International Mobility Programs Research Articles

Unlocking Success: Key Factors for International Mobility Program in Implementing the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka Curriculum

This article is based on research conducted at nationally accredited State Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN) in Indonesia, which have already begun implementing the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) curriculum. The informants serving as data sources consist of 15 students participating in the International Mobility Program (IMP). A qualitative case study gathered data from interviews, observations, and documentation. The research emphasizes that the determinants of IMP success in supporting the implementation of the MBKM curriculum consist of four aspects: 1) through the ability to adapt well to a new environment, students gain learning experiences outside the campus by adjusting and respecting cultural differences in the destination country; 2) through international language proficiency, students are increasingly trained to conduct high-quality research and communicate effectively creatively; 3) through their interest in challenges and adventures in foreign campuses, students confidently present in international forums; 4) through the transformation of a global perspective, students are motivated to pursue further studies abroad and intend to participate in international programs in the following years. Understanding and emphasizing these factors is crucial for optimizing the benefits derived from international mobility initiatives within the unique context of religious higher education institutions.

Paths to Permanence: Permit Categories and Earnings Trajectories of Workers in Canada's International Mobility Program

La présente étude utilise la Base de données longitudinales sur l'immigration pour analyser les trajectoires de revenus des immigrants en deux étapes au Canada, dès leur permis de travail temporaire initial. L'objectif principal de la recherche est d'arriver à d'importantes conclusions sur la relation entre la catégorie de permis de travail temporaire et l'intégration au marché du travail des nouveaux arrivants et des nouvelles arrivantes. Axée sur les quatre sous-catégories principales de permis du Programme de mobilité internationale—titulaires d'un permis de travail postdiplôme, Permis de travail ouverts aux membres de la famille des travailleurs étrangers ou époux/épouses et conjoint·e·s de fait des titulaires d'un permis d’études, personnes mutées à l'intérieur d'une société ou programme vacances-travail—, la recherche explore la façon dont les résultats sur le marché du travail de ces divers titulaires de permis de travail temporaires se comparent à ceux des immigrant·e·s à une étape arrivant directement de l’étranger. Les conclusions mettent en relief les différences significatives dans les résultats sur le marché du travail au sein de la population immigrante, compte tenu de la catégorie de permis de travail précis avant la migration. Notamment, les personnes avec un permis de travail postdiplôme et les personnes mutées à l'intérieur d'une société ont des revenus initiaux plus élevés que les personnes sans permis de travail ou d’études préalables. À l'inverse, les participant·e·s au programme vacances-travail ont des revenus initiaux plus faibles et le revenu de titulaires de permis pour conjoint·e·s varie selon le genre. De plus, l’étude note diverses tendances en matière de croissance des revenus annuels dans le temps, associées à différents types de permis. On discute des conséquences de ces résultats en ce qui concerne les politiques. Note des rédacteurs : Le premier volume de Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de politiques a été publié en 1975. Ce volume-ci est le cinquantième. Pour commémorer cet événement, nous avons organisé une série de conférences qui sont publiées dans ce numéro spécial. La professeure Banerjee a donné cette conférence dans un webinaire organisé par la chaire d'excellence en recherche du Canada en migration et intégration en juin 2023.

Does International Education Mobility Increase Environmental Concerns?

This paper applies propensity score matching to data from a recent Flash Eurobarometer survey (covering 27 European Union countries) in order to estimate the effect of participation in international education mobility programmes on young people's environmental attitudes. The empirical results consistently show that an education experience abroad has a modest but statistically significant positive effect on environmental concerns. This finding sheds light on the important role that studying abroad can play in promoting environmental awareness among the youth.

The effect of COVID-19 on international student credit mobility: a gravity model approach

ABSTRACT The Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in education. We employ a gravity model to estimate its impact on international student credit mobility. Data on inbound and outbound students to and from four Spanish universities between the academic years 2017–2018 and 2021–2022 are used. While Covid-19 significantly reduced participation in international mobility programs in the academic year 2020–2021, study abroad numbers bounced back to pre-pandemic levels in the next academic year. Student flows between Spain and non-EU countries have been more negatively affected by Covid-19 than those between Spain and other EU countries. Some differential gender effects are also found.

