Associate Professor Mira Kim

2024       Medibank Research & Technology Fund. Chief Investigator, $199,000 (2024)

This project is entitled ‘International Students’ Well-being Initiative: A Holistic Integrated Approach’ and aims to explore and implement effective methods that promote the well-being of international students at UNSW. By understanding and addressing their distinct challenges and by providing tailored support, our goal is to establish a more inclusive and nurturing academic environment. Enhancing the well-being and academic experience of international students is anticipated to bring positive impacts to the broader UNSW student community.

2019       UNSW Scientia Education Investment Fund grant (SEIF#1). Chief Investigator, $80,000 (2019-2020)

This project is entitled ‘Elevating the Scalability, Availability and Sustainability of Personalised English Language Enhancement (PELE)’ and aims to enhance the scalability, availability and sustainability of the PELE course to make a significant contribution to the learning experience of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students at UNSW by developing a blended learning mode of PELE.

2016       UNSW Strategic Educational Development Grants (SEF# 2). Chief Investigator, $171,000 (2015-2016)

I conducted the project entitled ‘English Language Acquisition Support for International Students (ELASIS)’ which aims to add to the suite of English language acquisition supports available for international students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The Personlised English Language Enhancement (PELE) course was developed and piloted as an extra curriculum program in 2016. With its pedagogical efficacy being proved, the course was approved as a credit-bearing course and has been offered to students at all levels (UG, PG and HDR) across faculties at UNSW. 

2011       Improvements to NAATI testing research project. Co-Investigator, $90,430 funded by NAATI (2011-2012)

This project, led by Prof Sandra Hale, aimed to propose a new improved model for interpreter and translator standards, testing, assessment and training. 

2009       Australian Learning and Teaching Council Leadership Scheme. Co-investigator, $217,000

The project entitled ‘Social, communicative and interpersonal leadership in the context of peer review’ was an international inter-disciplinary project led by Prof Judyth Sachs (Deputy Vice Chancellor of Macquarie) and funded by the ALTC. It aimed to explore the social and interpersonal leadership skills needed to initiate and sustain peer review. I had to withdraw from the project as I left Macquarie at the end of 2009.

2008       Macquarie University Linguistics Department’s New Researcher Scheme. Chief Investigator, $10,000

I conducted the project entitled ‘Plain English for Translation’ in partnership with the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service (MHCS) to investigate the role of plain English and its impact on translation in the area of health communication. (cf.  Burns and Kim 2011).

2007       Macquarie University Competitive Grants Scheme. Co-investigator, $45,000

The project entitled ‘A new vision for Translation & Interpreting education in the 21st century: A research embedded review project’ was initiated to systematically address issues and concerns that had been raised by students and staff on the T&I postgraduate programs at Macquarie University. It is funded by Macquarie University and led by Dr Jemina Napier (T&I Programs Coordinator) and Ms Helen Slayter. A number of conference papers were presented about this project. (e.g. Kim et al was presented at the 3rd IATIS conference in July 2009.)