Take a look at the benefits of studying abroad

Whether studying abroad can be beneficial for international students is a complex and serious issue. According to the latest studies, learning some courses can help students learn work skills, and learning these skills may create a career advantage for them. In this article, we examine the benefits of studying in universities and colleges abroad.

Benefits of studying in universities and colleges abroad

Studies show that students can develop different personal, interpersonal and cognitive skills by studying in universities and colleges abroad. Among these skills, we can mention adaptability, self-awareness, ambiguity tolerance, teamwork, leadership, work ethic, and problem-solving skills and intercultural problems.

According to experts, international educational opportunities expose international students to different cultures and customs, immersion in the language of that country and interaction with different communities, which can lead to increased self-awareness, improved critical thinking and Even work opportunities.

According to the latest immigration news and the UbroadS Studyors report, due to the widespread spread of the Corona virus, the number of international students in American colleges has decreased from about 96% of the highest record of 347,099 people in 2018-2019 (1397-1398) to 14,549 in 2020-2021 (1399). -1400) has decreased. This statistic is based on the annual Open Doors US Study Abroad survey by the Institute of International Education, a global non-profit organization founded in 1919, reported in 2022 (1,401).

The most recent data from this report is not yet conclusive, but the institute reports that 96% of college administrators in a separate survey recently predicted that their international student programs in 2023-24 (1402-1403) They will face development and growth or stabilization. Conversations about the many benefits of studying abroad are once again echoing across all U.S. universities, experts say.

“We live in a globalized world,” says Lindsay Calvert, director of the Center for Access and Equity at IIE. We are very connected both virtually and through physical contact, and having these experiences is very important for students, so they can work with different cultures and among different cultures and customs.”

What students gain from studying abroad

Nick Gozik, dean of global education at Elon University in North Carolina, emphasizes the benefits of studying abroad.

“It’s hard to imagine what skills a college graduate can acquire through study abroad and global experiences,” he wrote in an email. Whether it is a doctor who examines and treats patients from other countries, a teacher who works with students from disadvantaged backgrounds, or a scientist who works in a multinational company, it is essential for all of these graduates to be able to distinguish between differences. explore and work with people from other cultures.”

How colleges make study abroad programs available

Cognitive and communication skills

According to studies, international students can develop different personal, interpersonal and cognitive skills by studying in foreign universities and studying abroad in the top countries of the world.

In an IIE research study of nearly 4,500 college graduates who studied abroad between the academic years of 1999-2000 (1378-1379) and 2016-2017 (1395-1396), about 90% of respondents said that the experience Abroad has cultivated these characteristics and skills in them. The benefits of learning these skills generally increase with the length of the study period and vary from a short study period of a few weeks to a semester and an academic year.

In response to the question of whether studying abroad at some point resulted in receiving a job offer from employers, about 67.5% of the respondents who studied a full academic year in foreign universities answered positively that This is a high rate compared to 53.4% ​​of those who have studied abroad for almost a semester and 42.5% of those who have studied abroad for less than 8 weeks.

Professional development

International students studying in universities abroad often experience their desire for an adventure through learning a foreign language, academic activities, short-term work opportunities such as internships, starting businesses and jobs, or a combination of all of these. .

Sera Park, who earned a degree in art history from Temple University in Pennsylvania, visited the University of Rome campus in the spring of 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic. “It was my dream to study in Italy,” he says. My mother is an artist and I grew up with this artistic environment, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my degree.” As an intern, Park collaborated on an art conservation project with a local art conservator recommended by her professor. “As I continued my internship with this art project, I realized that this field (art conservation) is what I want to pursue in the future,” he says.

After learning that studying chemistry was necessary to become an art conservator, Park decided to add a degree in chemistry to her credentials. She plans to attend graduate school to complete her training as an art conservator.

According to Park, studying abroad exposed him to many opportunities for life and work. “The trip helped me understand cultural and artistic heritage more and why it is so important to preserve culture and art.”

How studying abroad can increase your career prospects

One of the most important and best ways for international students to use their educational experiences abroad is to look for a job. Experts and students say that when you’re trying to find the right job after college and you don’t have a significant work record, life experiences may be more helpful.

According to experts, being in a different environment and in a foreign country gives job applicants a wider scope on how their background and experiences have shaped their personality.

Moriah Baxevane-Connell, who studied at the University of East Anglia in the UK for six months during college, says studying abroad is a highlight on her resume.

“In looking for my first job out of college, studying abroad helped me see that I have an open mind and curiosity and desire to explore new things,” she says.

So, when the job interviewer asks, “Can you thrive in this new environment?”

“Yes, of course,” I said. “I’m 4,000 miles away from everyone I know and I spent 6 months alone and learned a lot and had a great time.”

He worked for several years at a technology company in the US before returning to the UK to complete his MBA at Oxford University and currently works as the Director of Strategy and Operations at Google in London.

Samantha Brandauer, assistant professor and executive director of the Center for Global Studies and Engagement at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, says the coronavirus pandemic has taught her many lessons about the value of studying abroad. These lessons, he says, include “your ability to understand and tolerate the ambiguities of cross-cultural experiences and to deal with ‘I don’t know.’ It’s a valuable skill in the professional and work environment, your ability to tolerate the unknown that often comes with important cross-cultural experiences.”

At Dickinson College, about 65% of its 2,200 students have attended colleges abroad at some point in their studies, Brandauer says.

Some research suggests that employers may have more favorable views of young graduates with international experience. QS Global Employer Survey Report 2016 (2016) showed that 6 out of 10 employers around the world gave more credit to job applicants who studied abroad on their resumes, and more than 80% of employers They said they are actively looking for graduates with study abroad experience.

What prevents students from studying abroad

Experts say several factors prevent American students from studying abroad. Among the most important factors of these financial problems, the fear of losing something at home, health challenges and being away from family and friends can be mentioned.

“It’s a combination of the fees you have to pay to study abroad and just don’t know what,” says Moriah Cowell. And the fear that “I really have to study for another 4 years to get my degree and be able to get a job and start paying back my student loans and be able to build my life.”

Brandoer says that the trend of female students studying abroad is higher than that of male students. He says: “For decades, this trend was 60-40 and in favor of women, and this was a national trend”.

Brandauer skeptically says that it is more difficult for male students to “find their social place on campus, and once they become a member of a group and identify with that group, it becomes difficult for them to leave that group.” “There’s a lot of comfort for boys on campus,” he says.

Students who are underrepresented in U.S. colleges, such as students with disabilities and some racial minorities, are less likely to study abroad, according to a 2023 IIE study (1402). This study also points out that many colleges have made efforts to improve access and experience for disadvantaged students by providing scholarships, counseling sessions, and special information sessions.

In the academic year 2020-2021 (1399-1400), according to data from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, black students made up 13.1% of US graduate enrollment and only 4.1% of American students in They studied at universities outside this country. While Hispanic and Latino students made up 20.3% of graduate school enrollment and only 12.3% of American students studied at universities outside of this country. At the same time, white students, Asian/Pacific Islander students, and multiracial students were overrepresented compared to other students.

Conclusion

Studying in foreign universities can have a great impact on the acquisition of professional skills and personal and social skills of international students. By gaining life experiences in a multicultural environment and interacting with people with different languages, cultures, and customs, these students will have a more open vision and broader vision. If you are planning to study in universities abroad and you don’t know where to start, the immigration consultant and lawyer of Istehbanati Immigration Institute will provide you with valuable guidance in this field.