International education has constantly been the focus of the Australian Government. They are committed to continuously advance the quality of education among Australian graduates to sustain the international competitiveness of Australian businesses, moving forward. Outbound mobility plays a vital role in achieving this goal as it furnishes students with the intercultural competence and distinctive skills and knowledge acquired by immersing in another society. It allows students to become global citizens, as it provides them with the opportunity to experience varied and unexplored situations, different approaches to problem solving and ways of relating to others.
The nation’s ability to be a leading knowledge economy is to possess skilled people who are capable of competing internationally and resolve challenges of the future; and this will depend how well these individuals can communicate and collaborate globally.
Key findings of the 2008 institutional survey of outbound mobility practices at Australian universities revealed an increasing commitment to outbound mobility across sectors with the increasing recognition of the value of an outbound mobility experience.
The survey results revealed that universities are increasingly interested to provide a more extensive and diverse overseas study experience for students. Many universities are looking to internationalise their programmes through enhanced opportunities to study overseas. Some institutions have even included mandatory overseas study experience in their undergraduate courses.
In addition, while the survey figures reflect certain boundaries and challenges, the overall approach of Australian universities to outbound student mobility has been highlighted. To address the identified challenges, institutions have designed unique opportunities for students and they include partnership expansions, varied study options and heightened communication through publicity and marketing. These initiatives have shown to yield positive outcomes for the outbound mobility of Australian students.
Read full paper.
Source: ISANA
Join us in the upcoming QS-APPLE 2018 from 21-23 November 2018 in Seoul, South Korea, as we discuss the topic on “Future Universities in the Asia-Pacific: The Changing Face of Higher Education”.