Experiences within a cross-cultural academic exchange programme and impacts on personal and professional development

Abstract

<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction</jats:title><jats:p> As society becomes increasingly internationalised, it is important to consider international perspectives on occupational therapy education. There is little research on the experiences and impacts of international learning opportunities such as through academic exchange programmes. The aim of this study was to explore the impacts of an international academic exchange programme among occupational therapy students. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p> This study was conducted as a qualitative research study. Data were collected by in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine participants (three men and six women) who participated in an exchange programme at Thomas Jefferson University in the United States and graduated from Kitasato University in Japan. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Findings</jats:title><jats:p> Educational outcomes were sorted into four categories: experience, reaction, learning and behaviour. Knowledge and experience gained from the international exchange programme had a positive impact on the personal and professional development of the participants. Participants reported that the programme helped them in acceptance of diversity, collaborating beyond boundaries and gaining confidence from challenges. These impacts persisted even after they graduated. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p> In an increasingly globalised world, internationalisation of occupational therapy education is significant to build a global community of occupational therapists who seek to improve their practice. </jats:p></jats:sec>

Examining the role of motivation in shaping future primary school teachers' professional competence in Kazakhstan

“…Literature Review An analysis of the concepts, approaches and substantive components of professional competence presented in the literature was carried out within the framework of this aspect. Modern approaches and interpretations of professional competence are very different (Mashizume, Watanabe, Fukase, Zenba, & Takahashi, 2020;Olsen & Jentoft, 2023). Competence is a set of properties of a subject that are manifested in activity.…”

Correlation Analysis of International Student Exchange and the Enhancement of China’s International Cultural Communication Power Based on the Subsumption Sorting Algorithm

“…Literature [10] explored and analyzed the attitudes of study abroad groups when they face negative comments about their own countries, using Chinese and American international students as the research subjects and using analysis of covariance, correlation analysis and regression analysis to explore that Chinese international students reacted with a stronger sense of discomfort in the face of negative comments about their countries, and that Chinese students were more likely to be affected by the collective face. Literature [11] used qualitative research methods collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine experimental students, and the analysis results showed that the study and experience of international exchange is favorable to students' acceptance of multiculturalism and cooperation versatility, and it has a significant and persistent effect on personal self-confidence and expression.…”

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

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“…Most frequently, international contact starts in the later years of healthcare profession education, once students have sufficient clinical experience to enable them to work in a clinical environment abroad. There is a wealth of literature on the impact of international exchanges for allied health professionals, including nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech–language pathology 14 17–20. The impact of international learning opportunities, such as through academic exchange programmes, includes benefits for personal and professional development, increased cultural competence and improved communication skills 5 10 12–14 17 20 21…”