Toward a New Practice of Internationalization: A Case Study on a Short-Term Study Abroad Program at European Institutions of Higher Education

Abstract

This case study describes the development of a short-term study abroad program for business students at two European universities that had previously not cooperated with each other. It explains that the two institutions of higher education first organized a joint summer school and after positively evaluating its outcome decided to continue this cooperation by organizing so-called Marketing Weeks. The Marketing Weeks would take place one semester at the institution in France and the next semester it would take place at the other institution in Germany. The participants were asked to complete questionnaires about the Marketing Weeks after each event. Based on their answers, the Marketing Weeks were adapted each time. The paper explores the positive as well as the downsides of such a business-themed short-term study abroad program. Based on the analysis of the findings, the author gives recommendations for other institutions that seek to establish similar programs.

Marketing Study Abroad Programs: A Student Recruitment Model

“…Many universities conduct short-term international trips appealing to students across a range of disciplines (e.g., Mills, Deviney, & Ball, 2010;Schwald, 2012). Social science majors represent the largest group of study abroad students, business and management majors are second, and humanities majors are third (Ortiz, 2004).…”

The Quest for Innovation and Internationalization in the Middle East: Reflections on an Ultra-Short-Term Study Abroad Program in Europe and its possible transferability to Middle Eastern Universities

“…The paper on which the presentation was based on was published in the KBIE conference proceedings (Schwald, 2011). A more advanced version of this paper was eventually published in the Review of European Studies (Schwald, 2012). In October 2012 the author was invited to submit an extended version of the conference proceedings paper to the International Journal of Pedagogical Innovations (IJPI).…”