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Manchester, United Kingdom — 22-25 September 2009

WYSE Archives

Measuring long-term outcomes of education abroad experiences

Apr 4, 2019

In a dynamic and informative WYSE webinar this week, Dr. Amelia Dietrich from The Forum on Education Abroad discussed what is known about connections between language learning, study abroad and career opportunities drawing on recent research on these subjects. She also shared details of a new research project that explores the interrelations of these three experiences.

Responding to a question from the audience, Dr. Dietrich pointed out that for the purposes of this research, education abroad includes non-degree programmes, such as service learning, volunteering, internships, language learning and high school year. According to Dr. Dietrich, The Forum sees an opportunity to capture measurable, long-term outcomes of the education abroad experience versus a measurement of the quality of the experience itself which most organisations are already looking at in short-term surveys. In a poll conducted during the webinar, we learned that 75% of organisations survey participants one week and one month after programme completion, while only 25% of organisations survey within a year, and none within five years. Commenting on the poll result, Dr Dietrich mentioned that this was typical for the sector as it becomes progressively harder to track participants after they complete a programme.

Find out what Dr. Dietrich considers the hardest part of the study abroad programme, whether language level makes a difference for employability, and much more during this webinar by listening to the recording – “What We Already Know and What We’re Finding Out about Study Abroad, Language Learning, and Career Opportunities“.

More details on this new research project being conducted jointly by researchers at Penn State University, the American Councils for International Education, and The Forum on Education Abroad, and how you and your organisation can get involved are here.