Pre-departure Training Research Articles

English as a Lingua Franca in Short-term Study Abroad Contexts and Implications for Pre-departure Training

Short-term study abroad (STSA) programmes can provide English language learners important exposure to linguistic diversity and variability associated with English as a lingua franca (ELF). Emphasising the importance of ELF in these programmes highlights how students can navigate and benefit from linguistically diverse environments. This paper examines connections between the reported social interaction patterns of 18 Japanese university students during STSA and ELF perspectives using a qualitative analysis of their reflective writing from before departure, upon return, and nine months post-STSA. The research showed how multilingual encounters can shape students’ ELF perspectives. Supplementary survey data revealed further insight into the character and frequency of STSA social interactions, including ELF use with other international students on linguistically diverse programmes. The findings are used to in the development of suggestions for pre-departure STSA training to prepare students for communication in multilingual settings.

AN ESSENTIAL APPROACH TO MITIGATING EXPATRIATE CHALLENGES: EXAMINING EFFECTIVE SELECTION AND TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR EXPATRIATES

Many companies face challenges with expatriate success, often resulting in early returns or less-than-ideal job performance. In today’s interconnected world, multinational corporations (MNCs) increasingly rely on expatriates to manage their subsidiaries, as these professionals often bring a deeper familiarity with the company’s techniques and processes compared to local staff. The struggles faced by expatriates highlight areas of improvement needed in both the selection process and pre-departure training. This study aims to explore how well MNCs implement effective selection and training strategies for expatriates, and to assess how they evaluate these methods. It draws on the concept of culture shock alongside established models for expatriate selection and training, particularly Ronen’s Model for selection and Black and Mendenhall’s Framework for training. The research involved expatriates currently working in MNC subsidiaries. Interestingly, the findings revealed a discrepancy between theoretical ideals and actual practices. While many MNCs fell short of the recommended selection and training methods, there were proud exceptions that truly excelled in these areas. Additionally, respondents shared a wealth of perspectives regarding the selection and training processes, which adds valuable insights into how these practices can be refined for better success in the future.

Exploring lifestyles, work environment and health care experience of Nepalese returnee labour migrants diagnosed with kidney-related problems.

In recent years, international media and the scientific community have expressed concerns regarding rising kidney health-related risks among Nepalese labour migrants in Gulf countries and Malaysia. Previous studies have highlighted poor lifestyles and work conditions among Nepalese migrants, which could potentially impact their kidney health. This qualitative study aims to explore the lifestyles and work environment of returnee Nepalese migrants who were diagnosed with kidney health problems. In-depth interviews were carried out with twelve returnee migrants, all males, with half having worked abroad for at least a decade. Our analysis yielded seven themes: (a) living and lifestyles; (b) work environment; (c) exposure to pollutants; (d) Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) experience; (e) use of painkillers and healthcare; (f) medical expenses for CKD patients; and (g) pre-departure training. This study indicates that Nepalese migrants face numerous challenges, including limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities, poor diets, exposure to occupational hazards, and overuse of pain medication, all of which may contribute to an increased risk of kidney disease. An enhanced pre-departure and on-arrival orientation programme focusing on kidney health-related topics, including the necessary advocacy at the country of destination to provide access to basic services, may encourage migrants to adopt healthy lifestyles and safe working environments, as well as help sensitise migrants to their kidney health risks.

Global emergency medicine: four part series : Paper 4: Global EM education and professionalization.

In 2018, the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) academic symposium included developing recommendations on supporting global emergency medicine (EM) in Canadian departments and divisions. Members of CAEP's Global EM committee created a four-part series to be published in CJEM that would build upon the symposium recommendations. The objective is to offer practical tools to EM physicians interested in becoming involved in Global EM, as well as provide departments with successful Canadian case examples that foster, facilitate, and grow Global EM efforts. This submission is the fourth paper of the series which focuses on education and continuing professional development for Global EM. It includes resources for resident global EM electives, fellowship training and ongoing or additional CPD training for practicing EM physicians. It also highlights the importance of pre-departure training and other required elements of engaging responsibly in Global EM work.

A Qualitative Insight into Pre-Departure Orientation Training for Aspiring Nepalese Migrant Workers.

