International Exchange Programs Research Articles

Developing critical consciousness for culturally responsive teaching: an international teacher exchange program

ABSTRACT The increasing diversity of the student population in classrooms across the United States demands the adoption of pedagogical principles based on the concept of culturally responsive teaching. This study adopts the notion that culturally responsive teaching only becomes possible when teachers implement self-reflection and critical consciousness. Using a qualitative approach, the authors aimed at examining the effects of an international professional development experience on a group of elementary teachers from the United States and Costa Rica with a focus on their perceptions about linguistic and cultural diversity in schools. The analysis of the interviews and reflective journal entries revealed that participation in an international teacher exchange program prompted participants to examine their personal beliefs about education and question, not only their own instructional practices, but also broader school systems and policies related to language, culture, and ethnicity.

Computing balanced solutions for large international kidney exchange schemes

To overcome incompatibility issues, kidney patients may swap their donors. In international kidney exchange programmes (IKEPs), countries merge their national patient–donor pools. We consider a recently introduced credit system. In each round, countries are given an initial “fair” allocation of the total number of kidney transplants. This allocation is adjusted by a credit function yielding a target allocation. The goal is to find a solution that approaches the target allocation as closely as possible, to ensure long-term stability of the international pool. As solutions, we use maximum matchings that lexicographically minimize the country deviations from the target allocation. We perform, for the first time, a computational study for a large number of countries. For the initial allocations we use two easy-to-compute solution concepts, the benefit value and the contribution value, and four classical but hard-to-compute concepts, the Shapley value, nucleolus, Banzhaf value and tau value. By using state-of-the-art software we show that the latter four concepts are now within reach for IKEPs of up to fifteen countries. Our experiments show that using lexicographically minimal maximum matchings instead of ones that only minimize the largest deviation from the target allocation (as previously done) may make an IKEP up to 54% more balanced.

Performance evaluation of national and international kidney exchange programmes with the ENCKEP simulator

AbstractIn this paper we present simulations for international kidney exchange programmes (KEPs). KEPs are organised in more than ten countries in Europe to facilitate the exchanges of immunologically incompatible donors. The matching runs are typically conducted in every three months for finding optimal exchanges using hierarchical optimisation with integer programming techniques. In recent years several European countries started to organise international exchanges using different collaboration policies. In this paper we conduct simulations for estimating the benefits of such collaborations with a simulator developed by the team of the ENCKEP COST Action. We conduct our simulations on generated datasets mimicking the practice of the three largest KEPs in Europe, the UK, Spanish and the Dutch programmes. Our main performance measure is the number of transplants compared to the number of registrations to the KEP pools over a 5-year period, however, as a novelty we also analyse how the optimisation criteria play a role in the lexicographic and weighted optimisation policies for these countries. Besides analysing the performances on a single instance, we also conduct large number of simulations to obtain robust findings on the performance of specific national programmes and on the possible benefits of international collaborations.

Managing Financial Life: Examining the Factors Impacting the Financial Literacy of Indonesian Students Studying Abroad

Introduction/Main Objectives: The number of Indonesian students who study abroad has expanded significantly during the past few decades. Nonetheless, the nation has a lot of variables that would assist in the growth of overseas students leaving the country in the future. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the variables influencing the financial literacy of Indonesian students participating in international exchange programs. This study empirically examines how students' financial behavior could be affected by their financial knowledge, financial attitude, and financial culture. It also tests how financial literacy can be directly influenced by financial behavior. Additionally, the mediating role of financial behavior has been evaluated. Background Problems: Notwithstanding the rise in the number of students enrolled in international programs, and the availability of such programs in educational institutions worldwide, these students will confront numerous obstacles and difficulties. A vital skill for these students to possess is financial literacy, since there is a lot of emphasis on cost-saving when pursuing higher education in a global setting. However, studies into financial literacy are noticeably lacking, particularly in emerging nations such as Indonesia. Novelty: The current paper adds to the limited studies concerning the financial life of international students by developing an integrated framework to examine the most crucial factors impacting the financial literacy of Indonesian students participating in international exchange programs. Research Methods: An online survey was conducted to gather the primary data from the respondents. The acquired data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Finding/Results: The research findings showed that financial literacy was significantly impacted by financial behavior, which in turn was impacted by financial knowledge, financial attitudes, and financial culture. The relationship between financial knowledge, financial attitudes, financial culture, and financial literacy was found to be significantly mediated by financial behavior. Conclusion: The present work provides theoretical and managerial contributions regarding managing the financial life of international students in Indonesia.

