Beyond It Was Great experiences from study abroad sa Dahlberg
International Office Office of Student Affairs
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Why? Articulate outcomes (students) Lack of awareness
(employers) Added value CV
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Why? Co-curricular activitiesLittle importance Some to moderate
importance (3-4) Great deal of importance (5) Career related work
(other than internships and co-op) 21682 Internship63361
Co-op143748 Leadership in an organization 75340 Student
Organizational Membership 66628 Community Service137116 Diversity
Training226216 Atletic Participation42526 Study Abroad57403
Statistics from session at NAFSA, Boston 2015
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Theme at NAFSA Not just Life-Changing University of Arkansas
International Studies Abroad Lessons from Abroad Institute of
International Education Models developed to help students
articulate transferable skills gained abroad to employers and
academic reviewers. Handbook!
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How? Academic and administrative staff in cooperation
Introductory lecture with David Wick (Santa Clara University,
California) to all students (183), during kick off 9 participants 4
Preparatory/workshops before departure Academic advisor Personal
coach Reflections during the exchange period and Skype meetings
Presentations upon return No credits, but diploma
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The students
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Example of goals Professional: -work with marketing and become
a brand manager -find balances in my school work and reduce stress
Personal: -become better at decision making and reduce stress -be a
part of the US culture -learn about Kenyan culture -be able to
travel alone Academic: -pass all my courses while I am abroad
-improve my English -develop my English language skills
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Me today Who am I? My life experience My strengths My
weaknesses
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Me tomorrow Where will I be when I am 30 years old? Successful
career? Weaknesses? How can study abroad help?
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My time at Did I reach my goals? My time at
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Students evaluations Good: - Personal coaching, follow up,
deeper awareness of goals and personality, goal orientation, force
to reflect and make decisions, improvement in ability of planning,
thinking outside the box, improve leadership of oneself,
inspiration. - I achieved more than I would have thought. To be
developed in the project: Difficult to prioritize the project in
stressful times, more academic coaching in the beginning, more
meetings.
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Challenges Make students join the program Use students for
future applicants Make students understand the benefits in advance
and not only upon their return Compare the results with students
who have not been part of the project Make students reflect upon
how to use the pedagogics (goal orientation) in their CV:s Make
students realize what they actually achieved Activities upon return
Further collaboration within Lnu
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Future plans Involve more students Make the project more self
sustaining Develop a set of optional tasks Develop the web Involve
the working life more Integrate BIWG more in our general
information to students Peer-to peer
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Discussions What competences are important to gain through
study abroad? How can we make students find and articulate the
hidden values they gain through study abroad? How can we make more
students reflect BIWG on beforehand? How can we make more students
join a project like BIWG? If time: have your institutions done
something similar? Share experiences!