Pre-departure orientation training (PDOT) can help equip aspiring migrant workers with skills and knowledge to mitigate vulnerabilities throughout their migration journey, including health. In Nepal, PDOT has been mandatory since 2004 for migrant workers awaiting labour permits. The current PDOT programme includes country-specific information as well as health and well-being advice. However, the views of trainees and trainers on PDOT are largely unknown. This qualitative study aims to explore perceptions of migrant workers and relevant stakeholders on the content and delivery of PDOT. Six focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews were conducted with migrants, and eight interviews with key stakeholders were conducted. Thematic analysis resulted in five themes: (a) PDOT structure, accessibility, and implementation; (b) role of stakeholders in labour migration process; (c) coordination and governance; (d) curriculum development and relevance; and (e) capacity of trainers and effectiveness of training. Our findings emphasise the need for a more tailored curriculum with relevant information, education, and communication resources, possibly with input from former migrant workers. Regular updates of training topics and resources, as well as continued engagement with migrants after their employment, are essential for meeting the dynamic demands of the global employment market.

Gaps in Migrants' Access to Contraceptive Services: A Survey of Nepalese Women and Men in Japan.

While all modern contraceptive methods are available for free or at minimal cost in Nepal, contraceptive devices in Japan are mainly limited to condoms, requiring Nepalese migrant women to rely on their male partners for their use. Therefore, Nepalese migrants often seek contraceptive devices from Nepal or request friends or relatives to send them from their home country. This study aimed to identify the gaps and challenges associated with Nepalese migrants' needs for sexual and reproductive health services (SRHSs), particularly contraceptives, before and after their migration to Japan. A mixed-methods study was adopted, an explanatory sequential design (ESD) combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, and data were collected from 186 Nepalese migrants (80 females and 106 males) through an online survey and from two focus-group discussions (FGDs) conducted among 24 participants (14 females and 10 males). This study highlighted the obstacles faced by Nepalese migrants in accessing contraceptive services, such as limited options, language barriers, and high costs. The study also revealed the importance of pre-departure training in Nepal and organizing post-arrival training in Japan to increase Nepalese migrants' awareness of the SRHSs available in Japan, thereby helping to prevent SRH-related health problems, including unintended pregnancies and abortions, in Japan.

Information and immigrant settlement

We study a randomly-assigned program providing information on U.S. settlement for new Filipino immigrants. The intervention, a 2.5-hour pre-departure training and an accompanying paper handbook, has no effect on employment, settlement, and subjective wellbeing, but leads immigrants to acquire substantially fewer social network connections. We rationalize these findings with a simple model, showing that information and social network links are substitutes under reasonable assumptions. Consistent with the model, the treatment reduces social network links more when costs of acquiring network links are lower. Offsetting reductions in the acquisition of social network connections can hence reduce the effectiveness of information interventions.

Navigating Unsettling Intercultural Issues of Volunteer Tourism: A Synthetic Review

In light of the burgeoning research and operational facets of international volunteer tourism, a discernible surge in the engagement of global volunteers for cross-cultural interactions within Global South communities has become increasingly evident. However, global volunteers encounter formidable challenges during their transition into and engagement with the local host community, stemming from a conspicuous paucity of intercultural awareness. This predicament poses a substantial impediment to the aspirational objective of effectuating a beneficial and constructive impact on cross-cultural interaction with the host community. With an intercultural sensitivity lens, this synthetic review examines the major issues surrounding cross-cultural understanding and interactive learning as well as discusses potential mitigating strategies that nurture intercultural sensitivity, making transition and participation more effective for the well-being of the host community. The review suggests that cultural stereotyping, ethnocentric behaviors, self-fulfilling behaviors of volunteers, and the absence of meaningful local participation in co-production of knowledge in volunteer tourism appear to be key factors affecting meaningful cross-cultural interactions and ethical behaviors. The proposed strategies including pre-departure training and orientation as educational discipline, aimed at facilitating cross-cultural immersion, assimilation and interaction, seem to be neglected in practice of volunteering tourism. This oversight undermines the effectiveness of these crucial initiatives in achieving their intended outcomes.

Envisioning a successful professional self through a negotiation‐themed advanced Chinese course

AbstractA great deal of research has recognized the necessity of receiving proper predeparture training for being able to truly benefit from international internship experiences. However, few researchers have taken the next step by exploring how domestic programs could pedagogically and psychologically prepare students for their professional experiences abroad. This study examines the role that a language‐for‐specific‐purposes course plays in the process of preparing students for their upcoming internship experiences in the target culture, with a focus on intercultural negotiation. The findings suggest the students were able to successfully develop the cultural awareness and communicative skills necessary to engage in the negotiation of cultural boundaries. Furthermore, the study discusses how the introduction of a role model, in‐depth workplace scenarios, and creating a holistic view of one's learning experiences are the three pedagogical elements that contribute to the construction of a professional L2 self.