Effectiveness of In-Person and Virtual International Mobility Scholars Programme on Career and Professional Development

International mobility programmes, both in-person and virtual, aim to build human capital. Though there is evidence of their impact on skill development, there is scant research on career and professional benefits. Moreover, because virtual mobility is a new concept, there has been little investigation into how this mode affects the perceived benefits. Using the lens of human capital theory, this study explores outcomes of in-person and virtual mobility in the Queen Elizabeth Scholars-Advanced Scholars programme, which includes doctoral, post-doctoral and early career scholars. Through interviews with 23 scholars, we explore the perceived impact of the programme, considering mode of delivery, on the career and professional development of scholars. Despite challenges with the unexpected shift to virtual mobility during Covid-19 lockdowns, both in-person and virtual mobility scholars reported benefits to their career and professional development. These results suggest that virtual mobility may be considered as a viable option to enhance the flexibility, inclusivity, and accessibility of such programmes.

International Student Mobility and Academic Performance: Does Timing Matter?

We examine the impact of credit mobility exchange programs’ timing on students’ academic performance, focusing on the moment in which students travel and the length of the period spent abroad. To provide causal evidence, we exploit unique data from more than 10,000 students from a well-known and internationalized Brazilian university from 2010 to 2020. By combing Propensity Score Matching with Difference in Differences techniques, we find that international mobility impacts groups of students differently. Students who travel closer to the end of their undergraduate courses benefit the most from the mobility experience, while negative effects are found for those who travel at the beginning of their university program. Results also show that, while student mobility impacts positively and significantly students who participate in programs lasting from one semester to 1 year, negative effects are associated with shorter periods abroad. Our findings also reveal heterogeneity across destination countries. Mobility has a positive impact on students’ grades for those students traveling to English-speaking countries. Our analysis presents empirical evidence that can be used to design international student mobility programs, providing insights to policymakers engaged in maximizing their effects.

The Contribution of Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) on the Development of Employability Skills of Undergraduate Students in Indonesia

Indonesia has the second highest youth unemployment rate among all ten ASEAN countries according to The World Bank Data in 2021, with 12% of the total unemployment rate dominated by bachelor graduates. One of the reasons behind youth unemployment in Indonesia is the mismatch between the skills possessed by university students and the labor market skills demand, referred to as the "skill gap." Experts believe that such a high number of youth unemployment is often linked to the failure of educational institutions to develop graduates with employability skills. Moreover, the skills gap is also associated with globalization in the 21st century, followed by new government regulations that ease hiring foreign workers in Indonesia. In this era, Indonesian graduates have to compete with employees from foreign countries, thus making international and multicultural knowledge desired by companies. To tackle these challenges posed by globalization and the quality of education, many higher education and government institutions are implementing one of the most prominent forms of internalization, international student mobility programs, hoping to prepare bachelor graduates to be more competitive internationally. In 2021, the Indonesian government displayed its effort to prepare Indonesian graduates to possess valuable workplace skills in the 21st century through funded international student mobility, namely IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards). However, despite the enormous efforts of implementing the program, there are still many contra-arguments from higher education institutions and Indonesian society regarding the contribution of IISMA in developing the employability skills of undergraduate students. This study is aimed to identify the contribution of IISMA di developing the employability skills of undergraduate students in Indonesia and to see whether it has a difference with the development of employability skills in regular Indonesian undergraduate programs. This study used a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with the interviewees from Universitas Indonesia, Institut Teknologi Bandung, and Universitas Gadjah Mada, who completed an IISMA program in 2021 and 2022. The study discovered that most employability skills desired by companies are mainly developed during the IISMA program compared to an undergraduate program in Indonesia.

