Higher Education Research & Development

ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cher20

Employability development and career outcomes

from short-term learning abroad programmes

Davina Potts

To cite this article: Davina Potts (2021): Employability development and career outcomes from
short-term learning abroad programmes, Higher Education Research & Development, DOI:
10.1080/07294360.2021.1901665

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1901665

Published online: 25 Mar 2021.

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HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1901665

Employability development and career outcomes from short-

term learning abroad programmes
Davina Potts
Student and Scholarly Services, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

Learning abroad has become a central component in the Received 29 March 2020
internationalisation strategies of many Australian universities, Accepted 14 February 2021
following trends in other countries such as France, Germany, USA,
KEYWORDS
Singapore and Japan. To expand access to different types of Higher education policy;
students and to diversify host destinations, short-term internationalisation;
programmes have been the focus of institutions over the last five graduate outcomes; careers
years. However, little is known about the outcomes of short-term
learning abroad programmes. This article explores the connection
between short-term learning abroad experiences, career
outcomes and employability skills development of graduates in
the Australian context. In the first national study of learning
abroad outcomes, most former participants were positive about
the perceived benefits provided by their international study
experiences in terms of their employment outcomes.
Respondents strongly supported the role of learning abroad in
the development of core employability skills. The findings
confirm an amplified impact on participants in internship
programmes and multiple learning abroad programmes. The
results of this study support the further development of short-
term learning abroad opportunities for students, with
considerations for access to programmes for those from
underrepresented backgrounds.

Introduction
Opportunities to study in overseas destinations have captured the imagination of this
generation of students at universities in Australia. Although their peers in Europe,
USA and some Asian nations have led the way, students from Australian universities
can now be found in study programmes in countries around the world. More than
52,000 students studied abroad as part of their Australian degree in 2018, and at the
undergraduate level, one in four domestic students now undertakes an international
study experience (Australian Universities International Directors Forum (AUIDF),
2015–2019).
Historically, learning abroad in Australia has followed a conventional exchange
model, where students spend a semester or year at a host institution, typically in
Europe, North America or Japan. Over the last decade, learning abroad programmes

CONTACT Davina Potts [email protected]

© 2021 HERDSA
2 D. POTTS

have diversified in terms of duration, destination, programme format and topics of study.
This has been driven by a number of factors including institutional strategies to increase
participation and government funding initiatives such as the New Colombo Plan, an
Australian Government scholarship initiative to expand undergraduate student mobility
to the Indo-Pacific region (Tran & Rahimi, 2018). Short-term learning abroad pro-
grammes now account for 68% of undergraduate participants (AUIDF, 2015–2019).
Undergraduate student numbers in programmes of ten weeks or less grew by 79%
between 2014 and 2017 (AUIDF, 2015–2019). Student demand has also accelerated
growth, as more students understand the importance of developing a global perspective
during their university studies and competition in the graduate employment market
intensifies.
Learning abroad has been recognised by institutions around the world for its capacity
to contribute to the employability of graduates (Matherly & Tilman, 2019). This situates
learning abroad amongst the key co-curricular educational activities that potentially
improve graduate outcomes through the development of skills and knowledge to
support future employability. Both employment and employability are emphasised in
many higher education systems, including Australia, where graduate employment rates
now form part of the Australian Government performance-based funding scheme
(Department of Education, 2019).
Even though programme diversification, institutional strategies and increased scholar-
ship opportunities have delivered more than a four-fold increase in participation over ten
years, little is known about the outcomes of learning abroad programmes for participants
from Australian universities. A growing empirical evidence base has primarily documen-
ted programme evaluations and single programme learning outcomes from faculty-led
study tours (for example, Bretag & van der Veen, 2017; Scharoun, 2016; Sobocinska &
Purdey, 2019), while a small number of rich, in-depth studies have expanded our knowl-
edge based on defined participant cohorts (Green et al., 2019; Tran et al., 2019). This
article aims to make a contribution to the literature by presenting new findings of a
national study on the outcomes of short-term learning abroad programmes (less than
seven weeks in duration) with a focus on careers and employability for graduates of Aus-
tralian universities.

