International Study Tour Research Articles

Dismantling the education exclusion zone

Traditional textbook publishing magnifies some voices while silencing others, pushing consistently marginalised groups into an education exclusion zone. Open educational resources (OER) purportedly address this problem; however, without adequate guidance on inclusive design, OER fail to rise to the challenge. This paper undertakes an exploratory initial review of EmpoweredOER, a practical tool in first-phase iterative development, designed to unpack the complexities of inclusive OER. Emerging from a grant-funded international study tour, three best practice themes informed the design of EmpoweredOER: true accessibility, beyond technological; universal design for learning and inclusive open education nexus; and diverse perspectives and representation. Initial findings indicate EmpoweredOER meets its objective. Future research will analyse the impact and growth of EmpoweredOER as it matures.
 Implications for practice:
 
 There is appetite to dedicate further resources to developing inclusive OER tools.
 Advocates can instill a sense of community in their resources for increased engagement.
 Resource creators should incorporate interactivity and adaptability for greater contextualisation.

Meaningful short-term study abroad experiences: the role of destination in international educational tourism

ABSTRACT Short-term study abroad (STSA) programs are one of the most dynamic segments of international educational travel and tourism. Our study utilizes experiential learning theory (ELT) to investigate and compare the scope and depth of students’ encounters during STSA tours across four different global travel destinations (the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Vietnam, and the United States of America). Through an analysis of the learning journals of 116 undergraduate students who participated in these international study tours, we identify the types of experiences that students engage in during their STSA programs. Then we investigate which experiences are perceived to be more meaningful and to facilitate student learning. Last, we analyze these experiences across four different global destinations to explore how meaningfulness may vary. The study provides important implications for travel providers concerning the choice of travel destination and for higher education institutions that design and develop international educational tourism opportunities.

Above and Beyond: A Grounded Theory of Aotearoa/New Zealand High School Teachers’ Perspectives on International Study Tours

This paper addresses the dearth of research into the roles high school teachers play in organising and leading international study tours offered by high schools in New Zealand (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic). The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the motivations and experiences of teachers involved in these tours. A grounded theory approach was used, and qualitative data were collected via face-to-face interviews with eight teachers forming the basis of the development of a theory which proposes that both navigating and negotiating learning experiences are key aspects of the teacher’s role. Data revealed that the expectations and challenges placed upon the teachers had implications for their personal and professional lives. The tension between teachers’ perceived obligations for the safety of the students and the adolescent’s desire for freedom to explore whilst travelling proved difficult to resolve and teachers questioned the sacrifices they personally needed to make.

Responsible by default: the international study tour supervisor role

ABSTRACT In 2014, the Australian Government introduced the New Colombo Plan (NCP), whereby undergraduate students would become ‘informal ambassadors’ enhancing Australia’s ‘soft power’ within the Asia-Pacific region. Participation by students, universities, host organisations and communities expanded rapidly before Australia’s pandemic-driven closure of international borders. This hiatus has afforded a space for reflection upon the NCP, including the pivotal study tour supervisor role. Supervisors assume informal responsibilities beyond their formal roles, often in unfamiliar settings, with scarce recognition. Their assumption of responsibility is conceptualised here within a formal-informal spectrum, which underpins an evaluation of how the role might be accorded greater recognition.

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.

International Study tours to India: Tour Operators and Tour Leaders perspectives

In today's age of globalization, international students’ mobility is on the rise and projected to reach around 8 million annually by the year 2025 (OECD, 2012). One of the lesser known reasons for international students mobility is the International Study tour, which is a short duration, unique mode of students’ travel organized by a parent educational institution/association to one or more foreign destinations. Such tours incorporate touristic elements and are also a limited-duration travel like tourism and yet one of the most neglected area in tourism research. In this paper the perception of two very important stakeholders was taken into account; that of the tour operators and the tour leaders. The specific objective was to understand existing marketing approaches and other related operational aspects of such tours in the Indian context. These inputs will add to the body of knowledge about international study tours from the tourism perspective and will also have tourism policy planning implications. Research Approach:The study is mostly qualitative in nature. Two sets of Questionnaires were prepared and the responses were examined for meaningful new insights and knowledge to supplement already existing literature on international study tours. For open-ended questions, thematic content analysis with an inductive latent approach was adopted. Narrative analysis was another method found suitable for this paper. A clearly specified list of problems and challenges that have emerged from this study presents a suitable basis for designing the right responses/solutions to address them.

