University of Newcastle gets over 90% of incoming cohorts to join Goin', make friends, and retain at the university!

A dedicated invitation that gets students involved

Together with Chris Mumford, Director International; Kai Guan, Manager International Student Engagement; and Sujay Vasist, International Direct Student Communications Coordinator, Goin' has become an essential part of Newcastle's international student engagement strategy, supporting students from their first invitation through to their arrival and beyond.

With that, a student community starts with getting students through the door.

Sujay Vasist, International Direct Communications Coordinator, credited the dedicated Goin’ invitation email strategy, recommended by Goin’s team, with significantly increasing registration click rates.

That gives the invitation a clear purpose: an opportunity to meet the people who will share the university experience. Newcastle’s team uses a rolling communication schedule, reaching students at different points in their preparation journey.

Once inside, students can join conversations around accommodation, sports and fitness, volunteering, and Newcastle events. These groups give them practical reasons to participate alongside the opportunity to make friends.

Aarchi, from India, shared:

"Moving to a new country can feel overwhelming, so having the opportunity to connect with students from the same university before arriving makes the transition much easier. It helps us make friends, learn about the university and the city, ask practical questions about accommodation, transport, part-time jobs, and student life, and feel more confident before we even land."

Friendships that reach beyond the classroom

Incoming students made an average of 9 connections each. And those connections reached well beyond their own degree programme: 81% were between students on different study programmes, while 46% were between students of different nationalities.

For an international student, this opens up more ways to find familiar faces and meet people with different experiences. A shared course, interest or question can become the starting point for a friendship.

Leidy, a student from Colombia, explained:

"Being able to connect and talk with another person on the other side of the world who is going to be your next classmate, without being in the same place yet, is very helpful. You feel accompanied during the transition, even if you haven't seen each other yet."

Suman Rayamajhi, a student from Nepal, added:

"As an international student, moving to Australia is a big step, so being able to connect with other students before arriving makes me feel more comfortable, confident, and less stressed because I won't feel like I'm arriving without knowing anyone."

These experiences show why connecting students early matters. Even before their first day on campus, they can begin building friendships and familiarising themselves with their new environment.

Making the move feel less daunting

Moving abroad for university brings plenty of excitement, but also uncertainty. Students are preparing to navigate a new country, culture, and education system, often without an established support network.

The report's student survey results show how connections on Goin' help with the transition:

• 100% of respondents said Goin’ helped with practical preparation.
• 100% said talking to other students reduced concerns about making new friends.
• 88% said it reduced concerns about cultural differences, local language or social norms.
• 100% said Goin’ made them more excited about starting their studies at Newcastle.

Malavika, a student from India, described how Goin' helped her personally:

"I've gotten to know many students from my country, as well as students taking the same course. It's been very helpful and has actually reduced my anxiety about moving to a new country."

Huxujiao, a student from China, shared a similar perspective:

"This is my first time going to Australia for further study, and the country is still very unfamiliar to me. But the community helps me find someone from the same country or studying the same major, which increases my confidence."

For Kai Guan, Manager International Student Engagement, these early connections are an important part of helping students feel supported:

“What I really like about Goin’ is that students can start with a simple question about accommodation or their course and end up making a friend. Moving to another country is a big step. Having people to talk to beforehand can make that transition feel much more manageable.”

A community that helps students find answers

Newcastle’s community included nearly 40 student champions: experienced students who can help welcome the next intake.

“Champions emerge organically and are supporting incoming students as interaction on the platform increases”. - Sujay Vasist 

Newcastle’s team also uses Goin’ to promote pre-departure webinars and university support events, while sharing university accommodation links in relevant chats.

For students, that creates several routes to support in one place. For staff, it offers a way for peers to help answer questions alongside official university information.

Nouroz Sahrin, a student from Bangladesh, shared a practical example:

"I was facing problems arranging accommodation, but I found someone through this app with whom I can share a house, which will ultimately help me with my studies."

The community also gives Newcastle another way to communicate with students, particularly when important information might get overlooked in email inboxes.

"Especially now the emails are not so well read, the Goin’ community is a huge support to reach students and communicate effectively”.- Kai Guan

Sujay Vasist, explained:

“We know students don’t always read their emails, so we need other ways to reach them. Goin’ gives us a place to share webinars, events and practical information where students are already talking to each other. It’s also been great to see current students stepping in to help newcomers.”

91% of survey respondents said Goin’ helped them get answers to questions they would normally have asked university staff. This points to a valuable role for peer support in handling everyday queries, although the report does not quantify staff hours saved.

Building confidence in the university choice

The community’s value extends beyond preparing for arrival. 93% of respondents said connecting with other students on Goin’ made them more likely to choose Newcastle, and 92% said it reassured them that their decision was the right one.

These are encouraging signals for a university focused on helping students feel connected and supported throughout their journey. They show students reporting both greater confidence in their choice and a stronger sense of belonging.

Udhara, a student from Sri Lanka, described the importance of this early community:

"I think connecting with other students heading to the same university before arriving is extremely valuable, especially for those moving abroad. It helps reduce uncertainty, makes the transition smoother, and gives a sense of community even before the journey begins."

Chris Mumford, Director International, shared Newcastle's perspective:

"We want students to feel that they've made the right choice, and that there are people here they can turn to. Goin' helps build those connections before they arrive. For us, that's an important part of the student experience and the foundation for supporting students to stay and succeed at Newcastle."

Newcastle and Goin' have also identified an opportunity to examine how community participation relates to student retention. The current findings capture students' reported experiences; a future comparison with enrolment and continuation data would help assess longer-term outcomes.

Students ready to welcome the next intake

The community has the potential to grow through the students it supports. In the report, 94% of respondents expressed willingness to stay on Goin’ to support new students the following year. Every respondent also said Newcastle should keep using the app.

For Newcastle, this creates an opportunity to build continuity between intakes, with students who have experienced the transition helping those about to make it.

Simran, a student from Nepal, captured that feeling:

"It's very helpful because I can communicate with future friends and become familiar with the environment and facilities at the university before my arrival. It gives me a sense of relief in a completely new place before even landing there."

With more than 53,000 messages exchanged, an average of nine connections per student, and over 90% of incoming students joining the community, Newcastle demonstrates what can happen when students are given the opportunity to connect early.

For incoming students, it means arriving with familiar faces, useful information, and a community already waiting for them. For the university, it provides a foundation for stronger engagement, belonging, and continued support throughout the student journey.

About Goin'

Goin' is a friendship and community platform for higher education, helping universities strengthen student recruitment, engagement and retention with little additional effort from their teams. By connecting prospective and admitted students with their peers, Goin' helps students build friendships, find answers and feel more confident about their decision to enrol.

Universities gain insight into student engagement and concerns, while students support and connect with each other throughout their journey. The result is stronger conversion, belonging and retention, without adding significant workload for university staff.