Literature review
Research connecting learning abroad to graduate career impact is often based on a
human capital perspective (Becker, 1993), which considers employment and career out-
comes as return on investment for education and study overseas at the individual level.
Projects in several countries have used self-assessment by former participants (Farrugia
& Sanger, 2017; Hubbard et al., 2018; Johnson & Anderson, 2019; Potts, 2015), with
some studies using control groups of non-participants (Brandenburg et al., 2014;
Yokota, 2016), to study the perceived value of spending a period abroad for education.
Although such studies have the limitation of potential bias (Waibel et al., 2017),
findings emphasise the positive value of learning abroad in building skills, knowledge,
confidence (Farrugia & Sanger, 2017; Hubbard et al., 2018; Johnson & Anderson, 2019;
Potts, 2015) and subsequently employment success (Brandenburg et al., 2014; Teichler
& Janson, 2007).
 HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 3

Three decades of evaluation research on the ERASMUS (European Community

Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) programme in Europe have
confirmed that former participants appear to be more successful in the graduate job
market (Bracht et al., 2006; Brandenburg et al., 2014). Transferable skills development
is a prominent finding of the ERASMUS research with former participants showing
high levels of perceived impact of their international study period on skills development
in areas including the ability to work with people from different cultural backgrounds,
adaptability and communication skills (Bracht et al., 2006; Brandenburg et al., 2014).
Further evidence of skills gained through learning abroad was found in a national
study of more than 4,500 US respondents (Farrugia & Sanger, 2017). Positive results (sig-
nificant and to some degree of agreement) were established for fourteen of fifteen skills.
The highest perceived gains were in the areas of intercultural skills, curiosity and flexi-
bility/adaptability (94% positive), while the lowest gains were reported for technical/soft-
ware skills (15% positive). Compared to longer-term programmes, short-term learning
abroad was perceived to provide a higher impact on the development of teamwork
skills. Johnson and Anderson (2019) suggest that perceived skills gain may be indepen-
dent of programme duration, but recognition of the connection between skills develop-
ment and their career trajectory may not be as prevalent for short-term programme
participants.
Learning abroad can be presented as a competitive advantage when applying for jobs
and this claim has been tested in several US research projects. Firstly, the majority of
former participants of learning abroad programmes confirmed that a prospective
employer asked about their international experience in a job interview (Hubbard et al.,
2018). Secondly, a majority of respondents perceived that their learning abroad experi-
ences positively contributed to a job offer (Farrugia & Sanger, 2017). When considering
the duration of learning abroad, Farrugia and Sanger (2017) found a lower perceived
impact for participants of short-term programmes, with 42.5% reporting a connection
between international study and a job offer.
The theme of professional differentiation is also discussed by Cleary (2014) in a study
comparing global internship participants, study abroad participants and non-mobile
respondents. Internships can make an important connection to professional success
through skills that are developed in response to challenges presented in the international
workplace. Kolb’s theory of learning through tension (cited in Cleary, 2014, p. 139) was
used to explain how skills development occurs, and although such challenges can also
apply in other learning abroad programmes, the professional setting of an internship
provides direct relevance to future workplaces.
Career-related outcomes for learning abroad participants have not been extensively
studied in the Australian context. Green et al. (2019) examined strategies used by success-
ful graduates to secure employment in their field and found the individual agency to be
one of the most important factors. Graduates need to make their international experience
relevant to a prospective employer by using stories to illustrate specific capabilities. This
study also found a nuanced approach by employers when considering the specific struc-
tural elements of learning abroad programmes, such as duration. Although longer was
generally perceived to be better, there was an understanding by both employers and
graduates that quality short-term programmes could offer unique skills and knowledge
(Green et al., 2019).
4 D. POTTS

