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INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
considerations specific to the host and sending countries, in order
to avoid a study-abroad profile that is too uniform and monolithic.
If the university does adopt the one-size-fits-all approach,
what could it do to the value of students’ study abroad?
If everybody does the same thing, it may mean no respect for
diversity, which is the essence of human beings. Globalisation may
facilitate the logistical aspect of exchanges but some specificities,
peculiarities of each country have to be preserved and enhanced.
Why? Because the multifaceted differences between countries are
the origins of students’ intention to spend one year in, for example,
Italy. If Italy were the same as the UK they [wouldn’t bother]. So
these differences have to be preserved; students have to be aware
of these differences and at the same time find [their own] common
ground to exchange benefits and avoid a lack of communication.
What do universities need to focus on, in terms of things like
logistics and collaboration, in order to get it right?
Universities have to prepare students, to equip them with the tools
for a beneficial stay abroad [with regard to] several aspects, otherwise
students’ experience will be exactly the same wherever they go.
Having all the same opportunities, the same challenges – reality
doesn’t work like that.
Much reflection is needed for each university to ponder what
is to be gained with each student’s stay abroad and how to better
equip students for travel.
Spending six months abroad without any stated gains would
be useless. I think [in this regard, many universities still have much
to achieve].
A big driver for study abroad is the potential benefit in terms of help
getting a job. But you mentioned in your presentation that many
students don’t bother to advertise their international experience and
study on their CVs. Why is this?
Because they are so deeply immersed in academic life they’re
not given the opportunity for self-reflection. Self-reflection is a
long-term process to be engaged in before the stay abroad, during
the stay and when they’re back, otherwise [many benefits can
be missed].
I have discussed this with my colleagues here at UTS and I have
the feeling this can be observed among Australian students. Maybe
they are not fully aware of all the benefits from the experiences
they have had or can have, or they may have had bad experiences.
But any experience is positive if you improve and enrich yourself.
There are definitely activities that can be developed in different
formats to help this. ■
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