Analysis of Conditions and Problems of Pre-Departure Training for Caregiver Candidate Internships in Indonesia

Within a decade, starting in 2008, the Japanese government opened up the acceptance of foreign workers in the caregiver field, and Indonesia is one of the countries with the most significant number of senders of caregivers in Japan. There are at least four routes for sending caregivers to Japan, one of which is through sending caregiver interns "Kaigo Ginou Jisshuu." This study analyzes the conditions and problems of pre-departure training for caregiver intern candidates in Indonesia. The method used in this study is qualitative and quantitative. Data collection techniques used were interviews, observations, and questionnaires. This study used a purposive sampling technique. The "Ginou Jisshuu" program, through the case study of Nagomi Kaigo Gakkou, can be described that most teachers at LPK are interns with quite high Japanese language skills and experience living in Japan, where this becomes potential in teaching Japanese to prospective interns. The results of this research can become a reference for higher education institutions in community service activities, especially in improving Japanese language teaching in LPK.

Health and wellbeing of Nepalese migrant workers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: A mixed-methods study

IntroductionMigrant workers support low- and middle-income economies through remittances, often bearing considerable health risks with long-term consequences. This study aims to understand the health and wellbeing issues of Nepalese migrant workers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, a major destination for low-skilled Nepalese workers. MethodologyWe conducted a mixed-methods study in Dhading district of Nepal. A pilot survey was carried out with returnee migrants from GCC countries to understand key health and wellbeing issues faced by workers. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with a subset of these returnee migrants and their families, and related stakeholders. These aimed to understand broader societal and policy implications in relation to labour migration. Quantitative data from the survey were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis was used for qualitative interviews. Results60 returnee migrants (58 males, 2 females) took part in the survey (response rate, 100%). Median age of the survey participants was 34 (IQR, 9) years and 68% had completed school level education. Returnee migrants reported suffering from various physical and mental health issues during their stay in GCC countries including cold/fever (42%), mental health problems (25%) and verbal abuse (35%). 20 participants took part in the qualitative study:10 returnee migrants (8 males, 2 females), four family members (female spouses) and six key stakeholders working in organizations related to international migration. Interview participants reported severe weather conditions resulting in physical health problems (e.g. pneumonia, dehydration and kidney disease) as well as mental health issues (including anxiety, loneliness and depression). Participants raised concerns about the usefulness and appropriateness of pre-departure training, and the authenticity of medical tests and reports in Nepal. Female migrants reported facing stigma after returning home from abroad. Language difficulties, alongside issues related to payment, insurance and support at work were cited as barriers to accessing healthcare in destination countries. ConclusionOur study shows that Nepalese migrant workers experience severe weather conditions and suffer from various physical and mental health issues, including workplace abuse and exploitation. The study highlights an urgent need for strategies to enforce compulsory relevant pre-departure orientation and appropriate medical screening in Nepal, and fair employment terms and full health insurance coverage in destination countries. Greater collaboration between the Nepalese government and GCC countries is needed to ensure necessary legislation and regulatory frameworks are in place to safeguard the health and wellbeing of migrant workers.

The System of Sociocultural Adaptation of Foreign Students at Leading Russian Universities (On the Example of Azerbaijani and Chinese Students)

The number of foreign students educating in Russian universities is increasing every year. With the growing number of such students, the issue of their adaptation becomes more re levant, because that adaptation also determines the success of education. The substantial role in this process falls to the share of universities and their educational system, which in the initial stages is aimed at accelerating the adaptation of foreign students to everyday life in Russia, also to provide high-quality and promising education.The article presents the results of a study conducted in order to investigate the features of sociocultural adaptation, the difficulties, which are faced by students during their education period and their expectations, coverage of the place and role of universities, therefore, and scientific and pedagogical staff. To achieve an accurate result, we conducted a survey of international students from the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China studying at Russian universities. 107 students in total (45% Azerbaijani students and 55% Chinese students) from leading Moscow universities participated in the questionnaire-based survey, the age cohort of respondents ranged from 21 to 35 years. Analysis of the results of the survey made it possible to determine the main types of adaptation of students to identify objective and subjective factors of sociocultural adaptation, to compare the principal features of foreign students from Azerbaijan and China in order to understand the main problems of intercultural communication of students from different ethnic groups. The relevance and uniqueness of the study are based on cross-cultural differences between the studied groups, which made it possible to identify both principal and specific features, and their significant difference from Russian culture.The authors of the article concluded that the acceleration of the process of sociocultural adaptation is possible, first of all, through the study of the Russian language and pre-departure training in their homeland, which includes studying of Russian culture, history, traditions and specifics of intercultural communication. Based on the results of the study, the authors proposed recommendations for the formation of a system of measures aimed to optimize the processes of sociocultural adaptation, including well-organized training and teaching, as well as involvement of foreign students in the social activities of the university.