International service-learning: possibilities for developing intercultural competence and culturally responsive pedagogies

ABSTRACT Globalisation and human mobility have contributed to increased student diversity in Australian schools and globally. Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmesare under pressure to prepare pre-service teachers (PST) who can respond to the educational and cultural needs of diverse student cohorts. International study tours and service-learning programs are conceived as means for developing interculturally competent “classroom-ready” teachers. This paper reports on a New Colombo Plan water safety/swimming programmedesigned and delivered by pre-service teachers in a rural Fijian community. Findings indicate that immersion as “other” was important for building empathy and appreciation of the lived realties of linguistically and culturally diverse Indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian children. Additionally, findings reveal various ways by which PST enacted cultural competence in teaching the water safety/swimming program. Where international service learning is not always be an option, we argue for multiple opportunities for PST to work with children within diverse communities and cultural life-worlds. At stake is the potential of ITE programs to enable the development of pedagogical practices for meeting the cultural and educational needs of all children We believe these calls have relevance for ITE educators and their programs in Australia and the broader Asia-Indo-Pacific region.

Wearables of the past and the future: an immersive and cross-cultural learning experience of undergraduate students in an international design collaboration

Short term, collaborative, immersive and situated learning experiences through cross cultural design projects are key to elevating design students’ global perspectives and ability to perform in international contexts. In this article we examine students’ experiences during an international study tour that took Australian university undergraduates to collaborate with peer students in a design project at a university in Colombia. Our examination identifies three key dimensions contributing to the enhancement of students’ global perspectives: 1) intercultural engagement through peer-to-peer exchange, 2) cross cultural collaboration during remote and immersive design work, and 3) immersing in place-based experiences that enable cultural sensitivity. An analysis of students’ essays and design work demonstrates how these three dimensions were fundamental to broaden their worldviews and ability to perform globally. In the context of increasing participation of graduates from the Creative Industries in the global economy, this article contributes to the discourse about the value of short-term mobility programs in Design in Higher Education.

Farmer to farmer education: learnings from an international study tour

ABSTRACT The article captures the perceived impacts of participation in an international study tour (IST). Using interpretive case-based methodology, the article explored how participation has contributed to improved management practices relating to sweet potato production and marketing in Papua New Guinea. Findings from the paper provide insight into how a thoughtfully designed IST incorporating social cohesion can support practice change and development outcomes within agricultural development projects. Further research into how an IST and its design can incite practice change in other contexts is recommended.

Highlights from the Office of the Chief State Law Adviser (International Law)

In 2019, the Office of the Chief State Law Adviser (International Law) proceeded to implement its mandate to provide advice on international law to the South African government and to participate in international legal fora, including at the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the International Institute for the Unification of Private International Law (UNIDROIT), the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group, and the Antarctic Treaty System. The Office also participated in international conferences on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, and international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of international atrocity crimes. In addition to an international study tour, the Treaty Section of the Office continued its function as the official custodian of the South African Treaty Collection, as well as national reports that South Africa submits in terms of treaty obligations. The Foreign Service Act 26 of 2019 was passed by Parliament on 19 November 2019.

A Fish Out Of Water: Developing Intercultural Understanding Of Students In Higher Education

Experiential learning is a critical, dynamic and powerful element of learning in Higher Education. Often named international and domestic study trips or study tours, this educational strategy has the potential to transform the lives of students through engagement with another community or culture. This qualitative study explored the effects of experiential learning during a two-week study tour to Italy, involving two groups of students from an Australian University during 2017 and 2018. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood/Primary) degree, who were in their third year of studies, could enrol in the elective course entitled ‘Intercultural Understandings’ which offered four international destinations. The aim of this study tour was to immerse students in the social-cultural facets of life in Italy as well as gain first-hand experience from educators in early childhood centres in Reggio Emilia. Dewey’s (1938) philosophy of education that enabled the learner to not only learn from teachers and texts, but to learn through experience, underpins this study. In addition, a conceptual framework offered by Kolb (2014) provides a tool for analysing and demonstrating the potential of incorporating experiential learning through higher education. Findings from this study, revealing both intentional and incidental learning, support the philosophy that education is to not only educate the mind, but to develop more complex types of intellectual development necessary for effective citizenship.

