By QUINN BAILEY, LAUREN MACNEILL & MATT PETRAGLIA
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writers
Study abroad has been around since 1190, when Emo of Friesland traveled from northern Holland to study at Oxford University. Centuries later, students are studying abroad all over the world in record numbers.
According to the most recent data from the Institute of International Education (IIE), an organization that “helps people and organizations leverage the power of international education to thrive in today’s interconnected world,” U.S. study abroad numbers have grown by 109,193 students, from 223,534 students in 2015/6 to 332,727 students in 2016/17, a 49 percent increase.
IIE wants those numbers to increase at an even higher rate. In 2014, the organization launched the Generation Study Abroad initiative to “mobilize resources and commitments with the goal of doubling and diversifying the number of U.S. students studying abroad by the end of the decade.”
Towson University is one of the Generation Study Abroad commitment partners that joined the cause from the beginning in 2014. The goal was to increase study abroad participation by 40 percent by 2020. Towson exceeded its goal three years early, reaching a 42 percent increase by 2016/17. To help reach its goal, TU study abroad staff created the TU Institutional Diversity Study Abroad Scholarship to increase the number of underrepresented students who study abroad, including people of color, men, first-generation students, students with disabilities, certain majors, athletes and LGBTQ students.
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Through an analysis of data, we sought to learn more about where TU students and those across the country study abroad, and what has fueled the growth of study abroad programs. We also conducted a survey of 40 current and former college students about their experiences with study abroad.
More women consistently study abroad than men
More than three-fourths (78%) of survey participants who studied abroad (at institutions such as Towson, Bucknell University and Miami University) were women, which is consistent with previous research and news coverage on gender in study abroad programs. Women outweigh men on campuses, but not to the extent that study abroad statistics would indicate. The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) suggests that women are expected to account for the majority of college and university students in fall 2019, about 11.2 million people (56%) compared to 8.7 million males (44%).
Since 2005, women have studied abroad at significantly higher rates than men, resulting in a large gender gap within the program. From ‘05-’17, the average percentage of women who studied abroad was 30.6% higher than men. IIE studies show that 65% of students leaving the US are women.
Business and STEM majors — two fields historically dominated by men — are among the top to study abroad. IIE data shows that the breakdown of STEM graduates in 2016 was 37% female and 63% male. From our survey data, we determined the top majors of study abroad students include mass communication, economics/finance, and psychology.
Kelsey Sobecki, a study abroad specialist at Towson, said she is unsure why more women study abroad than men.
“At each institution I have worked at, this has been the case,” she said. “I think part of it is just that, speaking generally, there are more women enrolled at TU (and most universities) than men.”’
Sobecki explains that TU is working on getting more underrepresented student groups, including males, to study abroad. The study abroad program at TU has already seen an increase in the number of males going abroad between the 2017 – 2018 academic year and the 2018 – 2019 academic year.
U.S. students commonly go abroad to English-speaking countries
Data from IIE shows that from 2014-17, 20% of study abroad locations were English-speaking countries. Among these popular locations are the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Our survey found that 49% of people studied in English-speaking countries, while 51% who studied in a non-English speaking country. Italy was the most popular location, with France and Spain close behind. Our data aligned with IIE, showing that Italy is the most popular non-English speaking location for students.
Margaret Geanacopoulos, peer adviser for Towson’s study abroad office, said people go to English-speaking countries because they tend to feel the most comfortable there. She said foreign languages can be overwhelming, but going to a country where you don’t speak the language is a humbling experience and gives students a better understanding of people in the U.S. who don’t speak English.
Rebecca Rankin, a study abroad adviser with American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), explained it’s a matter of choice because some students are excited to be in a place where they don’t speak the language and all of the information coming at them is brand new, while others would prefer to know the language. She said English-speaking countries have the potential to have very different cultures and learning and growth can still happen in countries where English is the dominant language.
Europe is the most popular region for students studying abroad
Studying abroad allows students to experience life in another location and to reflect on their own culture and beliefs, which provides an expanded understanding of our world, according to Rankin. Research shows that most U.S. study abroad students experience life across the pond.
Since 2014, Europe has been the most popular destination for students studying abroad. According to IIE, more than half of students (54%) who studied abroad in 2016 and 2017 went to European countries. Our survey supported IIE’s findings, showing that 58% of respondents went to Europe as well. Among the most popular countries in Europe are the UK, Italy, Spain, France and Germany; according to the IIE, since 2005, the next most popular regions for study abroad students that aren’t European are Latin America, Caribbean and Asia.
IIE data shows that from 2014-2017, 917,481 students studied abroad. Of that, only 36,818 studied in Africa — a mere 4.04%. When broken down geographically, the southern region of Africa saw the largest number of students who did decide to go there for their studies. South Africa led the continent in students who studied abroad with a total of 21,104 students the years of 2014 through 2017.
Social sciences, business management and STEM fields are the top three fields of study for study abroad students
Data from IIE shows that social sciences, business management, and STEM fields are the most popular majors for students who are studying abroad. However, from 2005-2017, there was a decrease in social science majors participating. STEM fields took the lead for most common major studied while abroad in 2012/2013 and ever since it has held the lead.
“I think the rise in STEM students going abroad is because of a recent shift in focus on creating programs and opportunities abroad for students in more rigorous and structured majors,” Sobecki said. “A lot of the study abroad providers that we work with have developed STEM specific program and scholarships to help encourage and increase students in this field [as well as others] going abroad and it seems to be working.”
A majority of students believe they improve upon interpersonal/cognitive/intrapersonal skills while abroad.
Rankin said most students gain a multitude of skills while abroad that are important, especially in college when they are learning to make the transition of being supported by their families to becoming an adult and transitioning to the next chapter in their lives.
Our survey found that 89% of respondents agreed that they learned valuable skills while abroad, such as flexibility, adaptability, communication, etc., and 81% said they use such skills in their everyday life.
Rankin said study abroad students are in a position to develop important skills that are particularly beneficial for the workforce. Many students report growth in independence, increased flexibility and the ability to problem solve more efficiently. All of these skills are what employers look for in new hires, she said.
Our survey results showed 89% of respondents either somewhat or strongly agreed that they learned flexibility, tolerance and problem-solving skills while abroad.
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Knowing how to speak about their experiences in a professional context will help set them apart from other applicants in the job market, Rankin said.
Our survey found that 81% of respondents agreed that students who studied abroad gain a competitive edge in the job market as well as that these skills help prepare students for the workforce.
A study conducted by IIE found that while abroad, students build upon desired career skills identified in prior U.S. and European research. The survey consisted of 15 skills, of which the largest portion of participants said to have developed a broad range of cognitive, intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to a high degree through study abroad.
However, Rankin said some students only go to have a good time, take some photos and come back. She said not reflecting on their experiences or the impact it had on them is a wasted opportunity.
“Students who apply themselves and unpack their experience will learn they are capable of so much more than they thought,” Rankin said. “This is important as students ready themselves for their career and have to navigate unfamiliar circumstances.”