

For many international students, the process of adjustment does not end at arrival but begins at the crossroads of belonging, not as a fixed state, but as a continual negotiation across languages, systems, and evolving selves. Drawing on my lived experiences moving independently across five education systems since the age of 10 (China, the US, New Zealand, the UK, and now France), this plenary explores how international students construct and celebrate the fluidity and hybridity of identity while redefining what it means to belong in a community. 

I reflect on how belonging is not solely shaped by institutions but created through connection, negotiation, and meaning-making within the in-between spaces of culture and language. As Bhabha (1994) and Gale & Parker (2012) describe, these “third spaces” are where students bridge cultures and carry lessons, languages, and values across borders, reassembling identity in dialogue with their surroundings. 

Building on my roles as a student representative on Edinburgh’s College Committee for Education and Internationalisation, and on collaborative reflections with academics on international student transitions, I connect my personal journey to my later teaching and policy experiences in higher education. These reflections suggest that belonging for international students is not a singular act of fitting in, but a continuous process of self authorship, of learning to construct meaning, connection, and comfort within cross border classrooms. It is through this fluid process of becoming that identity is reassembled through dialogue between self, culture, and institution, reminding educators that belonging is not merely felt but co-created — a shared responsibility that transforms both the learner and the learning environment.

Tina Harrison is Deputy Vice Principal Students (Enhancement) at the University of Edinburgh, with responsibility for quality assurance and enhancement, and Professor of Financial Services Marketing at University of Edinburgh Business School. 

Tina recently led the development of the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy. She is co-leading the University’s work on enhancing students’ sense of belonging, which has included a Guide for Schools on Fostering a Sense of Belonging, and an upcoming resource on building belonging in the classroom.

Plenary Abstract: Creating the Conditions for Belonging 

A strong sense of belonging is recognised in the research as a critical foundation for student success, wellbeing, and engagement in higher education. It encompasses students feeling accepted, valued, and connected as members of their academic and social communities. Belonging is a feeling that we cannot directly control, but we can create the conditions that enable it to flourish. Belonging can be (indeed should be) intentionally fostered through inclusive practices, supportive environments, and meaningful learning relationships. 

Building a sense of belonging is both a collective responsibility and a practical endeavour that is fostered through the actions we take as educators every day. Taking a research informed perspective, I will explore what fosters a sense of belonging and consider how this can be translated into practice - hopefully leaving participants with practical tips to take away. 

Drawing on the work of the University’s Sense of Belonging task group, I will share our framework for fostering a sense of belonging, with a particular focus on belonging in the classroom, recognising that this is where students primarily interact with the University, and where day-to-day experiences of inclusion, community, and mattering are felt most acutely. I will highlight strategies that colleagues can use in their everyday teaching to pay attention to, and actively build the conditions for community and belonging to flourish.