Beyond It Was Great experiences from study abroad Åsa Dahlberg International Office Office of Student Affairs

Why? Articulate outcomes (students) Lack of awareness (employers) Added value CV

Why? Co-curricular activities Little importance Some to moderate importance (3-4) Great deal of importance (5) Career related work (other than internships and co-op) 2 16 82 Internship 6 33 61 Co-op 14 37 48 Leadership in an organization 7 53 40 Student Organizational Membership 66 28 Community Service 13 71 Diversity Training 22 62 Atletic Participation 42 52 Study Abroad 57 3 Statistics from session at NAFSA, Boston 2015

Theme at NAFSA ”Not just Life-Changing” University of Arkansas International Studies Abroad Lessons from Abroad Institute of International Education Models developed to help students articulate transferable skills gained abroad to employers and academic reviewers. Handbook!

How? Academic and administrative staff in cooperation Introductory lecture with David Wick (Santa Clara University, California) to all students (183), during kick off 9 participants 4 Preparatory/workshops before departure Academic advisor Personal coach Reflections during the exchange period and Skype meetings Presentations upon return No credits, but diploma

The students

Example of goals Professional: Personal: Academic: work with marketing and become a brand manager find balances in my school work and reduce stress Personal: become better at decision making and reduce stress be a part of the US culture learn about Kenyan culture be able to travel alone Academic: pass all my courses while I am abroad improve my English develop my English language skills

Me today Who am I? My life experience My strengths My weaknesses

Me tomorrow Where will I be when I am 30 years old? Successful career? Weaknesses? How can study abroad help?

My time at… Did I reach my goals? My time at …

My time at…

Students’ evaluations Good: - Personal coaching, follow up, deeper awareness of goals and personality, goal orientation, force to reflect and make decisions, improvement in ability of planning, thinking outside the box, improve leadership of oneself, inspiration. - ”I achieved more than I would have thought”. To be developed in the project: Difficult to prioritize the project in stressful times, more academic coaching in the beginning, more meetings.

Challenges Make students join the program ”Use” students for future applicants Make students understand the benefits in advance and not only upon their return Compare the results with students who have not been part of the project Make students reflect upon how to use the pedagogics (goal orientation) in their CV:s Make students realize what they actually achieved Activities upon return Further collaboration within Lnu

Future plans Involve more students Make the project more self sustaining Develop a set of optional tasks Develop the web Involve the ”working life” more Integrate BIWG more in our general information to students Peer-to peer

Discussions What competences are important to gain through study abroad? How can we make students find and articulate the hidden values they gain through study abroad? How can we make more students reflect BIWG on beforehand? How can we make more students join a project like BIWG? If time: have your institutions done something similar? Share experiences!