Lines of Exchange: Australian and New Zealand Women on Carnegie and Fulbright Programme Awards c. 1930s–1980s

ABSTRACT Narratives of international educational exchange programmes such as the US–sponsored Fulbright and the Commonwealth–centred Carnegie grants reveal the formative role these exchanges played in extending the geographical, scholarly, and professional boundaries of women’s worlds. Notably, these award schemes influenced, shaped and expanded the career aspirations and professional experiences of a group of women from Australia and New Zealand. In this article, we take up the question of the distinctive opportunities each programme presented for women awardees and consider their differing experiences primarily due to the specific programme on which they embarked. We argue that the extent to which participation in an exchange programme might have provided benefits to individual Australian and New Zealand women could also become the spur for awardees to advocate for an expansion of opportunities for other women. Furthermore, we consider whether hidden obstacles existed that hindered women’s career pathways and successes.

Актуальные тексты общественно-политической тематики на русском языке как источник учебных материалов для иностранных студентов гуманитарных специальностей (основные и дополнительные образовательные программы)

The paper discusses the issues of training foreign students of humanities in reading and listening to journalistic texts in Russian. The aim of the study is to identify ways to update the materials of available textbooks on Russian as a foreign language, taking into account various factors. These include methodological factors (purpose and content of training; level of proficiency in Russian; requirements of normative documents; organizational forms of training; students’ training program; national composition of the study group), linguistic factors (genre, style, content value of the text; characteristics of text materials from the standpoint of textuality categories and communicative categories), extralinguistic factors (socio-political situation in the world; ideological attitudes). Special attention is paid to the description of the bank of standard texts of the main thematic groups. The work proposes tasks to control the level of formation of language and speech competencies within the framework of the academic discipline “Russian language in professional international activity” (level B2) at different stages of training. The scientific novelty of the study lies in developing criteria for the selection of journalistic texts for Russian language classes for foreigners studying in various educational programs (basic or additional). As a result of the research, the features of the use of media texts in the process of teaching students of a faculty of international relations are highlighted in comparison with the ways of presenting these texts within the framework of the course for students of international academic exchange programs.

The Influence of the Student Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) on Career Aspirations Moderated by Self-Leadership among Alumni of the Global UGRAD Bachelor's Program

This study aims to investigate the influence of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) on alumni career aspirations and the role of self-leadership as a moderator of career aspirations among Global UGRAD alumni for the academic year 2022-2023. Employing quantitative techniques, including a 4-point Likert scale and explanatory analysis, data were collected from 85 alumni representing 33 countries. The validity test confirms the credibility of all items, while subsequent reliability tests establish their consistency. Results from hypothesis testing indicate that the student exchange program (Global UGRAD) does not significantly influence career aspirations because the P value is 0.153 > 0.05. However, student exchange program (Global UGRAD) has a significant positive influence on self-leadership as the P value is 0.000 < 0.05. Furthermore, self-leadership has a positive and significant influence on career aspirations as the P value is 0.004 < 0.05. Additionally, it was found that self-leadership can moderate the relationship between the student exchange program (Global UGRAD) and career aspirations as the P value is 0.015 < 0.05. These findings highlight the importance of fostering self-leadership skills for enhancing career aspirations among students participating in international exchange programs (Global UGRAD).