Graduates of Australian universities were positive about the connection between their
learning abroad experience and their career development, including 94% agreement on
maturity and personal development. Respondents, with an average of three years of work
experience, credited learning abroad for supporting the development of their interperso-
nal and communications skills (84%), teamwork (68%) and problem solving (64%). The
majority of the respondents in this study had participated in semester- or year-long
learning abroad programmes and 66% agreed that learning abroad had an impact on
obtaining their first job in their field of education (Potts, 2015).
In a study of returned New Colombo Plan students, Tran et al. (2019) found a link
between the host country and future career aspirations. Study in Asia supported Austra-
lian students to develop cultural capital which became part of their emerging professional
identity. Participants also identified skills and attributes developed through their learning
abroad experience that would be valued by future employers. Consistent with other
research findings, the authors recommend greater support for students upon return
from their learning abroad programme to enable them to contextualise their experience
in terms of their future goals (Tran et al., 2019).
A critical component of graduate outcomes research is understanding the perspective
of employers. International study experiences can perform a signalling function in the
recruitment process, indicating that a candidate has skills, knowledge and experience
that distinguish them from other candidates (Waibel et al., 2017; Wiers-Jenssen,
2008). Globally, around 60% of employers valued international experiences as part of
the recruitment process. However, in Australia, the proportion was much lower at
around 34% (Molony et al., 2011). Other research suggests that employer perspectives
vary by sector and industry. Australian employers who are able to capitalise on the
skills and networks of graduates with international experience, such as multinational
organisations or those with an international client base, were more likely to recognise
the benefits of hiring such graduates (Green et al., 2019; Prospect Market, 2006).
Although some studies in the learning abroad literature have examined outcomes
from short-term learning abroad programmes, the findings are usually assessed against
outcomes for participants of long-term programmes. With a focus only on short-term
programmes, this study asks the following questions:

(1) What is the perceived impact of short-term learning abroad on skills development,
job attainment and career prospect of former participants?
(2) Does the perceived impact vary depending on programme characteristics such as
programme type, destination, language of instruction and number of programmes
undertaken?

Methods
The data used in this paper is part of a larger study, Career Outcomes of Learning Abroad
(Potts, 2020), which aimed to understand the connections between learning abroad pro-
gramme participation, employment outcomes and skills development, as reported by
former participants from Australian universities who had graduated at the time of the
study. The conceptual framework underpinning this project draws from human
capital theory (Becker, 1993) in connecting career and employment outcomes with
 HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 5

investment in higher education, which includes learning abroad experience. As part of

the educational investment in an international experience, students may develop skills
and knowledge, including foreign language proficiency, transferable skills and knowledge
of work practices in other countries, which can result in economic returns from the
labour market in an increasingly globalised world (Waibel et al., 2017).
The concepts of employment and employability are used in this research project.
Employment is obtaining and holding a job. Employability is defined as ‘being capable
of getting and keeping fulfilling work’ and includes personal attributes, transferable
skills and career planning skills (Hillage & Pollard, 1998, p. x). The skills tested in this
study align with commonly documented employability skills (for example, the Future
of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum, 2016), which can make graduates more
attractive when competing for the job and lead to employment in the short-term,
while enhancing employability in the long-term.
The instrument was adapted from similar studies including the ERASMUS impact
studies (Teichler & Janson, 2007), a large-scale US institutional study (Johnson & Ander-
son, 2019) and an Australian research project (Potts, 2015). Questions and response
options were updated to align with the current Australian education and work statistical
categories. Free text boxes were used to collect additional information from respondents.
Between March and June, 2019, two approaches to data collection were used. Firstly,
Australian universities were asked to contact former participants of learning abroad pro-
grammes through their Alumni networks. As a second method of finding eligible respon-
dents, social media posts targeted graduates of Australian universities. Prospective
respondents were invited to complete a survey and were screened according to their par-
ticipation in a learning abroad programme.
The data set was classified by duration of the learning abroad programme. This article
is based on a data set of eight hundred respondents from thirty-one Australian univer-
sities who participated in a learning abroad programme of seven weeks duration or
less. The study is broadly national, with respondents from all institution types and all
states/territories except Tasmania and the Northern Territory, making it the largest
national study of short-term learning abroad outcomes for graduates of Australian uni-
versities. The study was conducted under ethics approval from the university of the prin-
cipal researcher and all respondents were informed of the ethical considerations of
participation. The descriptive statistics of this study have previously been published by
the International Education Association of Australia (Potts, 2019).
The data were analysed using non-parametric tests for the mean difference to account
for skewed data. Independent variables tested were programme type, language, destina-
tion region and single/multiple learning abroad programmes. Post hoc tests using the
Bonferroni correction were applied for multiple tests.

