Preparing students for the global workplace: the impact of a semester abroad

Abstract

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, employers are seeking ‘global-ready graduates,’ that is, individuals with an intercultural mindset, who can interact effectively and appropriately with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In response, tertiary institutions are creating more opportunities for international experience. This article centers on a mixed-method study that investigated the impact of a semester-long international exchange program on the global-readiness of Chinese university students. Whereas the experimental group experienced gains in intercultural competence, second language self-efficacy, and global-mindedness, the control group (students on the home campus prior to study abroad) regressed slightly. The analysis of the qualitative data revealed multifarious elements that led to these differing outcomes.

摘要：世界各國距離日漸拉近，僱主亦越加要求大學畢業生具環球視野，即擁有跨文化知識，並會學以致用，面對不同母語及文化背景的同事，都能詞句達意，順利並恰當地完成工作。有見及此，各國大專院校加緊投放資源，著力提升學生海外學習經驗。本論文以多重方法論為基礎，探討一個學期的海外交流課程，如何使中國大學生就日後世界性工作，有更充分的準備。量性研究結果顯示，參與該課程的學生(實驗組別)在環球視野、二語自學效率及跨文化溝通上都有顯著進步，而未有參與者(對照組別)卻在有關方面呈輕微倒退。定性資料則顯示，環境及個人因素對交流成果有不同影響。

Keywords:

• global workplace
• education abroad
• intercultural competence
• global-mindedness
• second language self-efficacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Jane Jackson is a Professor in the English Department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include intercultural communication, language and identity, and education abroad. Recent books are Language, Identity, and Study Abroad: Sociocultural Perspectives (Equinox, 2008), Intercultural Journeys: From Study to Residence Abroad (Palgrave MacMillan, 2010), the Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication (Editor, Routledge, 2012) and Introducing Language and Intercultural Communication (Routledge, 2014).

Additional information

Funding

The investigation of the learning of semester abroad exchange students from the Chinese University of Hong Kong has been supported by General Research Fund grants [grant number #4280012], [grant number 4440713] from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong and Teaching Development Grants [grant number #4170338], [grant number #4170356] from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. It would not have been possible without the participation of the exchange students. I am also grateful to the local and international students in my Intercultural Transitions course whose insights provided direction for the reshaping of interview protocols and surveys.