This document summarizes a presentation about using study visits abroad as a strategy to internationalize university curriculum. It discusses defining study visits, their benefits, components for designing them, and maximizing student experiences and outcomes. Student experiences from a visit to Palermo, Italy are shared, highlighting how it helped students understand themselves and different cultures better while broadening their horizons. Short-term experiences like study visits can effectively develop international skills for most students who are not globally mobile.

1. Presentatie titel
Rotterdam, 00 januari 2007
Presentatie titel
Anja Stofberg, Milan, June/July 2015
Study Visits Abroad
An innovative strategy to embed an
international dimension in a programme of
study

3. Overview of presentation
Defining the concept of study visits abroad
Study visits abroad as a strategy to
internationalise the curriculum
Basic components for designing study visits
How to make the most of it
Student experiences and insights
Additionally, spin offs

4. Question
How many of your students go abroad for
their studies (via an exchange programme) ?
their internship / placement ?

5. Study visits abroad as a strategy (1)
To expose the non-mobile student majority to
international approaches, perspectives and
communication (hands on, face-2-face)
To focus on all students
To guide reflection and discussion while
abroad
To create added value by curricular
integration

6. Study visits abroad as a strategy (2)
Overall objective
to internationalise the curriculum
Definition by Leask (2009):
Internationalisation of the Curriculum is the
incorporation of an international and
intercultural dimension into the preparation,
delivery and outcomes of a program of study.
The three commonly accepted outcomes of
an internationalised curriculum are:
an awareness of global perspectives,
the capacity for crosscultural communication,
the practice of responsible global citizenship.
(Green & Mertova, 2009, 30).

7. Study visits as a concept
A group of students en route to a foreign
destination (far or near ) where they stay
For a period of 4 – 6 days
Size of the group can differ from 15 - 30/40
A visit within the framework of their studies
An integral part of their programme of study
so NOT an elective course
Specific learning objectives for the visit can
differ and so can the outcomes

8. Question
Have you ever been on a study visit abroad ?
As a participant ?
As an organiser ?

9. How to design study visits abroad
Aim for:
Academic exchange
Social exchange
Cultural exchange
While being:
Content focused
Activity focused
Outcomes focused

10. Fundamental approach
Creating opportunities to interact
with each other and the hosts
Stimulating discussions and initiatives
Draw students out of their comfort zone
In order to
challenge their understanding of themselves
broaden their horizons
support understanding those whose cultures
are different from their own

11. How to make the most of it
Search for visits in unusual locations /
circumstances
Involve students in collective, playful
actions
Identify innovative small case practices
Organise dynamic presentations of
interesting practices
Make space for two-way knowledge
transfer with hosts / fellow students abroad
Make room for micro-consulting: ask your
students to act as experts, giving advice on
questions / issues of interest to the hosts

13. Out of their comfort zone
“I felt a sense of loss and deprivation,
because in the first 2 days I started missing
my friends and my strong wifi connection
back home “.
“I had to adapt to the differences and people
not understanding me”.
I realised I “left my comfort zone” (with baby
steps). I didn’t mind talking to people in
English anymore, I didn’t even think about it,
I just did.
“ At a restaurant the waiter didn’t speak
English. My friend really wanted honey in her
tea, so I started to make humming noises
and he understood me !”

14. Student experiences and insights (1)
Understanding themselves:
What I have learned is that I have to show
more empathy to others.
I would like to be less time-phased, I think you
can enjoy life more if you don’t worry about
time constantly.
The visit to the refugee centre made me realise
how I’m always complaining about tiny issues,
while these people have so many real issues to
deal with and have a lot less chances in life.
I didn’t only get to learn about the city but also
about myself. I’m not good at spontaneously
starting a conversation, which leads to not
being able to build a relationship. I can
improve this by being more confident.

15. Student experiences and insights (2)
Broadening horizons:
I found out what it means to be excluded from a
conversation because you don’t speak the
language the others are speaking.
I have learned that people can be happy with
literally nothing.
It is such a big eye opener for me the big
differences between rich and poor.
It was shocking for me to see the animals that
live on the streets: there are no shelters for
them and some really need medical help.

16. Student experiences and insights (3)
Understanding different cultures:
I was surprised by the level of intimacy the
Palermitan men and women are comfortable with
showing on the streets. I think we Dutchies are
not that open with showing that level of public
affection for each other on the street.
The Palermitan people talked with passion and
hand gestures. Sometimes it looked to me like
they were having an argument, but on further
observation they were just talking. The Dutch are
in general much more stoic in their way of
communicating with each other. You have to get
to know a Dutch person better to find out where
his/her passion lies.
Sometimes I didn’t even notice that someone
didn’t understand me, because they were
pretending they did.

17. Final thoughts of a student
A study visit, I wonder if there is a better way to
teach students some important values. The
world contains more cities than Rotterdam.
And Europe is not rich. It was shocking to see
the poverty, the strong racism, to feel the
frustration of language barriers and the
power of the invisible mafia. But it was
encouraging at the same time to see the
love, faith, passion and happiness, in
circumstances of which most of us thought
that does not happen in Europe. For me, I
absolutely enjoyed the study trip a lot,
especially the moments outside the
programme with the locals.

18. Spin offs
Why not have your own students prepare
such study visits for international students
coming to your university / city ?
Bonus outcome: viewing your “own world”
with different / international eyes. The next
best thing ?
Student – to – student encounters may well
lead to lasting international friendships or
exchanges (outside programmes or
academia).

19. Concluding remarks
Short-term international experiences such as
study visits may be an innovative strategy to
explicitly develop international and
intercultural skills within the regular
curriculum of programmes of study.
To ensure that the large majority of learners,
the 80-90% who are not internationally
mobile, are able to acquire the international
skills considered essential for social work
professionals in an ever-growing global
Europe.
Once students are taken out of their own
environment they begin to examine their
assumptions: an essential step, the start of
true critical reflection.

20. Collective, playful actions ?
Here’s an idea: happy Rotterdam !
How to get people dancing
(including the mayor )