Relationship of Cultural Intelligence, Student’s Innovative Work Behavior and The Influence of Interpersonal Trust

Rapidly shifting market due to globalization increases the nation's demand for young innovators. Innovators from Generation Z are needed to support the future growth of Indonesia. There are several Indonesian Government initiatives to elevate Indonesian education to grow innovations, such as establishing an international student mobility scholarship program. However, research on how the program can increase innovative work behavior for Indonesian students is still unclear. This research aims to investigate how Indonesian students perceive the impact of international student mobility on their innovative work behavior, focusing on the role of cultural intelligence and its effect on innovative work behavior through interpersonal trust. A quantitative approach was adopted for this study to examine the relationships between the variables with the assistance of SmartPLS 4.0 software. An online questionnaire was distributed to 302 respondents consisting of Indonesian students who had completed the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards program in 2022 from all host country regions. This study demonstrates that students with higher cultural intelligence positively influence their individual innovative work behavior. Interpersonal trust also influences the process as a mediating role in the relationship between cultural intelligence and innovative work behavior among students in multicultural environments. This study can be a reference for future research and stakeholders to improve education quality by focusing on the impact of cultural intelligence on students' innovative work behavior in the context of cross-cultural interaction, specifically Indonesian students that participate in international student mobility programs from the Indonesian government. Such research has not been explored extensively beforehand, making this study valuable addition to the pedagogy and management science field.

The Effects of Exchange Experience on the Professional Identity Constitution of Undergraduates from CEFET-MG

International academic mobility programs are increasingly expanding, mainly due to the process of institutionalization of Brazilian educational institutions. The exchange experience can enable greater foreign language learning, intercultural, academic, and professional development of students, and a partnership network, which can contribute to future partnerships and/or job opportunities. Thus, the objective of this work was to understand some effects of meaning in the Campus Divinópolis CEFET-MG undergraduate students’ identity constitution, due to their experience studying abroad, in addition to identifying the representations that emerge in the discourse of the subjects participating in the research in relation to international exchange. This is qualitative research and the instruments we used to form the corpus were written autobiographical narratives and semi-structured interviews with the subjects participating in this study via Google Meet. Then, this study has an interpretive nature, as it allows different interpretations of the collected material. Four students from the Mechatronics Engineering course participated in our research, who, when narrating their experiences, brought their representations to life. The importance of exchange for personal, academic, and professional growth reverberated in the participants' statements, allowing constant identity transformation. Finally, this study can contribute to a better understanding of the need for the internationalization process of our institution, allowing an evaluation of international academic mobility programs, in addition to encouraging other students to seek these opportunities offered by the institution.

Analyzing countries’ performances within the international student mobility program over time

AbstractThe phenomenon of internationalization is a priority for higher education institutions. The Erasmus program is the cornerstone of their internationalization strategy, bringing benefits for student recruitment and career outcomes, as well as for staff expertise. Within this scenario, our contribution aims to analyze the performance of European education systems in terms of learning mobility between countries from a longitudinal perspective. International student mobility is analyzed in the context of the Erasmus programs over twelve years in order to compare international mobility trajectories between European countries in terms of quantitative benchmarking and to identify the factors that may influence a country’s performance in terms of its role in mobility network exchanges. A mixed analytical strategy of analysis was adopted, combining exploratory and confirmatory approaches from a network perspective. Centrality indices and network modeling are computed to compare countries’ performances and factors affecting mobility patterns in higher education systems. The main findings can offer policy suggestions for universities in order to improve the quality of their international services.

Informing and developing professional practice: How international educational programs influence nurse and midwife professional practice

AimThis paper forms part of a grounded theory study that aimed to determine the impact of an international mobility program during a nurse’s or midwife’s pre-registration program on their subsequent nursing and/or midwifery practice. The focus of this article is on how nursing and midwifery professional practice was informed and developed through participation in international educational programs.BackgroundParticipation in an international educational program during a nurse’s or midwife’s pre-registration education is known to have many positive benefits, however, previous studies have highlighted a need to investigate long-term outcomes on professional practice.MethodsUsing Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory approach, 13 general nurses, 2 mental health nurses, 3 midwives, and 4 dual-qualified nurse/midwives from 8 different countries were interviewed. Data were analysed following coding procedures, with three categories constructed. This paper focuses on the category conceptualised as Informing and developing professional practice.FindingsParticipants experienced different healthcare systems and being reflective and applying knowledge to current practice contributed to the development of professional practice. International educational programs were also found to assist in aspiring and cementing decisions for many regarding their future nursing or midwifery practice.ConclusionParticipation in an international educational program has an ongoing and positive influence on a nurse’s or midwife’s professional practice.