Limitations
Self-reported survey data is a frequently used method of assessment of graduate out-
comes (Waibel et al., 2017). As with most self-reported data, it is subject to selection
bias because those choosing to participate in the study may present a more positive
view of the phenomenon of interest. Additionally, the study relied on participant univer-
sities holding accurate records of alumni contact information. Although efforts were
6 D. POTTS

made to contact a broader range of prospective respondents through social media,

respondents may represent a more highly engaged alumni group. Self-selection bias
has been identified as a common weakness of learning abroad research (Twombly et
al., 2012).

Sample overview
Respondents in this study graduated with their degree between 1997 and 2019. The
majority graduated between 2016 and 2018 (72%), meaning they had been working for
between one and three years. Respondents were mostly female (73%), Australian dom-
estic students (93%) studying at an undergraduate level (80%) who majored in Society
and Culture (28%), Management and Commerce (20%), Health (19%) or Creative
Arts (15%). Forty-five percent of the sample came from a high socio-economic back-
ground and 41% were the first in their family to attend university. The largest age group-
ing was 20–24 years (41%) and 82% were less than 34 years old.
At the time of the survey, the average respondent worked in Australia (92%), was full-
time, part-time or self-employed (85%), worked for the private sector (50%) or public/
government sector (39%) and worked for an organisation with a national or international
scope (56%). They were employed in health care and social assistance (21%), education
and training (19%), professional, scientific and technical services (13%) or other services
(13%) industries.
Characteristics of the learning abroad programmes are provided in Table 1, and more
respondent characteristics are provided in the Appendix.

Results
According to former participants of short-term learning abroad programmes who have
now graduated, the strongest connection to their employment was ‘developing skills to

Table 1. Learning abroad programme characteristics.

N %
Programme type
Academic classes at a host institution (including summer & winter programmes) 226 28.2
Internship, practicum, clinical placement 154 19.3
Study Tour 291 36.4
Other (research, service learning, competitions, conferences) 129 16.1
Region of study
Africa/Middle East 33 4.2
Americas 125 15.7
Asia/Pacific 360 44.8
Europe 282 35.3
Language of study
English 608 76.0
Host country language 49 6.1
Combination 137 17.1
Other 6 0.8
Number of learning abroad programmes undertaken
One 609 76.2
Two 150 18.8
Three or more 40 5.0
 HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 7

Table 2. Impact of learning abroad on overall employment and career outcomes.

Very positive or Negative or very
positive Neutral negative
Developing skills to support current & future professional 83% 17% 0.5%
role
Long-term career prospects 63% 37% 0.5%
Obtaining first job in field of study 53% 47% 0.6%
Obtaining subsequent career-related jobs after 51% 49% 0.4%
graduation
Income level in current role 17% 82% 1.1%

support current and future professional role’, with 83% agreement (see Table 2). This
finding confirms that respondents perceived a clear connection between their learning
abroad experience and their capacity to undertake their current job. Sixty-three
percent of respondents were positive about the contribution learning abroad has
made to their long-term career prospects, indicating that a majority of former partici-
pants view their learning abroad experience as favourable in terms of their future
employment outlook.
The next aspect considered the direct impact of short-term learning abroad on
‘obtaining first job in field of study’, with more than half in agreement (53%). Although
this is lower than other aspects, labour market factors need to be considered, such as the
priorities of employers in the hiring process and the competitiveness of the job market
for specific industries.
Across all results in the area of overall employment, a negative impact was only
reported by between 0.4% and 1.1% of respondents. More respondents were neutral
on some aspects, such as 82% for impact on ‘income level in current role’ and 49% for
‘obtaining subsequent career-related jobs after graduation’. In the case of income level,
it may be difficult for respondents to answer this question, given confidentiality
around salaries in the Australian work context. Graduate starting salaries may be fixed
for some employers, leaving little room for variation based on individual cases.
The next set of questions focused on specific employability skills. In line with the
finding reported previously, former participants of short-term learning abroad pro-
grammes are positive that key employability skills were impacted by their international
experience. The top three skills, ‘ability to interact with individuals different from your-
self’, ‘communication skills’ and ‘capacity to adapt and learn quickly’ received 90% or
higher agreement levels (see Table 3).

