The present article analyzes the service-learning experiences of US students during a short-term study-abroad trip to Germany in July 2017. The study identified a key, overarching challenge: the gap between students' expectations and the actual study-abroad outcome. The overall service-learning study-abroad experience was deemed very positive for…

This mixed-methods case study examined the intercultural development of US students participating in a summer internship abroad program. Using Kelley's (1995) Construct of Cross-Cultural Adaptability and Bennett's (1986, 1993) Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, the study explored changes in cross-cultural skills and how students…

As global engineering education projects and programs are initiated, too often social outcomes and long-term impacts are assumed to be positive. This is particularly true for sustainable development projects, which often have an inherent assumption of positive transformation through engineering solutions. We argue that a focus on technical…

As globalized industries evolve, leaders of today and tomorrow will need multifaceted skills for multilayered engagement in an international environment. One method to develop competencies built for a global setting is study abroad, where U.S. colleges embed students in a travel context beyond classroom walls and borders. Study abroad is made up…

The purpose of this study was to acquire an in-depth understanding of a study abroad experience from a sample of eight participants using a case study approach. The theoretical framework was based on the Multidimensional Model of Cultural Competence (Sue and Sue 2003) and Relational Counseling Theory (RCT; Comstock et al. 2008). Program…

Engineering has a history rife with community-based projects in which the engineers prioritize their own interests and outcomes over those of the community with which they work, at great detriment to the community. Short-term engineering study abroad trips, especially those which take place in low- or middle-income countries and have a clear…

Developing intercultural awareness among participants is an objective of many short-term study abroad (SA) programmes. However, such programmes often focus on essentialist 'target' national culture learning. Moreover, simplistic evaluation of intercultural development risks the decontextualisation of personally meaningful learning in experiences…

This study is an endeavour to explicate the dissonance of the linguistic quality outcome of study abroad (SA) experiences by exploring the second language (L2) motivation of six academic sojourners in Manchester. A person-in-context approach revealed that developing intimate relationships with 'native-speakers', providing L2-mediated interaction…

Given the exponential growth of international students in China, understanding the advantages of studying there is under-researched. This paper investigates benefits of such study, using 30 semi-structured qualitative interviews with international students from Asia, Africa and Western countries enrolled at two prestigious universities in Beijing…

After 2014 student mobility between the EU and Russia has remained high. International academic mobility (IAM) is an important part of the internationalisation of higher education, and the EU and Russia have multiple rationales for it--academic, economic, political and social, among others. This article analyses the rationales of stakeholders at…

This study addresses a gap in the study-abroad literature, examining both student and host family experiences of two-way cultural transmission. Interviews, participant observation and reflective journals revealed both parties sought authentic cultural experiences, but implicit forms of cultural transmission in homestay rendered preconceived…

For second language learners, an international experience can have positive effects on language learning and intercultural development even when participating in a program of relatively short duration. One issue which has not yet received attention is the potential impact that the study abroad experience may have on social participation and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of individual difference variables and social relationships on student learning outcomes of short-term study abroad programs. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a social network analysis (SNA) approach to examine the effects of friendship, advice and communication networks on…

The National Secretary for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation in Ecuador (locally SENESCYT) started an ambitious grants program in 2011. The main objective of the program was to send Ecuadorian students to undertake postgraduate studies at universities overseas. This article evaluates the impact of this grant policy on the labor…

The adult learning theories of andragogy, experiential learning, and self-directed learning were utilized as the framework for this study as these theories guide educators in their work with students to seek experiences that may enhance their opportunities beyond college in adulthood. By understanding adult learning theories, administrators in…