Managing the Unpredictable: Recommendations to Improve Trainee Safety During Global Health Away Electives

Background:For institutions offering global health programs, the safety of trainees during clinical rotations at international sites is paramount. Current guidelines for global health electives recommend pre-departure training and safety-net resources, yet their advice on managing unanticipated problems is limited.Objective:This report illustrates critical safety considerations requiring additional guidance for programs and students and highlights approaches that may improve trainee safety while abroad.Methods:We present a series of five cases adapted from the experiences of students traveling to and from the Yale School of Medicine between the years of 2011–2021. These cases include instances of personal injury, mental health challenges following trauma, sexual harassment, political instability, and natural disaster. For each case, we recommend ways in which programs and their participants may approach the challenges and we highlight issues requiring additional analysis.Findings:We categorized the types of trainee safety issues into three groups: personal health emergencies, individual-level stressors, and large-scale crises.Conclusion:Ultimately, we recommend that rather than solely emphasizing a universal policy, programs and trainees should also be educated on the tools and resources available for addressing unexpected emergencies.

Implementation of a re-designed pre-departure training program for global health advanced pharmacy practice experiences

Background and purposeThis article describes the re-design and preliminary impact of a pre-departure global health training program for nine advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) sites. Educational activity and settingThe program was re-designed from a half-day orientation to a six-week (six-hour total) program. Students explored global health, cultural competency, adaptability, safety, and travel logistics. The program's impact on student learning was indirectly assessed using closed- and open-ended items on pre- and post-program surveys. Students reported self-perceived agreement with eight statements regarding travel logistics and 17 statements regarding global health. FindingsFifty-five students took the pre-course survey, and 47 students took the post-program survey for response rates of 100% and 85%, respectively. Students indicated significant change on 23 out of 25 statements, demonstrating meaningful improvements in agreement in both global health, logistics, and safety. Students were most interested in learning about travel logistics and healthcare information about their specific country upon entry into the program. At the conclusion of the program, students most often reported learning about cultural competency and adaptability. Most students reported no remaining questions. Course design, delivery, and assessment experience was provided for two academic postdoctoral fellows through the implementation of the re-designed program. SummaryStudents perceived improved understanding and comfort with global health concepts and travel logistics after the pre-departure program, despite the diverse nature of rotation sites covered. More research is needed to understand what impact a pre-departure training program has on the overall global health student experience.

Foreign Workers’ Recruitment and Reconsideration of Crucial Factors: A Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study of Migrant Labourers in Malaysia

Malaysia has witnessed an influx of foreign workers, mainly due to its rapidly expanding economy. However, low-skilled or uneducated migrants prevail in the labour market, which places immense pressure on the Malaysian economy. This study aimed to identify some crucial factors related to foreign workers requiring reconsideration at the recruitment phase. It was a sequential exploratory mixed-method study. Data were collected using qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative (face-to-face surveys) methods. The study found that some recruitment factors should be reassessed, such as fixing the minimum educational qualification at the recruitment level, mandatory skill tests and compulsory pre-departure training for selected workers. The findings of this study will help in redesigning foreign worker recruitment policies. Moreover, the results will also assist in guiding the sustainable enhancement of workforce contributions to society and the Malaysian economy.

Poor Income and Unemployment as Determinants of Labour Migration: Empirical Evidence From Bangladeshi Migrant Workers in Klang, Malaysia

The present work is an empirical study of the causes of labour migration, especially, Bangladeshi temporary migrants to Malaysia. The study is based on the survey of 100 Bangladeshi migrant workers who were selected according to two stage sampling procedure. On one stage, an area where Bangladeshi workers reside was selected through random sampling procedure. On the second stage, 100 respondents were selected from the area according to purposive snowball sampling procedure. The main objective of the study is to find out the causes for migration of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia. The majority, 66 respondents, leave their country because of poor income. These respondents had some income in their origin country but that was not sufficient to survive their needs to look after their family. It was also found that 31 respondents left the country because of unemployment. Thus, most of the Bangladeshi workers left their country due to poor income and unemployment. Finally, the study suggested that adequate measures should be taken to provide pre-departure training on job and host county’s culture to the expected migrant workers.

