Whether studying abroad can be beneficial for iernational studes is a complex and serious issue. According to the latest studies, learning some courses can help studes learn work skills, and learning these skills may create a career advaage 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 studes can develop differe personal, ierpersonal and cognitive skills by studying in universities and colleges abroad. Among these skills, we can meion adaptability, self-awareness, ambiguity tolerance, teamwork, leadership, work ethic, and problem-solving skills and iercultural problems.
According to experts, iernational educational opportunities expose iernational studes to differe cultures and customs, immersion in the language of that coury and ieraction with differe 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 iernational studes 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 Iernational Education, a global non-profit organization founded in 1919, reported in 2022 (1,401).
The most rece data from this report is not yet conclusive, but the institute reports that 96% of college administrators in a separate survey recely predicted that their iernational stude programs in 2023-24 (1402-1403) They will face developme 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 Ceer for Access and Equity at IIE. We are very connected both virtually and through physical coact, and having these experiences is very importa for studes, so they can work with differe cultures and among differe cultures and customs.”
What studes 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 paties from other couries, a teacher who works with studes from disadvaaged backgrounds, or a scieist who works in a multinational company, it is esseial 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, iernational studes can develop differe personal, ierpersonal and cognitive skills by studying in foreign universities and studying abroad in the top couries 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 respondes 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 poi resulted in receiving a job offer from employers, about 67.5% of the respondes 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 developme
Iernational studes studying in universities abroad often experience their desire for an adveure through learning a foreign language, academic activities, short-term work opportunities such as iernships, 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 environme, but I didn’t know what I waed to do with my degree.” As an iern, Park collaborated on an art conservation project with a local art conservator recommended by her professor. “As I coinued my iernship with this art project, I realized that this field (art conservation) is what I wa 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 credeials. 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 importa to preserve culture and art.”
How studying abroad can increase your career prospects
One of the most importa and best ways for iernational studes to use their educational experiences abroad is to look for a job. Experts and studes say that when you’re trying to find the right job after college and you don’t have a significa work record, life experiences may be more helpful.
According to experts, being in a differe environme and in a foreign coury gives job applicas 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 mohs 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 ierviewer asks, “Can you thrive in this new environme?”
“Yes, of course,” I said. “I’m 4,000 miles away from everyone I know and I spe 6 mohs 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 currely works as the Director of Strategy and Operations at Google in London.
Samaha Brandauer, assista professor and executive director of the Ceer for Global Studies and Engageme 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 environme, your ability to tolerate the unknown that often comes with importa cross-cultural experiences.”
At Dickinson College, about 65% of its 2,200 studes have attended colleges abroad at some poi in their studies, Brandauer says.
Some research suggests that employers may have more favorable views of young graduates with iernational experience. QS Global Employer Survey Report 2016 (2016) showed that 6 out of 10 employers around the world gave more credit to job applicas 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 preves studes from studying abroad
Experts say several factors preve American studes from studying abroad. Among the most importa factors of these financial problems, the fear of losing something at home, health challenges and being away from family and friends can be meioned.
“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 stude loans and be able to build my life.”
Brandoer says that the trend of female studes studying abroad is higher than that of male studes. 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 studes to “find their social place on campus, and once they become a member of a group and ideify with that group, it becomes difficult for them to leave that group.” “There’s a lot of comfort for boys on campus,” he says.
Studes who are underrepreseed in U.S. colleges, such as studes with disabilities and some racial minorities, are less likely to study abroad, according to a 2023 IIE study (1402). This study also pois out that many colleges have made efforts to improve access and experience for disadvaaged studes by providing scholarships, counseling sessions, and special information sessions.
In the academic year 2020-2021 (1399-1400), according to data from NAFSA: Association of Iernational Educators, black studes made up 13.1% of US graduate enrollme and only 4.1% of American studes in They studied at universities outside this coury. While Hispanic and Latino studes made up 20.3% of graduate school enrollme and only 12.3% of American studes studied at universities outside of this coury. At the same time, white studes, Asian/Pacific Islander studes, and multiracial studes were overrepreseed compared to other studes.
Conclusion
Studying in foreign universities can have a great impact on the acquisition of professional skills and personal and social skills of iernational studes. By gaining life experiences in a multicultural environme and ieracting with people with differe languages, cultures, and customs, these studes 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 consulta and lawyer of Istehbanati Immigration Institute will provide you with valuable guidance in this field.