Probationary precarity? Differential inclusion among post‐graduation work permit‐holders in Canada

AbstractIn high‐income receiving states, educational visa‐holders are routinely cast as beneficiaries of immigration systems prioritizing well‐trained workers. Promising pathways to permanent residency, Canada's Post‐Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP), an expanding stream of its new International Mobility Program, is a case in point. Yet there is a dearth of scholarly analysis of program design and its effects on visa‐holders. Addressing this lacuna, this article examines the PGWPP through a multi‐method approach focusing on the interface between program requirements, distinctions between doors of entry with attention to criteria for accessing permanent residency, country of origin, and gender. Underlining the porosity of entry categories, contributing to multiple doors through which educational migrants must pass to secure permanent residency, it reveals that PGWP‐holders experience “probationary precarity” – a concept devised to capture labour market insecurities permit‐holders endure.

HOW “SCIENCE WITHOUT BORDERS” PROGRAM BOOSTED INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN BRAZIL: THE CASE OF UNIFAL-MG

In this article we discuss the impact of Science without Borders Program (SwB) on the internationalization process of Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Brazil. SwB was a prominent project in the scope of internationalization of higher education and drew the attention of universities, citizens, the media, and the scientific community. Based on the literature on internationalization of higher education and on data from the program, this case study revealed UNIFAL-MG’s perception of SwB and its implication on the university’s incipient internationalization process. From the point of view of the university’s academic community, the main advantage of SwB was the international study experience of scholarship holders, who declared having had immense personal and academic growth. On the other hand, improvements on UNIFAL-MG’s internationalization process were observed. We concluded that without adequate planning and specific assessment the difficulty in implementing the objectives of international mobility programs such as SwB will be perpetuated in Brazil.

International student migration: current trends and challenges for developing countries

Introduction. Globalization processes, which have developed rapidly in recent decades, are observed in all spheres of social life without exception. The opening of borders, digitalization, the development of a knowledge-based economy, and deepening economic polarization of the countries of the world have intensified such a form of international relations as educational migration. Students increasingly choose foreign educational institutions to acquire new competencies or obtain a higher education diploma. Global political and economic turbulence significantly affects student migration, creates a new system of factors and increases the challenges for educational migrants from poor countries.Purpose of the article. The purpose of the study is to determine the current trend of international migration of students from developing countries.Research methods. To achieve the goal of the article, a number of general scientific approaches and methods were used: analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction, comparison, structural-logical method, as well as special and empirical methods - scientific abstraction, elements of SWOT and comparative analysis.Results. Educational migration and international academic mobility of students are essentially close, mostly identical concepts. However, the migration of students can occur under the influence of a slightly different system of factors (exogenous and endogenous, global and national), because it involves not only studying in foreign higher education institutions, but also going abroad, finding a place of work and permanent residence. The article emphasizes that among the motivating factors, it is the improvement of the future material situation thanks to receiving a quality education at a prestigious university that occupies a prominent place, because it makes it possible to get a well-paid job in a developed country. This is especially true for students from poor countries who do not have such prospects at home. Restraining factors are language and psychological difficulties, lack of funds for study and accommodation, logistical and bureaucratic problems, etc. The challenges of the 20s of the 21st century were also the coronavirus pandemic and unprovoked Russian-Ukrainian aggression. These global factors caused significant changes in the migration policy of developed countries, which are the main recipients of educational migrants, and worsened the economic conditions for migration. Many university curricula provide online teaching for international students, and the geography of educational migration increasingly focuses on a group of the safest and most stable destinations.Prospects. Further research should be focused on finding ways to improve the effectiveness of international academic mobility programs in today’s conditions of global instability and technological development.

