Today I received an e-mail from Lehigh’s Study Abroad Office inviting me to participate in a survey. The survey, Assessing Students’ Motivations, Learning Outcomes, and Readjustment Home After Going Abroad, is intended to evaluate students’ international travel history, motivations for participating in short courses abroad, self reported perceptions of global competence and how students describe the short courses.
As more and more students are electing to study abroad, the survey aims to understand how programs can be implemented and improved to enhance experiences abroad. As exhibited by Lehigh’s implementation of the Global Studies major, Lehigh is committed to creating students who are global citizens – students who are able to adapt to and appreciate different cultures. The world continues to get smaller as nations become more connected, making global skills a necessity.
By investing time and money into research, Lehigh is taking great initiative to increase the popularity and effectiveness of study abroad. I think the best way to do this is to listen to what students appreciated during their experiences and to what prospective study abroad students want. This survey tackles the first parameter. Something that Lehigh could consider for the future is conducting a study abroad survey for incoming freshman. At such a research-orientated institution it seems only fitting that the university would utilize all its resources, especially the student body.
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