Dhaliwal, Josephine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4351-1752 and Chan, Jacqueline (2026) Peer power: the buddy mentor experience for MSc Global Public Health students. In: SHIFT 2026 Learning & Teaching Conference: "Students at the heart of learning and teaching", 6th - 7th January, 2026, University of Greenwich, London.

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Abstract

Background: Inclusion and collaboration are central to integrated pedagogical learning, especially for international students in higher education. According to research by Wawera and McCamley (2019), three in four international students reported feeling lonely after coming to the UK. Differences in academic expectations, as well as language and cultural barriers, often hinder the integration of postgraduate international students (Li and Shen, 2025). The aim of the Buddy-Mentor Scheme was to explore whether peer mentoring within the same programme could enhance integration, reduce loneliness, and increase the sense of belonging among new students.

Method: This scheme was implemented at the University of Greenwich within the Public Health Faculty. New January 2025 MSc Global Public Health (GPH) students (buddies) were paired with existing September 2024 MSc GPH students (mentors). Matching was based on students’ interests and diverse cultural backgrounds. Mentors received induction and safeguarding training and were encouraged to organise both academic campus tours and informal social activities, such as museum visits and park outings.

Results: All 125 new January students were automatically enrolled in the scheme, with 14 actively engaging with their mentors. Following the meetings, an online questionnaire was distributed to participants and mentors via MS Forms. Results showed that 8 out of 10 students felt more integrated into the university after the meetings, 6 out of 10 felt less lonely and anxious, and 7 out of 9 students would recommend the scheme to future cohorts.

Conclusion: As a first-time initiative in the public health programmes, the scheme suggests that peer mentoring within cohorts can positively impact student wellbeing, fostering greater integration and reducing loneliness and anxiety during the academic journey.

Item Type:	Conference or Conference Paper (Lecture)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Higher Education, peer mentoring, postgraduate, international students, student experiance
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	22 Apr 2026 10:43
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52856

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