Global competence 2.0Mobility obstacles – the reasons behind not going for student exchange

Aalto University working group:Eija Kujanpää, School of ScienceAnita Bisi, School of Electrical Engineering

31.01.2013

To move or not to move?

• Intercultural communications skills are regarded as a crucial part of key professional skills today. International mobility is currently a “must” but is this also the perception of students? What are the needs, hopes, challenges and obstacles for the students in becoming mobile?

• The session is based on a degree student survey carried out at four Schools at Aalto University  in spring 2012 in the fields of technology, art and design as well as business. The objective of session is to analyze the reasons for students to go or not to go abroad and to try find out potential challenges and obstacles for mobility. The goal is to further develop tools, methods and incentives encourage outgoing mobility in the future.

Survey background

• Participating schools – School of Science (SCI)– School of Electrical Engineering (ELEC)– School of Economics (ECON)– School of Art and Design (ARTS) – Survey time 10.2.-29.2.2012– Target group: all degree students intakes of 2006-2010– Technical implementation: webropol

Participation rate 12%

Series10

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

70006092

731

Total number of the students invited to take the surveyTotal number of the answers

1215104

2161280

1286168

1430179

SCI 12,5%

ELEC 13,1%

ECON 13,0%

ARTS 8,5%

• We had different questions for those who wanted to go for an exchange, for those who didn’t want and finally for those, who might want to do an exchange or internship

• We will first have a look at the obstacles in general and what could be improved, then on issues of internship, language and information

Starting years of nos, maybes and yes

2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

50

100

150

200

250

NO

MAYBE

YES

Wherein lies the problem?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Main reasons:

1) Negative experiences of previous attempts to organise an exchange/traineeship abroad (32%; ”no” students)

2) I have already gained so much international experience that another stay abroad would bring no added value to my studies.

3) Family reasons

4) Concern that the period spent abroad will delay or complicate my studies

5) Concern of not managing life abroad (“maybe” students)

6) Financial reasons

What could be done for the nos?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

What could be done for the maybes?

05

1015202530354045

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Both degrees

Not important

12%

50%

22%

17%

11. Which degree would you rather include an exchange/traineeship in:

What do the yes students want?

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220

Soon, I have already secured exchange /traineeship placement

Preferrably next semester

In one or two years’ time

In three to four years’ time

I don't know yet

10. When are you planning to go abroad?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Student exchange

Traineeship

Working on a final project abroad

Short-term visits or courses

Something else (Please specify)

84%

76%

52%

54%

6%

7. Which of the following are you interested in?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Studies in my major

Studies in my minor

Elective studies

Studies in a field other than my own

Language and culture studies

A traineeship

Something else (Please specify)

44%

73%

49%

21%

43%

43%

3%

12. What studies would you complete abroad:

What kind of exchange you like to do?%

Arts Econ Elec Sci0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Trainee

Stud Exch

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Experiencing another culture

Studies that complement the courses offered in my home

universityStudies that can easily compensate

courses in my home university

Connections, a chance to network

Experience of working abroad

Something else (Please specify)

91%

58%

35%

72%

75%

12%

13. What do you expect to gain from your experience abroad?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

yes

no

87%

13%

15. When you were choosing your exchange/traineeship destination, did the teaching/working language used at destination affect your decision?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Courses offered

Language of instruction

Status: university accreditation and rankings

Professor’s recommendation (academic and research

connections)

Other personal reasons (e.g. family and friends)

Fellow students’ recommendation

Level of my academic performance is sufficient for the host university

(admission is fairly certain)

I prefer a traineeship to a student exchange.

Other reasons (Please specify)

66%

80%

45%

18%

37%

37%

16%

14%

16%

8. What are your criteria for choosing an exchange destination?

Criteria for choosing exchange destination• Most important factor: language of instruction• Other reasons:

– The official language of the country, language area– Possibility of learning a new language, improving language

skills– Location, culture, nice and interesting place to live, climate, – 8.: Something else: more than 40 answers related to

improvement of language skills

22. Which of the following ”internationalisation at home ” opportunities are you interested in?TOP FIVE:

1) ”Regular” English-language courses that are common for exchange students and degree students (either wihtin your own major or within the whole School.)

2) Group work: multicultural groups of Finnish and international students

3) Coaching on how to work in a multicultural environment

4) Short special courses focusing on a certain language or culture, with participation from students from the country in question

5) In-depth courses on a certain country or region

Reasons for going abroad

• What has been a crucial factor in your decision to go abroad?– 1.Interest in the target country, its culture and

language 59%– 2. Career advantages of international experience

37%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

The Nordic Countries

Other European countries

Russia and Turkey

China

Other Asian countries (including Israel)

Australia and New Zealand

North America

South America

Africa

Other region (Please specify)

31%

74%

9%

17%

44%

38%

64%

26%

11%

3%

9. Which of the following regions interest you?

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

English

Spanish

Italian

J apan

Chinese

Norwegian

French

Swedish

Germany

Russian

Estonian

Other language (Please specify)

98%

19%

4%

6%

3%

2%

17%

26%

28%

5%

1%

4%

16. Which teaching/working language do you prefer for your exchange studies/traineeship?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75%

yes

no

71%

29%

17. In your opinion, does your home university’s language teaching adequately support exchange studies?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Make exchange agreements with more interesting partner schools.

Provide traineeship offers abroad

Inform students better (e.g. about short-term Nordplus exchanges,

intensive courses etc.)

Help plan the content of exchange studies/traineeship better.

Make better use of connections that teachers and other staff have,

especially when looking for traineeships.

Provide better pre-departure language and culture training.

Provide more support during the exchange/traineeship. What kind of

support? (Please specify)

Increase the level of financial support for exchange studies.

Something else (Please specify)

Nothing

15%

23%

24%

15%

14%

3%

1%

20%

11%

36%

21. What could we (your School) do to get you interested in going on an exchange/traineeship?

To be improved

• Agreement portfolio to target countries to be revised• Language & culture teaching at home university

• Mixing national & international students in courses• Fellow student support• More traineeship possibilities• New models for information distribution

– help-desks– Easy-access websites

Topics for discussion

• 1) Share ideas in small groups– How to distribute information about exchanges at your university

for students– Practical training: what kind of possibilities your university offers

for your students?– How do you motivate your students to go abroad– Language policy (teaching language) at your university at the

moment?