Research, Research, Research: Study Abroad

What: Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative (GLOSSARI)

Research Question: How does study abroad affect academic performance?

Who: Don Rubin, research director

Where: 35-institution University System of Georgia

How: 10 year research project involving students who studied abroad and control groups

Results: almost too many to list! Here’s a start…

• Improved academic performance upon returning
• Higher graduation rates
• Improved knowledge of cultural practices and context
• Improves academic performance of at-risk students

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“I think if there’s one take-home message from this research as a whole it is that study abroad does not undermine educational outcomes, it doesn’t undermine graduation rate, it doesn’t undermine final semester GPA. It’s not a distraction.” Don Rubin

Read the whole article at InsideHigherEd.com

Changing the Face of Study Abroad

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Study abroad  by American students has doubled over the last decade,

BUT not by African-American, Hispanic and Native American students

(Institute of International Education)

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For example, although African-American students comprise 14 % of postsecondary student enrollment, they make up only 3.4 % of study abroad participants.

Percentage of minorities in the study abroad population (from IIE):

• All minorities: 17%
• Hispanics: 5.6 %,
• Asian Americans: 6.3 %,
• Multiracial: 1 %
• Native Americans: 0.4 %

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The numbers are pretty abysmal and unfortunate, as we already know that study abroad experiences can improve academic performance, increase graduation rates and even help at-risk students achieve in academic settings.

The good news is that groups like Bardoli Global are working to increase study abroad participation. Anthony Jewett, executive director and CEO, hopes to change “the face of America abroad.”

Bardoli Global works to combat the five barriers to studying abroad—family, faculty, finances, fear and friends—by providing scholarships and preparing students for their time abroad. Upon returning, students work in teams to procure small grants (of $1,000 to $1,500) to develop social projects with a global dimension.

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Read the full article at InsideHigherEd.com

Join Bardoli Global on Facebook

Foreign Exchange

According to The New York Times, “Fewer than 10% of American undergraduates study abroad for credit.”  Which school sends the most students abroad?  Click here to find out.