Innovations in teaching Australian foreign policy: trust, simulations, and study tours

ABSTRACTMore than ever as the uncertainties of a digitalised world are upon us and where power shifts to and within the region disrupt the familiar patterns of engagement, the acquisition of the knowledge and competencies necessary for Australia to be a trusted international partner are pressing matters. So too, in the development of both personal and professional skills, our pedagogic remit to students guides us to assist them in learning more about themselves in the process. How, then, should we teach Australian foreign policy and in doing so grow the conjunctive tissue of student self-learning in order to prepare students for the world of diplomacy necessitated by Australia's international workspace? Here, experiential learning can have a powerful effect in the teaching of Australian foreign policy and in the development of students' life and professional skills. Both in-person simulations situated within the context of a thoughtful curriculum, and short-term international mobility study tours can contribute to an effective mix of learning experiences and assist us in moving closer toward effective practice in the current uncertainties and an era of digital transformation.

Learning to Teach in the Field: Five Professors Tell How Running an Overseas Study Tour Improved Their Classroom Teaching

This article examines the positive impact of overseas study tours on the teaching philosophies and classroom strategies used by the professors running the tours. While education scholars have identified long term benefits of overseas study tours for students, less attention has been paid to flow on benefits for teachers. This article aims to address this gap in the literature by having five Australian professors describe how their international study tour experiences changed and improved their teaching in the classroom. The article shows that in the process of developing a successful overseas study tour, professors can learn lessons about teaching that they can use productively in the classroom.

Gaining ‘Raw Insider Knowledge’: The Benefits and Challenges of International Study Tours for Creative Industries Students

AbstractInternational short‐term study tours are a fast‐growing format for outbound education and provide exciting experiential learning opportunities for students in the creative industries disciplines. This success has encouraged researchers to seek a comprehensive view of the various concrete experiences that contribute to student learning during study tours. To that end, this article presents evidence from a qualitative online post‐tour questionnaire administered with students studying various art and design disciplines who participated in short‐term international study tours at a large Australian university in 2015. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory as a framework, data collected explored student perceptions of which concrete experiences on a study tour are most impactful and which may actually hinder learning. Findings revealed: experiencing key industry venues are the most significant aspects of a study tour, rather than networking or personal growth; poor itinerary planning and travel issues are the least liked aspects of a tour, yet are often the most easily addressed with better tour management and planning; and students were positively impacted by unexpected gains in knowledge about their creative industries discipline. This study, therefore, provides unique insights into which concrete experiences may be most impactful as part of the experiential learning cycle within an international study tour for creative industries students.

Between Order and Justice: Investments in Africa and Corporate International Responsibility in Swedish Media in the 1960s

This article analyzes how the public relations of multinational companies was affected by the double impact of decolonization and spread of television during the 1960s. It contributes to recent theoretical conceptualizations of corporate social responsibility by adding the dimension of home country stakeholders and the border-crossing character of corporate responsibility. The analysis deals with the changing media representations in Sweden of Swedish-owned firms in Liberia and South Africa before, during, and after what has been called the “postcolonial moment” (1960–1963). In its wake, Swedish industrialists faced a new policy problem: firms in overseas markets were no longer expected to do only what was legal in the host country but also what was considered right in their home country. The analysis follows the debates concerning this issue of corporateinternationalresponsibility throughout the 1960s, and how national business organizations and executives in firms such as the Liberian-American-Swedish Mining Company publicly sought to defend the role of Swedish foreign direct investment in Africa. The business community developed various public relations strategies to engage with its critics, professionalized their media relations, and organized international study tours for unions and politicians.