Table 3. Perceived impact of learning abroad on the development of skills.

Employability skill Agreement (extremely positive & somewhat positive)
Ability to interact with individuals different from yourself 95%
Communication 94%
Capacity to adapt and learn quickly 90%
Teamwork 88%
Critical thinking 86%
Problem solving 85%
Creativity 84%
Judgement & decision-making 83%
Entrepreneurship 54%
8 D. POTTS

The impact of short-term learning abroad on a further five skills, ‘teamwork’, ‘critical
thinking’, ‘problem-solving’, ‘creativity’, and ‘judgement and decision-making’ were
rated as positive by more than 83% of respondents. The consistently high ratings for per-
ceived skills gain in these results emphasises the importance of the connection between
short-term learning abroad and employability development. Only one skill, ‘entrepre-
neurship’, received a moderate result, at 54%. This rating may indicate that entrepreneur-
ship is a specific skill that can be developed through programmes that target this skill as a
specific learning outcome.
Further analysis was undertaken across learning abroad programme variables includ-
ing programme type, language of study and host region.

Internships
Learning abroad programmes were categorised as study tour, academic classes at a host
institution, internships and other. Testing for differences across programme types using
Krusall–Wallis tests identified Internships as providing a higher level of impact across
three overall impact questions, developing skills to support current and future role,
obtaining first job and obtaining subsequent career-related jobs. Mann Whitney post-
hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction for non-parametric data confirmed that the
mean differences were significant in all cases compared with Academic classes at a
host university and Study tours (see Table 4).
Analysis on employability skills also identified Internships as having a significant,
higher level of perceived impact than Study tours and Academic classes for the develop-
ment of problem-solving skills.

Table 4. Kruskall-Wallis results for programme type.

Variable N Mean rank df H p
Developing skills to support current & future professional role
Internship 154 455.49 3 18.14 .000
Academic classes at a host university 226 371.44
Study tour 291 383.35
Other 129 424.45
Obtaining first job in field of study
Internship 154 482.27 3 29.76 .000
Academic classes at a host university 226 381.93
Study tour 291 371.38
Other 129 401.09
Obtaining subsequent career-related jobs after graduation
Internship 154 455.76 3 16.43 .001
Academic classes at a host university 226 394.49
Study tour 291 371.81
Other 129 409.77
Income level in current job
Internship 154 401.01 3 9.75 .021
Academic classes at a host university 226 405.68
Study tour 291 392.44
Other 129 409.00
Problem-solving skills
Internship 154 442.98 3 13.95 0.003
Academic classes at a host university 226 374.51
Study tour 291 384.54
Other 129 431.31
Note: Bonferroni correction for non-parametric data applied. Results displayed are significant at the p = 0.05 level.
 HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 9

One further significant difference was found. On income level in the current role, par-
ticipants of Academic classes at a host university reported a significantly greater impact
than those who participated in an Internship programme.

Language of study
For the item ‘developing skills to support current and future professional role’, qstudying
in a combination of English and the host country language (mean rank = 452.24, n = 137)
provided a significant, higher level of impact than study in only English (mean rank =
388.97, n = 608) or only the host country language (mean rank = 350.27, n = 49) (H(2)
= 12.727, p = .002).
A significant, higher impact was also found for the development of teamwork skills (H
(2) = 8.189, p = 0.15), with studying in a combination of English and the host country
language (mean rank = 424.63, n = 137) providing greater impact than study in the
host country language (326.26, n = 49). Study in a combination of languages was also
found to provide a higher level of impact on teamwork than studying in English,
however, it was not significant (p = 0.022) with a higher threshold applied for the Bon-
ferroni correction (0.05/3).

Region of study
Testing for differences by region of study resulted in only one significant difference, with
Europe (rank mean = 413.95, n = 282) providing greater impact than the Americas (rank
mean = 354.77, n = 125) for ‘capacity to adapt and learn’ (H(3) = 8.186, p = 0.007). No
other regional differences were significant.