A virtual rural medicine self-learning module for preclerkship students.

Implication StatementAll Ontario medical schools have a mandatory preclerkship rural placement. Despite these mandatory placements, there is a lack of Canadian rural medicine pre-departure training for students. We describe a virtual self-learning module (SLM) aimed to enhance medical students’ abilities to provide compassionate care during their rural medicine placements. This SLM improves students’ knowledge about rural health issues while also encouraging exploration of rural career options. Better preparation for a rural medicine placement may lead to an improved experience and eventually an increase in the number of students pursuing rural medicine careers.

Labor Migration from Mongolia and Uzbekistan: New Trends and Approaches to Regulation

The article discusses trends and approaches to the regulation of labor migration in two countries of Eurasia – the Republic of Uzbekistan and Mongolia – in a comparative aspect. The research highlights factors contributing to the development of labor emigration from the states, including demographic, socio-political and economic factors. Mongolia and Uzbekistan have similar socio-economic and demographic development conditions. They are at approximately the same stage of the demographic transition, have a fairly young population age structure, are labor-surplus countries, and are ready to export labor resources abroad. These factors make them active migratory donors. A significant number of labor migrants including young people are looking for employment opportunities abroad. Migrants are mostly heading for more developed neighboring countries: Uzbeks go to the Russian Federation, and Mongols – to the Republic of Korea. Given the importance of labor migration in the socio-economic development of both countries, on the part of the governments there are quite active steps towards giving the processes of labor emigration an organized and documented character. The authorities of the Republic of Uzbekistan facilitate the opening of pre-departure training centers by receiving countries, conclude intergovernmental agreements on organized labor recruitment in key destination states. The Mongolian authorities are more focused on the organizational and legal issues of bringing labor migration into a documented channel. Both countries have developed an approach to understanding labor migration as a factor in the sustainable development of society and the state. In this regard, the migration policy of Mongolia and Uzbekistan is built around finding solutions for the optimal regulation of labor migration in the interests of national development.

Nursing students' experiences of moral uncertainty in the context of global health practicums.

More students than ever are electing to take part in international practicums from health-related disciplines. With the goal of better understanding the moral experiences and ethical implications of global health practicums (GHPs), the purpose of this Interpretive Descriptive study was to examine the moral uncertainty of nursing students from one university in Canada. Seventeen nurses who had participated in a GHP in their undergraduate nursing program participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed inductively using constant comparative data analysis techniques, and a thematic account of participants' experiences was developed. Findings suggest that nursing students experienced considerable amounts of moral uncertainty during their GHP. Most often, participants' experiences of uncertainty stemmed from a misalignment between their expectations and reality, including encountering different approaches to healthcare, being situated in new cultural and clinical care environments, and grappling with how best to stay within one's scope of student professional practice. Participants inconsistently reflected on these experiences, which may present a missed opportunity for professional growth through the development of a heightened social consciousness. Educators can facilitate this process by implementing robust predeparture training for GHPs, clarifying program objectives, and providing clinical debriefing.

Planning, implementing, and evaluating a non-essentialist training programme for study abroad in the Japanese HE context

Short-term study abroad (SA) programmes are often promoted as an effective way of developing English language skills and accessing opportunities for intercultural learning. Whilst pre-departure intercultural training is thought to play an important role in enhancing the potential for meaningful learning, overemphasis on essentialist framings of cultural difference may be counterproductive given the multicultural and multilingual composition of many societies. This paper reports on an action research project triggered by the perceived underdevelopment of SA training and essentialist educational practices observed in a university ELT setting in Japan. The research involved the systematic design, implementation, and evaluation of a non-essentialist SA training e-learning programme informed by research on intercultural awareness, intercultural citizenship, and English as a lingua franca. Findings from a qualitative evaluation of learning on the programme among 22 students revealed some emergent non-essentialist understandings of culture, new awareness of variability in English language use, and a perception that the course was useful for SA training. The paper contributes to understanding of the importance of moving away from essentialist learning in SA training by integrating content which recognises the learning potential of SA experiences in multicultural and multilingual settings.