In his opinion article “Study abroad is necessity, not luxury” in today’s USA Today, travel writer and public television host Rick Steves makes a strong case for why study abroad is a critical investment for the United States.
His opening lines:
Even in challenging economic times, making sure that study abroad is part of our college students’ education is a vital investment. If we want a new generation of leaders and innovators who can be effective in an ever more globalized world, sending our students overseas is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
A poll commissioned by NAFSA backs up this notion: more than half of Americans recognize that study abroad is a vital component of an education that prepares them for success in the global workplace, and nearly three-fourths believe that America’s higher education institutions must do a better job of teaching students about the world if they are to be prepared to compete in the global economy.
But the numbers just aren’t adding up. Steves points out that, “Four out of every five first-year students aspire to study overseas. But at any given time, only about 2% of students are able to.” He specifically mentions the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act as a way to increase access to study abroad.
What are your thoughts? How can we keep this conversation going in tough economic and political times? Share your comments below.
As an adviser, I enjoy talking with students about the many opportunities to study, work, or do an internship abroad. Often, students express a strong desire to spend a Jan Term or May Term, semester, or a year overseas but these days, they seem to need more guidance and support to navigate their path. Things that are unknown or unclear to them such as foreign educational system, grade transfers, language, living situation, food, getting around, can stop them short from pursuing their goal.
The biggest obstacle I have seen, is when the students do not find any real academic connection in the program they are seeking, with what they are doing at their home institutions. The study abroad experience needs to be an integral part of their academic experience, not an isolated or separate thing to add to their resume. It needs the support of academic advisers, faculty, and all those that work with the students. Yes, the value of study abroad is certainly there, yet it may not be evident to the students or their parents. As educators, I think we need to do a better job in educating people on the benefits and rewards of study abroad, especially in this tough economic time.
Study abroad can change lives. We know this because many of us have already benefited from it. Now we just need to do our part to get more students to participate.
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I think that one of the issues that students have with study abroad is how to be sure that the classes they take overseas will transfer back into their home institution and count towards their degree. The college that I graduated from did not have a study abroad program so I had to go through outside programs which created some difficulty in the transfer of credits and graduating on time. I think more schools need to work towards integrating study abroad programs into their curriculum so students may stay on track towards degree completion without losing time and money.
Study abroad is so important….not only so that students can compete in a global economy but also so that they are simply aware of the world outside of their own.
If every student had the chance to step outside the American paradigm for a short time just once in life as a young person or college student and live among people with open arms and hearts from a different place, culture and language, and then given the tools to implement and live out what they discover in that process, many of the world’s greatest social, political and economic problems would be reduced exponentially in one generation. I truly believe this.
Brett Reichert
Atlanta, GA
I think colleges and universities are not doing a good job of promoting international study to students. Most minority students have never been introduced to the idea because they are automatically seen as unable to study abroad financially. I think all resources should be made available to students so that they are given this option. First present the option, just as classes are presented in house, provide a detailed presentation on how study abroad is possible, and then list the rewarding benefits. I have attended several schools and no one has ever discussed study abroad during my enrollment. Until we increase awareness of study abroad it will continue to be a lost treasure.
[...] and all-around travel dork Rick Steves made some unexpected waves last week when he declared that “Study abroad is a necessity, not a luxury” article in a USA Today opinion piece. His opening lines were: Even in challenging economic times, [...]
Isn’t Rick Steve’s son now working in study abroad?
I think we are all on the same page that Study Abroad is important and can change lives for the better. Sandy Soohoo-Refaei, I really think it is a nice perspective to think that we can actually do more. Often times the issue of study abroad gets boiled down to how expensive it is, while that is absolutely true, I totally agree with you that there is more we can do to sensitize our students to their options, also great point about it needing to be academically relevant to them. That should certainly be a large part of the university agenda to find and connect with programs that are academically meaningful for our students.