Public sector’s perspective on implementing public – private partnership (PPP) policy in Ghana and Hong Kong

PurposeThe public sector plays a critical role in the successful implementation of public–private partnership (PPP) projects. Thus, there is a need to holistically explore the public sector’s view on the implementation practices of PPP. This paper aims to explore and compare the public sector’s views on PPP practices in Ghana and Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with PPP practitioners of senior authority in public institutions in both Ghana and Hong Kong. The interviews covered critical issues of PPP implementation practices such as motivations for engaging in PPP, success criteria/indicators, critical success factors (CSFs), external stakeholder management and training and education in PPPs.FindingsThe findings show that quick delivery of public projects and private sector efficiency are the reasons considered by both groups of interviewees. On the success criteria, interviewees from both jurisdictions mentioned user satisfaction, budget, time and quality. The CSFs mentioned by both groups include capacity building and training, project viability, proper planning and good feasibility studies. Sensitization programs, including open forums and community meetings, were mentioned by both groups as measures for managing external stakeholders. On the training and education, both groups mentioned international study tours and organizing courses and seminars.Originality/valueThe outputs of this study offer strategies that are very useful to international private developers who are interested in PPP practices in Africa and Asia. Further, the findings contribute to the knowledge on the international best practices for PPP.

‘Pushing the boundaries’: participant motivation and self-reported benefits of short-term international study tours

Short-term overseas study tours serve as a means of developing students’ global competencies. The authors conducted pre-departure and post-return focus groups with three groups of students at an Australian university who had participated in short-term study tours to Asia to explore their motivations for participating and their self-reported benefits following completion of the study tour. Students’ key motivations revolved around the allure of a challenge, the desire to complete coursework quickly, experience cultural immersion, expand their networks, develop their ‘soft’ skills and to set themselves apart from other graduates in the future. The main self-reported benefits of the study tours centred on increased confidence from ‘pushing the boundaries’, enhanced intercultural understanding, improved interpersonal skills and the perception that career goals, particularly in relation to working overseas, had been clarified.

Effects of International Study Tours on Attitude toward doing Business Globally Assurance of Learning in Executive MBA Programmes

The past two decades have experienced and realized the wave of globalization as pervasive and impactful imperative in the world of academia, and not just in the corporate world. This realization is reflected in the 2011-13 Report by AACSB Task Force on Globalization of Management Education (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, June 2011-13). The AACSB report highlights broad globalization trends in management education that have drawn the attention of institutions, corporations and business schools alike, that are striving to prepare their key stakeholders (managers and students) to face today’s complex global challenges. Today’s increasingly integrated and complex global business environment has led many Executive MBA programs to address and incorporate global awareness, perspectives, and practices into curriculum instructions. This challenge led to many U. S.- and non-US based Executive MBA (EMBA) programs to follow the mandate proclaimed by AACSB: “…AACSB recognizes institutions that uphold its mission and core values, work to advance the interests of global management education, and participate in AACSB’s community of leading business schools. In this context, AACSB focuses on continuous quality improvement in management education through innovation, engagement, and impact” (http://www.aacsb.edu/). Specifically, many EMBA programs have infused a global tour as an important component of the curriculum, albeit some of these programs have made such global tours as an optional part, whereas many EMBA programs have made it a required component. Of the curriculum; about 65

Post-war planning and policy tourism: the international study tours of the Town and Country Planning Association 1947–1961

In light of the burgeoning academic interest in policy mobilities and policy tourism, this paper offers a critical insight into international planning study tours. Countering the contemporary focus of much of the research on these topics, this paper draws on archival research to explore the international study tours of the UK's Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) between 1947 and 1961. In doing this, the paper makes two wider arguments; first, that there remains significant mileage in bringing together the policy mobilities literature with the work on past exchanges and visits by architects, engineers and planners and, second, that greater awareness and appreciation of past examples of comparison and learning might allow contemporary studies to be situated in their longer historical trajectories.

The Effects of International Study Tours in the Decision of Students to Go to Work Abroad – The Example of the GGS’ IST to Turkey and Russia

The Effects of International Study Tours in the Decision of Students to Go to Work Abroad – The Example of the GGS’ IST to Turkey and Russia