Effectiveness and Feasibility of virtual international exchange program for occupational therapy students to develop the international perspective and professional skills -Mix-method study

Background: Virtual international exchange programs have been promoted; however, the effectiveness of the programs has not yet been examined well in the field of occupational therapy (OT) field. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and feasibility of a virtual international exchange program for OT students.Methods: Mix-method was applied in this study.Two universities from Japan and Indonesia created an exchange program to cultivate international perspectives and facilitate gaining OT professional knowledge and skills, as well as learning basic scientific study skills. Questionnaires on international minded and program evaluations, which were analyzed by descriptive analysis, were given to the participants before and after the program. Focus group interviews, which were analyzed with reflective thematic analysis, were conducted after the program.Results: Ten students joined the program, six students answered the questionnaires, and eight students participated in the focus group interviews. Students were satisfied with the program overall, even though there were no significant changes in the total scores of the international minded between before and after the program. In the focus group interviews, the participants mentioned their motivations for participating in the program, program evaluation, international minded, and self-growing awareness. The participants expressed that they gained OT professional knowledge and academic skills from the program.Conclusion: As a feasible virtual program, well-organized programs considering the students’ academic learning skills and interests could provide opportunities for individual development, acquiring professional knowledge, and incite self-growing. In addition, the result might show the effectiveness of virtual programs to cultivate international perspective and professional knowledge.

Teaching English in the Philippine: Pre-Service Teachers’ Identity Development During the International Teaching Practicum

English pre-service teachers find teaching English abroad to be a memorable experience. It influences the type of teacher they will become in the future. Through the perspective of teacher identity, this study aims to describe how two Indonesian pre-service teachers in the English education department, during a teaching practicum in the Philippines, developed their teacher identity and how they overcome the challenges. This research focused on two fourth-year students from the English Education department of a private university in Yogyakarta who completed a one-month international teaching practicum in the Philippines. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and subsequently investigated thematically from the perspective of the teachers' identities, and then presneted narratively. It was discovered that the biographies of the pre-service teachers served as the starting point for their teachers' identity development. Throughout the international teaching practicum, the development of their teacher identity was influenced by their emotional reactions, their teaching methods, and their symbolic representation. In the international teaching setting, the student teacher received psychological and technical assistance to overcome the challenges of their practice. This support played a crucial role in the successful completion of the program and contributed to the development of their professional identity as teachers. The findings demonstrate the importance of international teaching experience, prompting universities to prioritize the teaching practicum. Additionally, the university should expand its international exchange programs, focusing on teaching practicum programs.

THE CROSS-CULTURAL SENSITIVITY OF IISMA AWARDEES: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY

Objective: This research aims to understand the influence of the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) program on the cross-cultural sensitivity of ITS scholarship recipients based on their experiences and stories during the program. Method: The research design for this study is narrative inquiry. Five scholarship recipients at a university in Madrid were asked to narrate their experiences through semi-structured interviews. The emerging themes indicate the extent to which the IISMA program, both directly (through mandatory program activities) and indirectly, influences the cross-cultural sensitivity of the awardees. Themes identified include language and culture, attitudes of openness and willingness to listen to others, cross-cultural exchange, empathy in understanding others' perspectives, and adopting new habits. Results: The findings indicate that the IISMA program has a significant impact on the cross-cultural sensitivity of its scholarship recipients. Participants are directly exposed to various cultures in Spain and actively engage with these cultures. Additionally, the IISMA program encourages participants to promote Indonesian culture internationally through mandatory challenges and other assigned tasks. Conclusions: The research provides insights into how the IISMA program influences cultural integration, attitudes toward others, intellectual interactions, empathy, and behavioral adaptation among the scholarship recipients. This study highlights the importance of international cultural exchange programs in enhancing understanding and cross-cultural sensitivity among participants.

