The Transformative Impact of Study Abroad

Amazing experiences await participants when they take the plunge to study or train in another country, not only enhancing the value of their qualification, but also embarking on a potentially life-changing and ‘transformative’ journey. With personal experience and research insight, expert Dr. Donna Velliaris, an esteemed IGI Global editor/author of six books and 30+ chapters, shares her inspiration in pursuing research in the field of study abroad and her recent publication Academic Mobility Programs and Engagement: Emerging Research and Opportunities in the interview below.

Dr. Velliaris: The rising number and diversification of players in the international HE student market partly explains why countries are seeking innovative strategies to attract higher numbers of students. Unquestionably, higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe are experiencing increased competition to attract foreign students. There is a need for (more) explicit knowledge about what underpins their decision to study abroad and the location they have selected.

For HEIs to be successful in attracting students, institutional enrollment management needs to understand the factors that impact student choice and tailor recruitment efforts and other marketing strategies to strengthen the chance of students selecting them. Growingly, students will take advantage of well-designed cross-cultural educational opportunities and, as greater numbers of aspirants seek out education abroad, it is imperative to learn from their experiences.

Relatedly, HE choice abroad is more complicated than in one’s ‘home’ context, as satisfying cultural and linguistic preferences, for example, as well as fulfilling many and varied admissions criteria, may restrict the range of HEIs from which students feel they can make a high-quality choice. Thus, managing and understanding students’ underpinning motivations will be ever more significant as demand for HE continues to grow—nationally and internationally—and HE delivery continues to evolve and expand into online, open access, on-campus and distance modes of study.

It is likely that I will never have enough time to experience as many study abroad opportunities as I would like, but those that I have experienced, have given me the opportunity to gain a grander understanding of our shared humanity and how it transcends borders.

What is the focus of your publication, Academic Mobility Programs and Engagement: Emerging Research and Opportunities?

Dr. Velliaris: The overall upsurge in study abroad participation may well be attributable to the availability of shorter programs, as campuses move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to one that provides opportunities through flexibility. Short-term programs cost less and so may be accessible to more students, therein acting as a springboard for potential future and other transformative learning experiences.

Irrespective of the program length, studies show that study abroad is related to heightened academic performance, interdisciplinary learning, graduation rates, practical travel skills, self-knowledge, and sensitivity to foreign contexts. It also enhances job prospects, as employers desire graduates who have experiences that reflect their ability to adapt to unfamiliar situations, interact with other cultures, and exhibit intercultural understanding.