Mobility and motivation

Contextual notes

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Current mobility patterns: some indications and observations

Why mobility? • Differences between groups• Individual vs. institutional vs. national motivations

Main obstacles to mobility

The role of Bologna experts in supporting mobility

Structure

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Mobility in Europe is still very European: • 3% of European students are mobile (575 000), 82% of these

mobile within Europe• Geographic proximity and language play a role ( cultural

experience?)• Other outgoing students go to US and Australia• Half of foreign students in Europe are Europeans• Growth of incoming students from Asia, especially China (top

country of origin)

After decades of attention on credit mobility, degree mobility is regaining in importance• Before mainly development cooperation• Now (also) brain gain and revenue creation

Mobility patterns: indications and observations

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There is no such thing as mobility pure and simple• Mobility of students• Mobility of faculty/researchers• Temporary mobility = credit mobility• Mobility for study of a full degree = degree mobility

They follow different logics, different patterns, and are driven by different motivations and expectations

different main destination countries!

What mobility?

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Often vertical in nature: flows are from HE systems with too little or too poor provision into quality systems• to gain a better degree, of a better quality, at a better institution,

or a degree not available ‘at home’• Improve job/career prospects and salary expectation

Range of other motivations:• Added value to CV, improving language skills, study with a

known professor/at a know instituion• Adventure, will to escape, individual growth… • Mobility promotes mobility: good experience in previous mobility

Important differences between countries

Why mobility? – Degree students

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Mainly horizontal in nature: between institutions of similar standard

Driven by desire for cultural learning and enrichment (experience or human growth)• Fun and sun (?), adventure, finding a boy/girl friend…• Interesting/attractive lifestyle, food, landscape, climate…

Also academic considerations: • Work with a know expert e.g. for thesis• Expose oneself to a new academic experience and methods• Learn/improve language skills• Improve job/career prospects; adding value to the CV

Are these expectations matched in reality?

Why mobility? – exchange students

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National level objectives on mobility • Internationalisation of HE, work force, society…• Development cooperation• Boosting research (HE quality)• Brain gain

Institutional motivations• Internationalisation of institution (incoming and outgoing

exchange students)• Boosting research/recruitment of high talent• Supporting international cooperation at other levels• BUT: no institution wants to lose their best students at master or

doctoral level! Is mobility having the expected impact?

Motivations at other levels

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Personal level disincentives• Family, work, character (lack of courage or initiative), etc.

Practical and financial disincentives• Lack of sufficient resources/scholarships, (non)portability of

grants and loans, high living expenses in destination• VISA problems and combining study and work (permits)• Complicated administrative procedures (‘red tape’, also at

institutional level)• Lack of information on mobility opportunities and benefits

Cultural obstacles• Lack of language skills• Lack of previous experience abroad• Lack of cultural preparation, openness…

Obstacles and disincentives

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Academic disincentives and obstacles• Difficulties in recognition of degrees or credits (both ways)

risk of losing time, or gaining a ‘useless’ degree• (Negative) attitudes of professors and other staff• Degree structure: no time and scope for mobility• Mobility not relevant for own field of study

Mobility restricted to a limited number of institutions and countries

Obstacles and disincentives

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Motivating mobility – the role of the Bologna Experts• What kind of concrete activities are taken and could be taken to

motivate more students to go abroad?• How to motivate students to go to less usual destinations, be it

for fun or for academic reasons? How to get more students to go to Africa, for example?

• Have there been observable reductions in mobility due to the Bologna structure? What to do about it?

Questions for discussion

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Thank you!

Maria Kelo

Academic Cooperation Association ACA

Rue d’Egmontstraat 15

1000 Brussels

maria.kelo@aca-secretariat.be

www.aca-secretariat.be

The end…

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Motivations of different student groups and actors• Are motivations clearly different for full degree students and

exchange students? What needs to be taken into account in motivating different kinds of students?

• What are the main purposes of mobility to individuals, institutions, countries? How can these be matched?

• Is eventual lack of motivation most often related to lack of resources, lack of information about opportunities and benefits, or some other reason?

• What are the perceived most important obstacles for mobility (incoming and outgoing, as well as short - and long-term)?

Questions for discussion

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Changing motivations• Have mobility patterns changed significantly in the last 5 years,

and if yes, does this correspond to a change in motivations• How - if at all - do you think motivations have changed in the last

years?

Questions for discussion

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Motivating mobility – the role of the Bologna Experts• What kind of concrete activities are taken and could be taken to

motivate more students to go abroad?• How to motivate students to go to less usual destinations, be it

for fun or for academic reasons? How to get more students to go to Africa, for example?

• Have there been observable reductions in mobility due to the Bologna structure? What to do about it?

Questions for discussion

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