THE ABILITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM OF UKRAINE TO PROVIDE PERSONNEL NEEDS OF THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY

The study made it possible to establish that the current state of training specialists in the field of renewable energy will not allow in the near future to quickly achieve the goals of intensive development of renewable energy proclaimed by the country's leadership. This will not improve the energy security of the regions and the country as a whole. This conclusion is based on the fact that, firstly, the training of specialists in Ukraine in educational programs on renewable energy is carried out by a limited number of higher education institutions, a significant number of which are accredited only by mid-2024. Secondly, the number of applicants operating in the current educational mastered this specialty in all years of study is not high. This will make it possible to rejuvenate the staff of workers serving existing renewable energy facilities. However, it will not allow to achieve the rapid development of projects for the introduction and use of alternative energy sources in the country. The work systematizes the markers of success, the focus on which by the guarantors of educational programs on renewable energy will improve the quality of educational services and interest applicants. These markers define the highly professional staff of teachers in the framework of educational programs; provision of the educational process of the educational program with certified laboratories with high-tech equipment; the availability of double degree programs in the specialty of the world's leading universities and international mobility programs; conducting joint scientific research with foreign scientists; introduction of a practice-oriented approach to learning.
 The most effective directions for increasing the number of highly qualified profile specialists in renewable energy in the labor market of Ukraine in the post-war period are formulated. These areas were recognized as increasing the level of wages in the field of renewable energy; ensuring a high level of investment for the development of human capital in renewable energy enterprises; expanding opportunities for professional development in the industry; improving the quality of existing and opening new educational programs for training specialists in renewable energy; providing a full cycle of training specialized professionals on the basis of the country's leading institutions; increase in public opinion the prestige of the entire spectrum of professions related to renewable energy. This should allow solving the rather painful problem of energy security for Ukraine.

Сравнительный анализ основных направлений становления и развития высшего образования в Китае и России

In the conditions of international integration of national economies, the construction of education systems is also characterized by a focus on the establishment of uniform international standards. At the same time, each country has its own national characteristics, which are reflected in the construction of the education system, the implementation of training specialists in various fields of activity. Currently, there is an expansion of areas of cooperation between Russia and China. Cooperation takes on new forms and new aspects of interaction. The education system of Russia in the context of changing socio-economic development and the situation in the international arena, changes in interaction with various countries, requires reform of higher education, since it underlies the training of specialists capable of representing the interests of the country in the international arena. The development of international mobility programs for modern higher education in Russia and China makes the problem of studying the specifics of educational conditions in different countries and cultures extremely relevant. The countries have common borders and long-standing ties. They are characterized by interaction in all areas and directions: cultural, socio-economic, political. China is currently actively developing in the field of technology. This makes it possible to use the experience of training specialists, the methodology of organizing training in higher educational institutions and the development of curricula for higher professional education. The educational process should not only contribute to the training of specialists capable of developing international cooperation between Russia and China, but also form an objective idea of the ideological, intellectual, historical and cultural potential of the peoples of these states.

Difficulties in the Implementation of International Academic Mobility Programs: Student’s Stance. Russian-German Experience in Solving Problems in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction. Academic mobility of students is an integral part of quality higher education in Russia. A frequent problem is a difficult adaption to a foreign country. The article looks into to the problem of offsetting negative consequences of cultural adaptation of Russian students in German universities during short-term stay. The aim of the article is to work out recommendations on preliminary preparation of short-term international academic mobility programs between Russian and foreign partner universities, taking into account cultural adaptation of students. Materials and Methods. The research draws on surveys of students participating in the 6-month (1 semester) international Russian-German academic mobility program. As a survey technique, a group continuous correspondence survey was employed. The questionnaire was compiled following the conditions of relevance and representativeness using empirical indicators and descriptive statistics. The method of statistical factor analysis served a tool to identify the main factors influencing the quality of adaptation; for a comparative analysis of the results of the survey, statistical methods of comparing averages and statistical visualization were used. Results. The article analyzes the results of surveys of students of the German-Russian Institute of Advanced Technologies about the main points of education in Germany that cause them difficulties. A comparative analysis of learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (hybrid, almost completely remote learning) with the period before the pandemic (full face-to-face learning) was made. Conclusions are drawn about the prevailing factors that influenced the success of learning in both cases. Examples of practical recommendations are formulated as to the necessary preparation of Russian university students for studying at European universities in the years following the pandemic, taking into account the results of surveys of teachers from the host German university, as well as the observations of an expert from the Kazan National Research Technical University over the teaching process at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. Based on the results of the analysis of factors most affecting the success of Russian students in a foreign university, we propose measures aimed at accelerating and mitigating the adaptation of Russian-speaking students to a long stay in a foreign environment. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hybrid form of education looks most effective, as it increases the success of Russian students studying abroad. Discussion and Conclusion. The proposed approach to the assessment of influencing factors and the developed methods for their elimination will help prevent similar problems in the future. The conclusions made by the authors contribute to the practice of short-stay international academic mobility organization. The article materials are of interest to the scientific and pedagogical community, faculty and management of educational institutions.

