General guidance

• ‘Nationality’ is defined as the status of belonging to a particular nation. However, the terms ‘nationality’, ‘ethnicity’ and ‘citizenship’ are closely linked. Some people may identify with one or more of these.
  • Some people may have dual nationality, or culturally identify with more than one nation, for example if their parents have different nationalities.
  • Some people may feel a particular national identity based on their background or heritage, even if they were born in a different country.
• If you need to describe a person’s nationality, ask them what term they would prefer.
• Do not assume someone’s nationality from their name, ethnicity, religion or appearance, and vice-versa.
• If you are referring to a particular region, be as specific as possible. For example, refer to ‘Ghanaian music’ rather than ‘African music’, or ‘Vietnamese food’ rather than ‘Asian food’.
• Be aware of cultural and geographic bias, and try to avoid reflecting this where possible.
  • People in other countries may not celebrate the same holidays, take part in the same customs, or experience the same seasons as those in the UK.
  • For example, if you assume everyone celebrates holidays such as Christmas, this can lead those who don’t celebrate to feel isolated or excluded.

University context

Around 25% of students at the University of Bristol are international (from outside the UK), and 20% of staff. You should always consider international audiences when writing generally to these groups.

• Our writing house style guide is based on UK English. However, we acknowledge that there are many global Englishes / world Englishes used by our community.
• When writing about or to international students, be clear who you are talking to. Often ‘international students’ are equated with ‘overseas fee-payers', but some students who identify as international may not pay overseas fees.
• When using language that is specific to the University or UK universities in general, try to explain any unfamiliar terms or jargon.
  • For example, international students may not have come across terms such as ‘semester’, ‘teaching block’, ‘personal tutor’ or ‘extenuating circumstances’.
• Similarly, do not assume knowledge about university systems or services.
  • In particular, ‘wellbeing’ may be an unfamiliar concept. It can help to explain when and why students might need to access these services and how they differ from other health services, for example.
  • Many international students may not know that support services are confidential and free. It can help to explain this where they are mentioned.
  • UK health services can be hard for international audiences to understand. For example, a ‘GP’ / ‘general practitioner’ is not always understood to be a doctor. Be specific and clear when using medical language, and explain terms where appropriate.
• It may be appropriate to translate some content into other languages – for example, for important health and safety information, when writing to prospective international students’ parents/carers, or when addressing pre-sessional students who may start their course with a lower level of English.
  • Source a reputable translation company or native speaker rather than using free translation services.
• Translation should not be used to single out or discriminate against particular groups.
  • For example, disciplinary signs explaining how to use a toilet or clean a sink should not be translated into certain languages and not others. This can be interpreted to mean that particular nationalities are associated with certain negative behaviours.
  • To increase accessibility and understanding for all, consider using pictures or simple infographics instead, as well as clear English instructions.

Specific terminology

• When asking for someone’s name, ask for their ‘given name’ and ‘family name’. This is preferable to ‘first name’ or ‘Christian name’ and ‘last name’ or ‘surname’.
  • You may also need to ask for a ‘middle name’, but many people will not have one. It can be useful to explain the term.
  • Some cultures write their family name before their given name – for example, in China and some other Chinese-speaking countries. For instance, for a Chinese name such as Wang Xiaoming, ‘Wang’ is the family name and ‘Xiaoming’ is the given name.
  • Some cultures may use two surnames – for example, in Spain and some other Spanish-speaking countries.
  • Some people use a different name to either their given name or family name. Where possible, ask for their preferred name.
• Be aware of different terminology when referring to socioeconomic and political groupings of countries. The terms ‘global south’ / ‘global north’ are preferable to ‘third world’ / ‘first world’ or ‘developing countries’ / ‘developed countries’.

Further resources

• Find information about the support the University offers to international students.
• To find further information about behaviour that is not tolerated at the University, and report unacceptable behaviour, visit our pages for students or staff.
• University staff can access further advice by completing the short Writing for an international audience course on Develop. (Note: please log into Develop before accessing this link.)
• More guidance for staff supporting international students can be found on the Staff Supporting International Students SharePoint group.
• Make sure your writing can be read and understood by people with a lower level of English. See guidance on accessibility and readability.
• The inclusive writing guidance on ethnicity and race may also be useful.