This article reports on a research-teaching collaboration in the Graduate Diploma in Migration Law and Practice. The collaboration aimed to improve students’ client communication skills by embedding interdisciplinary expertise to improve the learning materials and activities on offer in the program. After providing an overview of the collaboration, we share findings from the research, identifying key aspects of students’ skills development. The article concludes that incorporating interdisciplinary research expertise in migration law teaching can assist in creating valuable student experiences and developing professional communication skills.

Undertaking further education can be attractive for those seeking to improve their professional mobility, including post-migration. This article shares findings from a digital ethnography of a diverse group of graduate students hoping to begin a new career practicing migration law. Drawing on longitudinal qualitative interviews, virtual classroom observations and de-briefing discussions conducted during practical role-play activities, the article explores participants’ evolving perceptions, experiences, and practices in developing professional communication skills and professional identity. Adopting a critical sociolinguistic approach, the investigation finds that the students make sense of their diverse language practices and resources by contextualising them within the study setting, within the broader professional and socio-political contexts, and relative to their classmates. Further, how students value particular practices and resources can change over time, influenced by these factors. Therefore, the project offers innovative findings to, and a replicable model for, research on minoritised students’ communication and professional identity development in educational contexts. It also provides novel support for a shift away from conceptualisations of intercultural communication in which culture is a static attribute responsible for barriers to participation, instead emphasising the dynamic and socially situated nature of students’ language, identity and learning experiences.

The malodours released when vacuum packaged lamb meat is first opened (confinement odour) are sometimes used to characterise its freshness and quality. Yet, safe and unspoilt meat may generate confinement odour and the associated sour, dairy-cheesy, sulphurous, and yeasty smells will only persist for a short period of time after opening the packaging [1]. Microbes contribute to the generation of volatile organic compounds and the odour of vacuum packaged meat [2]. Microbial growth is a secondary outcome to wet ageing, a practice to enhance the eating quality of meat. Frozen storage will restrict microbial growth on lamb meat and facilitate its sustainable access to high value markets. Storage effects on confinement odour are not fully understood, specifically, for bone-in cuts of lamb that have been wet aged, frozen, and ultimately thawed – by the end consumer. Therefore, quantifying these effects will help meat processors to better understand their clients and adjust lamb meat storage practices to enhance its appeal. This study investigated the pack sensory scores for thawed lamb racks (bone-in) that were frozen, after being aged for up to 3 weeks.

French trimmed lamb racks (longissimus lumborum muscle, LL) were vacuum packaged, wet aged for 0, 1, 2, or 3 weeks (6 per ageing period, n = 24), and frozen. Thawed lamb racks were scored by consumers for pre-opening pack assessment, post-opening pack assessment and post-blooming sample assessment. Objective quality assessments for freshness and quality were then applied to these lamb racks. The sliminess and overall odour were higher after 3 weeks of ageing prior to freezing compared with 0 weeks ageing (P < 0.01). In addition, the total viable microbial counts (TVC) and ultimate pH were also higher after 3 weeks of ageing (P < 0.05); however, all values were within acceptable levels. The overall liking and freshness appearance during the post-opening pack assessment was inconsistent with ageing period (P < 0.05); although, there was no difference between ageing for 1 or 3 weeks prior to freezing, indicating there is no apparent advantage to ageing lamb racks for longer than 1 week prior to freezing. Furthermore, total viable basic nitrogen (TVB-N), total myoglobin and all the colour parameters did not differ (P > 0.05) and were within acceptable limits defined for fresh meat. Cooking loss, drip loss, expressible moisture and thaw loss were also unaffected by ageing period (P > 0.05). Overall, the results of this study indicate there is no benefit of ageing bone-in lamb racks for periods longer than 1 week prior to freezing, in terms of consumers’ satisfaction.