Pre-Professional International Mobility of European Pharmacy Students—A French Example

Internationalisation, as well as the need to interact with international partners in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry, brings an international experience to the pharmacist's career, which is essential. The objective of present work is to provide a preliminary study of the current situation of the pre-professional mobility of pharmacy students. It represents the first case study of the international pre-professional mobility of pharmacy students in France, and in north-eastern France in particular. The study is based on a recent preliminary survey among pharmacy students, conducted in 2020 at the University of Lorraine's Faculty of Pharmacy, reflecting the impact of international mobility programmes, such as the European Union educational and training mobility programme Erasmus+, on the pharmacy curriculum. The results of the present work tend to show that, despite a number of barriers to the international mobility of pharmacy students, the outcomes of international pre-professional mobility are rather positive in their globality.

Differences in the Approach of Students of Various Sex to International Mobility Programs: European Research Results

The purpose of this paper is to explore gender differences in learning experiences among students participating in international study mobility programs. It was undertaken by university students from several institutions of higher learning around Europe in the context of internationalization and intercultural education, which has become a central tenet among European institutions. The research on gender differences in student approach to international study mobility was carried out among 440 university students from five European universities within the context of the Competent student: Experienced Graduate: International Labor Market Key Competency Workshops project, conducted within the framework of the International Partnership Project on Student Mobility financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange. Taking into account both potential competences that are developed during Short–Term Study Abroad (STSA) programs and the usefulness of specific modes of learning during international study tours, the findings suggest that female students have a higher predisposition towards intercultural experiences on STSA programs.

Climate change adaptation in agriculture: Learning from an international labour mobility programme in Australia and the Pacific Islands region

Climate change is expected to seriously affect agricultural livelihoods and food security in all Pacific Island countries. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation contends that, to adapt, both ‘modern’ and Indigenous agricultural practices and knowledge are needed. A challenge lies in combining agricultural knowledge systems and enabling adaptive knowledge to be shared amongst Pacific Islanders. Opportunities to integrate different types of agricultural knowledge (including ‘modern’ and Indigenous) are needed. This paper argues that international labour mobility programmes provide an avenue for knowledge exchange that can support climate change adaptation in agriculture. It presents empirical evidence from research with 33 Pacific Islanders who grow crops in their home countries and were employed in Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP). We demonstrate how SWP participation opened new possibilities for climate change adaptation in agriculture in the Pacific Islands. Adaptive knowledge stems from SWP workers’ exposure to different agricultural skills and ideas in Australia, combined with their knowledge and experience of crop production in their countries of origin. SWP participation created opportunities for workers to draw on different agricultural skills and knowledge on return to the Pacific Islands. The ability for SWP workers to then exchange adaptive knowledge with other Pacific Islanders is enabled by their social relationships, the likes of which an official agricultural extension officer might not have to the same degree. So far, such adaptive agricultural knowledge and skills exchanges are serendipitous. There is scope to explicitly build climate change knowledge exchange into agriculture-focused international labour mobility schemes.