Participation in multiple learning abroad programmes

Twenty-four percent of respondents indicated that they participated in more than
one learning abroad programme. Although the survey did not collect data on the
characteristics of other learning abroad programmes undertaken, from the free-
text comments in the box asking for more information about their other learning
abroad experiences, the majority of respondents in this category participated in
several short-term programmes, rather than a short-term experience followed by a
long-term experience.
Participating in two or more programmes during their degree resulted in a signifi-
cantly higher reported impact on four of the five overall employment impact questions
(see Table 5). The difference was not significant for ‘income level in current role’. Sig-
nificantly higher perceived impacts for multiple learning abroad programmes were
also identified for six of nine employability skills including problem-solving, capacity
to adapt and learn quickly, entrepreneurship, critical thinking, creativity, and judge-
ment and decision-making (see Table 5). The difference was not significant for com-
munication skills, teamwork, and the ability to interact with individuals different from
yourself.
10 D. POTTS

Table 5. Mann Whitney results for number of learning abroad programmes.

Variable n Mean rank U Z p
Developing skills to support current & future professional role
Multiple programmes 609 433.01 51949.50 −2.428 0.015
Single programme 191 390.30
Obtaining first job in field of study
Multiple programmes 609 438.83 50838.00 −2.846 0.004
Single programme 191 388.48
Obtaining subsequent career-related jobs after graduation
Multiple programmes 609 452.25 48275.00 −3.892 0.000
Single programme 191 384.27
Long-term career prospects
Multiple programmes 609 445.34 49594.50 −3.361 0.001
Single programme 191 386.44
Problem-solving skills
Multiple programmes 609 445.50 49564.50 −3.362 0.001
Single programme 191 386.39
Capacity to adapt & learn
Multiple programmes 609 444.04 49842.50 −3.414 0.001
Single programme 191 386.84
Entrepreneurship 0.021
Multiple programmes 609 431.77 52186.00 −2.307
Single programme 191 390.69
Critical thinking
Multiple programmes 609 453.98 47945.00 −4.006 0.000
Single programme 191 383.73
Creativity
Multiple programmes 609 437.09 51171.50 −2.727 0.006
Single programme 191 389.03
Judgement & decision-making
Multiple programmes 609 449.40 48819.00 −3.635 0.000
Single programme 191 385.16

Discussion
According to former participants of short-term learning abroad programmes, there is a
strong perceived connection between their international study experience and the devel-
opment of skills that support them in their current and future work roles. From a list of
skills presented to respondents in this survey, eight of nine skills were rated positively for
gains facilitated by their learning abroad experience. These skills include communication
skills, critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills, all critical competencies for
graduates entering the workforce (Australian Association of Graduate Employers
(AAGE), 2018a). While all of these skills are important to graduates, the impact on com-
munication skills is especially notable because it is frequently cited as the most important
employability skill, and the one that is most often tested in local recruitment processes
(AAGE, 2018b).
The question remains as to whether respondents actually improved their skills while
abroad, or whether they became more aware of these skills, and the importance of
employability skills to their career, while abroad. This possibility was identified by
Johnson and Anderson (2019), who suggested that short-term learning abroad partici-
pants need more support (than long-term programme participants) to develop and
articulate the connection between their international study experience and future
employment prospects. A short duration overseas may not be enough to measurably
impact actual skills development, but it may trigger greater awareness of their current
skill levels.
 HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 11