Influences of International Exchange Programs and Research Engagement on Faculty Development in Higher Education Institutions

Influences of International Exchange Programs and Research Engagement on Faculty Development in Higher Education Institutions

Results of a Postgraduate Survey of Physiotherapists who Participated in an Undergraduate International Exchange Program

Results of a Postgraduate Survey of Physiotherapists who Participated in an Undergraduate International Exchange Program

Agriculture Students' Cultural Understanding During Students' Exchange in Kampus Merdeka Program: A Literature Review Approach

This study investigates the role of the Kampus Merdeka Program in promoting cross-cultural understanding in the context of agriculture during students' exchange. By employing a literature review as the methodological approach, the study synthesizes existing scholarly works to analyze the effectiveness of international exchange programs in fostering intercultural learning within the agricultural domain. The review delves into various aspects, including the impact of cultural immersion, communication barriers, and the significance of intercultural competence in the context of agricultural education. The findings aim to shed light on the benefits of cross-cultural experiences in agricultural learning environments, paving the way for future enhancements in the Kampus Merdeka Program and similar initiatives worldwide.

International exchange program for anesthesia nursing students : Retrospective analysis of sustainable evaluation criteria

Anesthesia nursing students have little contact with relevant global contexts of their professional practice and health care as awhole. An international exchange program between aGerman postgraduate institution and aUS university focuses on this global perspective and provides insights into each other's healthcare systems. The article offers insight into asuccessful international exchange program and analyzes possible evaluation criteria for the program. Aretrospective analysis of program implementation at both institutions, evaluations conducted to date, and exchange experiences that have taken place is conducted. From this, possible quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria were identified. A total of 13student exchange trips and 7reciprocal faculty visits were recorded as part of the program. Over the 6‑year period analyzed, atotal of 15clinical institutions were recruited for job shadowing. Additional outcomes included joint scientific projects and publications (contributions to journals and congresses). The structured goal setting and operationalization of an international cooperation are helpful for the later analysis of its success. In the example described, anesthesia nursing students, faculty, and the participating institutions benefited from the international exchange program. From this, quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria could be identified and described for future use for international exchange of anesthesia nursing students.

Home away Home: CSP International Doctoral Students’ Community Cultural Wealth and Sociocultural Adaptation in China

China Studies Program (CSP) is a high-calibre international exchange program launched by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation since 2013, which aims to attract overseas students, scholars, and elites from all walks of life to come to study in China through providing scholarships and high-quality training resources. The research site of this study was at a Chinese university in Beijing. Using the Community Cultural Wealth theory (Yosso, 2005), this study examined the sociocultural adaptation mechanism for international doctoral students of the CSP in China, especially how the students themselves, their families, and staff members of the host university help the international doctoral students to navigate their sociocultural adaptation by providing community cultural resources, which helped international students achieve academic success through accumulating aspirational capital, linguistic capital, social capital, familial capital, navigational capital and resistant capital (Yosso, 2005). Findings of this study suggest that the sociocultural adaptation of the international students of CSP was much facilitated by the host community cultural wealth which provided ample opportunities for the international students to acquire and mobilize their various capitals.

DEVELOPING SOCIAL CAPITAL AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AMONG THE MALAYSIAN YOUTH THROUGH INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN

Social capital development is indispensable to economic growth and well-being because it allows individuals to contribute meaningfully to a society or community. The density of social networks helps an individual take ownership of control over their community through shared trust, norms, and values. As a component to human capital, social capital needs to be developed with important skills and knowledge, such as leadership, communication, and networking, to pursue community empowerment. This study examines the development of social capital and community empowerment at the international level through the international youth exchange program (IYEP) under the Look East Policy (LEP). LEP was implemented in 1982 to develop human capital and increase bilateral collaboration and socio-cultural exchange with East Asian countries, i.e., South Korea and Japan. Based on the secondary data obtained from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and reports from related agencies, this study examined the IYEP of the Malaysia–South Korea and Malaysia-Japan programs and compared their impact on social capital and youth community empowerment. The findings indicate that the IYEP with both countries is expected to strengthen the partnership among participants and help nurture leadership skills. The focus was similar to sociocultural exchange and regional knowledge despite the different scales. Activities such as exchange of knowledge, discussions, enjoying cultural activities, and local activities help the participants build their networking skills and empower the community at both individual and group levels. As the IYEP has benefited its participants, it should be diversified in many areas and collaborations.

