Short-term study tours as a driver for increasing domestic student mobility in order to generate global work-ready students and cultural exchange in Asia Pacific

Beyond the ‘normal’ to the ‘new possibles’: Australian students’ experiences in Asia and their roles in making connections with the region via the New Colombo Plan

“…Emerging from the current study, mobility as connecting is underpinned by the students’ accumulation of embodied cultural and social capitals as enablers of the students’ participatory capital in engagement with Asia. With respect to enhancing the embodied cultural capital, the finding lends support to the plethora of previous research on students’ increased intercultural competence emerging from outbound mobility, particularly in linguistically and culturally different settings (Bretag & van der Veen, ; Campbell & Walta, ; Scharoun, ). With regard to social capitals, the students’ perceived motivations to establish connections and networks in Asia are shaped by their pre‐existing habitus and desire to live, study and work in Asia, as well as their recognition that Asia is strategically important for their future and their country.…”

“…The interview excerpts indicate the students’ appreciation of cultural differences and openness and willingness to acquire awareness of cultural otherness by interacting with local people. Akin to previous research, the current research finding highlights the benefits of concrete intercultural experiences, which involve immersion in another culture, to the students’ improved ‘understanding of different people’ and intercultural empathy that constitute the ‘global work‐ready skill sets’ (Scharoun, , p. 89).…”

“…This finding backs up the proposition that engagement in cultural fields distinct from the students’ home culture can challenge students to think differently and help develop their cultural awareness and positive perspectives regarding the host culture and its people (Walkington, ). Particularly, Sam's reflections on the host culture in comparison with his home culture echo the finding from Scharoun () that educational outbound mobility to a significantly different culture can enhance cultural awareness of both the other culture and one's own culture. Awareness of cultural idiocrasies and the gaps between the two cultures is sequentially conducive to fostering intercultural sensitivity, self‐awareness (Bretag & van der Veen, ; Campbell & Walta, ) and intercultural capital's exchange value in transnational mobility (Tran & Pham, ; Tran & Vu, , ).…”

“…Despite these limitations, these studies provide valuable insights into the experiences of Australian students undertaking international mobility in Asia, and the current research builds on these observations. A study of 20 Australian students undertaking a short‐term mobility programme in Singapore shows that the programme provides participants with contextual experience and cross‐cultural skills, including ‘a different set of cultural norms and ways of thinking’ (Scharoun, , p. 88). Bretag and van der Veen () studied a group of Australian students participating in a short‐term mobility programme to Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, and they found that students perceive increased confidence, greater intercultural understanding and improved interpersonal skills as key benefits.…”

Exploring regional and institutional factors of international students' dropout: The South Korea case

“…The study indicates that the dropout rate itself is lower in short‐term programmes, and few regional or institutional factors show any significant influence on dropout rates in these programmes. Some previous studies have suggested that many international students expect ‘amazing’ experiences during their short‐term visits (Jeanpierre & Broadbent, , p. 209), and their experience is already meaningful in the perspective of escaping from their own cultural contexts (Scharoun, ). In addition, these programmes are too short in duration for the students to decide that they must drop out.…”