The finding may be more accurately presented as spending a short period of time in
another country on a learning abroad programme, as little as two weeks, can foster
greater awareness of employability skills, and the need to further develop these skills,
in order to strengthen their future career trajectories. At a time when Australian univer-
sities are under increased pressure to demonstrate how they are supporting graduate
employment and employability (Jackson & Collings, 2018), this result can promote the
expansion of learning abroad opportunities for all students, but especially for groups
who have not traditionally participated in overseas study. Access to important skills
development opportunities, such as learning abroad, should be available to all students,
and traditional approaches of selecting students as a reward for academic performance
should be replaced by practices that support participation by diverse ethnic, racial and
socio-economic cohorts (Harvey et al., 2016). This is particularly important for short-
term learning abroad programmes, which often have lower financial, logistical and
psychological barriers to participation.
The results of this study show a moderate perceived impact of short-term learning
abroad on obtaining a career-related job after graduation. Compared to similar data in
the US indicating that 42.5% of former participations of short-term learning abroad
attributed their international study experience as contributing to a job offer at some
point (Farrugia & Sanger, 2017), the Australian finding is encouraging at 53%. Notwith-
standing, the results may indicate that some employers do not understand the benefits
provided through learning abroad experiences, consistent with previous research
findings (Green et al., 2019; Prospect Marketing, 2006). Higher education institutions
and government agencies should consider how they can be advocates for graduates by
promoting the benefits of international study experiences for future employers. At the
same time, students should be supported to articulate their skill gains through concrete
examples in job applications, interviews and assessment centres (Farrugia & Sanger,
2017; Green et al., 2019; Tran et al., 2019).
In terms of long-term career impact, 63% of respondents were positive or very positive
about the connection between their learning abroad experience and their career in the
future. This finding is consistent with an earlier study (Potts, 2015), which found that
former participants of mostly semester- and year-long learning abroad programmes
were optimistic about the impact their international experience may have on their
future career. Research findings in the US support this result (Anderson, 2015), provid-
ing evidence that learning abroad may indeed have a transformational effect for some
participants (Byrne, 2016; Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, 2020).
The superior impact of international internships and other professional practicum
programmes found in this study is notable, and further consideration should be given
to how more students can be supported to undertake internships abroad. Given the
complex nature of global internships, this may be a difficult undertaking for some insti-
tutions. International internships have been found to provide additional career and
employability benefits by other research (Cleary, 2014; Dwyer, 2004) and more evidence
is needed to develop our understanding of the optimal conditions for learning at work in
an overseas context. For example, is there an ideal design for global internships to maxi-
mise learning? Cleary (2014) has made a start on this topic, and the results of the current
study provide some support to her finding that international internships help students to
12 D. POTTS

define their career path and serve as a ‘gateway or differentiator, contributing to their
professional success’ (Cleary, 2014, p. 143).
Discipline of study, in relation to internships, also requires further consideration.
Health and education, professional disciplines with formal practice requirements, were
the top two disciplines for internship participants and this may have influenced the
results. In their study of former New Colombo Plan awardees, Tran et al. (2019) inter-
viewed several health and teaching students who participated in professional placement
programmes and found that ‘situated learning presents enormous potential for students
to develop professional and cultural capitals’ (p. 10). Consistent with signalling theory,
the authors also suggest that internships represent symbolic capital in a prospective
employee who is willing to go abroad to develop their professional skills and knowledge.
The language of the study was found to make a difference to the perceived impact of
learning abroad on ‘developing skills to support current and future professional role’, as
well as teamwork skills. One possible interpretation is that respondents perceive foreign
language skills to be highly beneficial to their career, even though they might not be profi-
cient in the language. Johnson and Anderson (2019) found that studying in a language
other than English resulted in significant gains on three career-related aspects and ident-
ified that students undertaking study in a second-language destination may develop
greater awareness of communication skills gains than students studying in English-
language destinations. Future research may consider whether studying in a second
language destination motivates participants to undertake further foreign language
study upon return.
Across the learning abroad policy landscape globally, the emphasis on studying in one
location or another tends to reflect geo-political trends. The most recent efforts focus on
Asian destinations, for example, Australia’s New Colombo Plan, the USA’s 100,000
Strong in China initiative and the UK’s Generation UK–China/India initiatives (Tran
& Rahimi, 2018). In terms of the connections to employability found in this study,
there is little to distinguish the benefits of study in any one region. The only significant
result points to a difference between an experience in Europe compared with an experi-
ence in the Americas, for the ‘capacity to adapt and learn’, suggesting that the European
education system and/or lifestyle may develop more flexibility in visiting students, poss-
ibly promoting greater levels of learning. However, the finding does not allow for a
definitive statement. Rather, the lack of a significant difference between regions of
study may suggest that location matters less than other aspects of the experience, such
as programme design and language of study. Future research may consider the local
context in the destination of studies, such as level of development and the extent of
global trade linkages.
This study makes a unique contribution to higher education literature with the finding
that participation in multiple learning abroad programmes increases perceived career
impact and employability skills development. The high number of respondents who par-
ticipated in more than one programme is in itself evidence of the value participants place
in the learning abroad experience. The amplified impact of multiple international experi-
ences was demonstrated in most areas of this study including skills development, secur-
ing their first job, obtaining subsequent jobs and long-term career prospects.
Additionally, a significant response was received for six of nine employability skills.
While other research has touched on the additional value of participating in more
 HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 13

