Research project on International Student Exchanges

Many people have contributed to this research and the preparation of our report. This work involved extensive data collection from staff and students across the secondary and tertiary sectors in New Zealand, with both school and tertiary leaders facilitating the gathering of information and supporting the necessary administrative arrangements to provide us with the requested multiple sources of information.

Journal of Studies in International Education, 2005

With increasing competition within the marketplace, graduates require skills such as intercultural competencies to make them more employable. Study abroad and student exchange programs are effective means by which students may gain such international knowledge and skills. Moreover, studies in the US and Europe have shown that students acknowledge that participation in student exchange programs are beneficial, but very few students take this opportunity. Unfortunately, data relating to Australian and New Zealand students' plans for participating in exchange experiences is not readily available. This study aims to develop the body of knowledge surrounding Australian and New Zealand student exchange programs. Staff at the International Offices of 27 Australian and four New Zealand universities completed surveys, which examined the demographics of students participating in programs from 2000-2001. Overall, the findings indicate that despite greater government focus on internationalisation and student exchange opportunities, less than one percent of Australian and New Zealand students participate in student exchange programs.

2019

In light of globalization in the twenty-first century, businesses are seeking employees with skills that would make them more competitive in the international arena.

Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology. Organization and Management Series

Erasmus mobility is one of the most important manifestations of internationalization of education in Europe. The aim of the study is to ascertain the participants' motives and the benefits coming from this international exchange of students as well as to diversify the results with regard to gender. The article, in its theoretical part, characterizes the concept of internationalization of education, describes the factors motivating for educational mobility, the benefits and the barriers of participation. The empirical part contains own researches carried out on a group of 125 students from Polish and foreign universities, using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) tool. It turns out that the main motivators to participate in student international education mobility is, among women, desire to travel as well as development of language skills. Men are mainly motivated by having fun and good time. Regardless of the research results it can be noticed that, generally, employers are more likely to decide to hire people who participated in and international student exchange, and the risk of long-term unemployment among graduates with international experience is lower by half than among graduates without such international experience. On the other hand, internationalization of education involves risks, including commercial profits, academic colonization and difficulties in providing high-quality education.

1 Acknowledgements These guidelines are based on research undertaken by the Jessie Hetherington Centre for Educational Research in collaboration with the Department of Marketing in the College of Business at Massey University. The research team is grateful to the four universities, one institute of technology polytechnic (ITP) and the many staff and students who participated in interviews, focus groups and surveys, and who provided documentation on their internationalization and exchange activities.

2005

In response to the changing international market, the Australian and New Zealand governments have placed greater emphasis on internationalisation within the tertiary education sector. Subsequently, universities have implemented internationalisation initiatives such as attracting international students to on-campus courses, and student mobility programs. While the literature regarding overseas students' experiences studying in Australia and New Zealand is broad, to date there has been limited consideration of the 'internationalisation' of domestic students. As student exchange programs represent an opportunity for local students to develop intercultural competencies, there is a need for research to examine the issues affecting student participation in academic mobility programs. Consequently, this study examined the relationship between student participation rates in university exchange programs and the institutional policy and strategic goals at 33 Australian and New Zealand universities. The results show that there is a trend between the explicitness of the strategic plans regarding student exchange and the proportional rate of outgoing students. As the success of a policy's implementation within an organisation is affected by factors external to policy itself, it is recommended that future research focus on other push-pull factors at both the institutional and individual levels.

Do exchange programs matter? As we face a new age of information and globalisation, we may seem to think that cultural understanding is now inherent and that individuals can and do negotiate within others with no major problems. Nevertheless, quite the opposite is truth. Our world is diverse and complex, which can be daunting for anyone interested in doing business with other nations. As more companies and nations interact with each other, an increasing need is found: people who know and understand other cultures and how to deal with them. The answer is quite simple: exchange students. In this paper, I’ll write about the benefits of having individuals with knowledge of other cultures through exchange programs, and how this can not only benefit the individuals themselves, but also companies and nations.

Today, international student mobility remains the main form of cross-border higher education, and in the Asia-Pacific region, overseas educational programs are fast becoming the most common form of academic mobility and migration. Furthermore, Study Abroad programs are increasingly seen as an effective way of enhancing intercultural communication, and in particular, cross-cultural competence. Inextricably linked to globalization and higher education, overseas programs are flourishing and attract an ever-increasing number of students in various academic fields all over the world. In countries such as Australia which advocate trade liberalization of education, a new trend is rapidly emerging, referred to as twinning or offshore programs, in which a parent-university establishes satellite campuses in other countries. Our survey was conducted in just this context, and focuses on the movements of students between Monash University campuses located in Australia, Malaysia, and South Africa. As part of a bigger project, this chapter analyses comments and experiences of students from data collected through two online questionnaires. This survey was conducted amongst applicants of an Inter-Campus Exchange (ICE) program, both before and after their overseas experience. Results show that ICE students’ perceptions barely differ from those of students enrolled in other Study Abroad programs. Our analysis suggests that the principle challenge remains the lack of clarity regarding cross-cultural competence, which, although somewhat of a generic term, is promoted as a key graduate attribute that has yet to find application and development in real life contexts. Consequently, practical recommendations have been identified which call for improved student support before, during and after their international program.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2014

The sharp increase related to the number of students learning outside the borders of their home countries in recent years, challenges constantly and simultaneously both sending and hosting institutions. Being prepared for improving learning opportunities and enhancing career options for such an increasing diversity of exchange-program students represents a serious challenge for the universities. The present paper explores students and faculty`s perceptions on experiences provided by international exchange programs. For the last years, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences from the University of Bucharest developed several programs: mobility exchange for undergraduate and graduate students (master degree and PhD) developed in partnership with over ten countries from Europe or United States of America. Additionally, a Double Degree program was developed together with VIA UC Denmark. Experienced gained with the first group of the Double Degree

International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research

This study explores the perspectives of student teachers from Can Tho University, Vietnam, on the benefits and challenges of engaging in student exchange programs. Utilizing a quantitative research approach, data was collected through a survey instrument consisting of multiple-choice and Likert-scale questions. The survey examined student teachers' perceptions of various advantages, including access to new knowledge, enhanced teaching skills, and valuable support from foreign partners and mentors. Additionally, it investigated challenges related to language differences, cultural norms, and time management. The findings shed light on the experiences of student teachers in exchange programs and reveal that one of the most significant reasons for their participation was the desire to expand their international networks and foster meaningful connections with students from other countries. These insights provide valuable guidance for educational institutions in developing effective s...