Supporting National Science Journalism through International Organization: The Creation of the Ibero-American Association of Science Journalism

ABSTRACT Science journalism associations at a national and international level have aimed to form networks of support for the professionalization of the field. In this article, we focus at the process of consolidation of one of the first of such international organizations: the Ibero-American Association of Science Journalism (AIPC), created in Medellín in 1969, which sowed the seeds for the creation of new national associations across Latin America and connected these national organizations in Latin America and Spain through international conferences, exchange programs, and training initiatives. Through the analysis of historical documentation from the personal archive of one of its main leaders, the Spanish Manuel Calvo Hernando, we explore the dynamic between the AIPC and the national associations in Latin America during this formative period.

Reflections of American and Turkish Fulbright alumni: An International context in language teaching assistantship

With the increasing global change and as a consequence of internationalization, the prestige of international educational exchange programs has heightened with bilateral agreements among countries. In parallel, plenty of research in academia has resided on Fulbright language assistantship programs whereas most have been designed on pre-service teachers, and a limited number centred on in-service teachers only from one country context. However, almost no studies have been done on international alumni from two countries to compare the perceived impact of this program through their lenses. Hence, six Turkish FLTAs and six American ETAs were incorporated into this qualitative case study to determine the influence(s) of their personal background information on this cross-cultural experience, and the effects they sensed on their teaching profession with Fulbright. Having conducted semi-structured interviews and sifted data through content analysis, the researcher noted its effects on the personal, linguistic, cultural, social, and contextual understandings of scholars. Moreover, professional growth, student-oriented active learning, and dynamic perspectives were described as themes outlining its reflections on their teaching profession. ETAs felt they cultivated “pedagogical content knowledge”, “soft skills”, “enhancing student motivation” and “adjusting teaching to supply student needs” more, whereas FLTAs reported a higher sense of development in “critical thinking skills”.

Exploring the Impact of Virtual Student Exchange Program on Personal and Speaking Proficiency Development of Indonesian EFL Students

Previous studies have shown that studying abroad such as participating in a student exchange program affects the second language (L2) learning outcomes. However, it has yet to be proven whether a short-term experience, such as participation in a virtual student exchange program has a measurable impact on L2 or foreign language development. The present study examines the improvement of English learners speaking skills after participating in a six-week international virtual student exchange program on Asian culture. It is a collaboration among health education institutions in Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, and The Philippines. This study employed quantitative and qualitative methods. Ten Indonesian EFL students were involved in this study and their speaking proficiency was measured before and after participating in the virtual program. A structured interview was also conducted to yield more information on their experience in the program. Statistic findings indicated a significant difference between the students’ speaking proficiency before and after the program (Sig. = 0.004 < 0.05), which meant that their English-speaking proficiency improved over six weeks. The statistical findings are consistent with the student's report stating that they felt more confident and comfortable speaking in English upon participation in the program. These findings extend our understanding that a short-term virtual student exchange experience significantly impacts the speaking proficiency and personal development of Indonesian EFL students. The results of this study imply that efforts to support such international virtual programs should continue.

Identification of multicultural learning experiences following an international cross campus medical student exchange programme between the UK and Malaysia: a qualitative study

ObjectivesIn an increasingly global society, there is a need to develop culturally competent doctors who can work effectively across diverse populations. International learning opportunities in undergraduate healthcare programmes show various...