than one learning abroad programme (Green et al., 2019; Mohajeri Norris & Gillespie,
2009; Potts, 2015), this finding extends our understanding of the benefits, from the per-
spective of the respondents.
From the free-text comments, patterns can be drawn across the data. While the first
experience may be the result of effective promotions at the home institution, faculty rec-
ommendations or even serendipity, subsequent programmes are often planned to align
with a future aspiration. Most often, respondents indicated that this aspiration was
career-related, but future study was also a factor mentioned by some. The comments
demonstrated the agency of individuals in designing their higher education experience,
and it is possible that students are ahead of their advising staff and faculty mentors in
recognising the value of undertaking multiple international experiences. Respondents
also indicated that they are finding ways to fund their travel as an investment in their
future, building their human capital to define their future career path. This topic is
worthy of further study so that we can understand the aspirations of our students and
better support their international higher education journeys.

Conclusion
The results of this study provide support to the recent expansion in provision of short-
term learning abroad opportunities to students of Australian universities as valuable co-
curricular experiences for the development of employability skills. Former participants of
short-term learning abroad programmes indicated that from their perspective, their
international study experience supported them to develop skills that they are now
using in their work. The strongest perceived skills development was reported for key
employability skills including communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Implications for policy and practice include support for the continued development of
new short-term international study programmes with a focus on what format the pro-
gramme takes rather than where the programme is located. Activities such as global intern-
ships, practicums and clinical placements provide relevant and useful learning
opportunities for students which connect closely with future employment. The opportunity
of including several learning abroad experiences in a degree programme is perceived to
amplify the impact of an international study on graduate employment and employability.
Students should be encouraged to start planning early in their studies to ensure they
can take advantage of the resources and programmes provided by their institution. Also
important is the development of reflective practice in students after short-term learning
abroad experiences. Articulating stories of skills development throughout the recruit-
ment process can help prospective employers to understand the relevance of unique
learning abroad experiences to their workplaces.
While this study was undertaken within one specific national context, the results may
be applicable to other countries. The theoretical constructs underpinning this study, such
as human capital theory, employment and employability, are almost universally relevant,
as students around the world make investments in education and skills development with
consideration for their future careers. Short-term learning abroad programmes offered
by institutions around the world are similar in their objectives and their outcomes.
Some large summer and winter programmes attract students from multiple countries
who all participate in the shared learning experience and take home common learning
14 D. POTTS

outcomes. The findings of this study contribute to the global body of knowledge on the
outcomes of international education, and may inform research, policy and practice
globally.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID
Davina Potts http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7916-3114

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Appendix

Table A1. Other sample characteristics.

N %
Gender
Female 578 72.2
Male 202 25.3
Other/Prefer not to say 20 2.5
Age
20–24 327 40.9
25–29 221 27.6
30–34 105 13.1
35–39 44 5.5
40–44 27 3.4
45–49 19 2.4
50 and over 49 6.1
Prefer not to say 8 1.0
Socio-economic status*
High 281 44.8
Medium 279 44.4
Low 68 10.8
First-in-family status
Yes 318 41.1
No 455 58.9
Enrolment status
Domestic 743 92.9
International 57 7.1
Level of study when abroad
Undergraduate 637 79.6
Postgraduate coursework 141 17.6
Research (Masters or Doctoral) 22 2.8
Discipline of home degree**
Agriculture, Environment 35 4.0
Architecture & Building 41 4.6
Creative arts 116 13.1
Education 55 6.2
Engineering 17 1.9
Food, Hospitality, Personal Services 6 0.7
Health 153 17.3
Information Technology 12 1.4
Management & Commerce 156 17.6
Natural & Physical Sciences 45 5.1
Society & Culture 227 25.6
Mixed Field Programmes 22 2.5
*Derived from Australian Bureau of Statistics SEIFA IRSAD classification for high school attended. International students
not included.
**More than one discipline could be selected.