Innovations in transport and information communication technology have led to an ever expanding global perspective and playing field, for both business and citizens. Educational institutes play an important role in preparing students for this new reality. One way of doing this is for students to engage in educational travel experiences. Indeed, over the past two decades increasing numbers of students participated in study abroad programs, study tours, international internships and relatively new short-term programs such as international research projects. Yet, at the same time, globalization seems to have reduced some of the traditional benefits of educational travel, as the challenge of adapting to a different cultural environment has become easier than it has been in the past. Equally, there is a need to reconsider the competencies that educational travel should develop, as there is a noticeable shift towards pointing out the professional relevance of these experiences. The aim of this research is to work towards a competence framework and investigate how the learning of competencies is related to overcoming cultural distance. Based on these findings, implications for learning programs are formulated.

2. Content
1. Towards an international perspective
2. International competencies
3. Evidence of learning effects
4. Implications for learning programs
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

3. Towards an international perspective

4. Opportunities
1) International business 2) Discover new ways of living
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

5. Uncertainties
1) International value chains,
global reorganizations,
interdependent markets.
2) Global power is shifting from
West to East. Cultural differences
increase the chance of conflicts
in international business and
politics.
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

6. Higher Education and Internationalization
 My focus: Educational travel
• Study abroad
• International internship
• Study tour
• International research project.
 What international competencies should be learned?
 What competencies are actually learned?
 What are the implications for learning programs?
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

7. Relevance
1) Education: Increase effectiveness and efficiëncy of the
learning experience.
2) Students: Articulate learning experience towards recruiters.
3) Business: More students with international work experience.
4) Government: Prepare students for an uncertain and
international society.
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

8. What international competencies should be learned?
1) Cross-cultural competencies
2) Management competencies
3) Personal development
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

9. Cross-cultural competencies
Relationship
Foreign language proficiency
Factual cultural knowledge
Relationship etiquette
Perceptual
Cultural values
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

10. Management competencies
Technical knowledge
Quantitative skills
Disciplinary knowledge
International business
knowledge
Intra- and interpersonal
Problem solving skills
Collaboration
Communication
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

11. Personal development
Independence
&
Flexibility
Self awareness
Expanded view of the self
Self-assurance
Expanded worldview
Perceptual questioning skills
Awareness of the state of the
world
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

12. Learning effects
My research confirms that students learn a significant amount of
competencies during educational travel experiences.
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl
Study
abroad
International
internship
International
Research Project
Study
tour
Cross-cultural
competencies
+++ ++++ ++ +
Management
competencies
+++ +++ +++ ++
Personal
development
+++ ++++ +++ +
Overall +++ ++++ +++ ++

13. Concerns with regard to learning effects
1. The learning process is hampered by:
• Spending too little time abroad.
• Staying in an ‘expat bubble’.
• Poor quality of learning environment.
2. A support structure would help students to gain more from
their international experience, in terms of:
• Cross-cultural competencies
• Management competencies
• Personal development
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

14. Implications for learning programs
The importance of reflective learning:
1) Assess the progress made in competence learning and
make sure all competencies are covered.
2) To understand initially vague concepts such as
underlying cultural values.
3) Realistically assess the learning process.
E. van 't Klooster www.getupandgo.nl

15. THANK YOU!
For more information:
Erik van ‘t Klooster
Email: eklooster@rsm.nl
Website: www.getupandgo.nl