Research on Study Abroad Programs§λ←σ

USIEA is committed to provi∏≠ding access to study ab♣ ✔road opportunities to every Chinese teache≤‌ r and student. In addition to providing acceλ€✔ss, one of our key functions is to conduct resea♥₹ rch on international education, pa≈∞rticularly in the area of₽∞Ω study abroad as it relates to student e¥"φxchange programs.

Scope of International Education Resear₩₩∞←ch

China has recently experieπ☆nced rapid development o☆↓₩​f international education exchange progra♦Ω✔ms and cooperation between unive≈¥rsities in China and abroad. As a result, Chine←↓≠×se students have access to a greater variety of  •international prograφ↓βms than ever before; γ​ hence the need for greater research i ‌$n this area. Nevertheless, there is a Ω‍λ¥lack of research being done on α®→ this topic. USIEA has begun g÷ ↑athering data focused on government polic₹↕★y and trends in international education π£in higher education in China. The goal ​δ‍÷of the data collection is to Ωγ©identify factors leading to success when designσ↔↕ing and establishing joint programs. T→±§₽his information will help both Chinese and f♣★oreign educational partners understand ho→β<∏w to create an optimal internation↕∏↑al program.

The sample research below is bas‌&≠ed on USIEA’s network of over 110 uβ‍niversities in China and tens of thousa&​δ↓nds of students who have engag ♥ed in a study abroad exper₹δ₩βience. The scope of inte≈±&§rnational education re ≥search conducted by USIEA included the following §♠criteria:

● Self-financed direct enroll programs (not bila→"teral exchange programs):×‍♠ Students were required×→ to pay tuition to overseas univ>✔★ersities; the sample include&←‍d students who received aid ↑♣'in the form of home school '$ scholarships or government scholarships;

● Short-term exchange prograδα ms: Students studied a±∞€σt overseas partner universities for one →≥≠quarter, one semester oΩ←r one academic year. P♥¥∞rograms ranged from three to eight m₹"‍onths in duration. Programs that did not fall ™γinto the primary researc‍¶h criteria, such as programs for two week↓∏s or more than one ye÷σ¶¥ar, were excluded from this sample;

● Student visa: Regardless of whether stu& βdents studied in a pure language program or ∑₽¶↑university credit program, studen£​ts were granted a student visa. S∑γ÷±tudents who received a tra≥↔♠≠veler or visitor visa were e✔γxcluded from the sample;

● Geographic area: Research w€δ✔★as focused on Chinese students e ∞Ω&nrolled in Chinese un¥ ε≠iversities who participated in a study abro±✘ad or English language ∏≠∞program at accredited institutions in the U↓≥nited States.

Key Research Topics

● University perspective: U÷<nderstanding the current status, ovλ¶σerall environment and infra¥♠÷☆structure of the globalization of high≤≥er education with an em♥±βphasis on international education policy and₩£ implementation;

● Student perspective: Comparative re&€∏search on the impact or change that a study ✔ ​abroad experience has had on students in terms ©←↑ of cultural sensitivity, &→¶study skills, and othe&±r benefits;

● Project perspective: Advaγ ¥ ntages and disadvantages of diff ↕✘erent programs, cost↑‍γ effectiveness, areas↑™ of improvement, and dissimilarπ≈↑ities caused by various interventionγ≠≤ tools.

This research has li↑∑♠™mitations, as it is based exclusively on USIEA&rsβ∑∏₹quo;s partner schools and programs. However, we ¶‍£believe the data presented is <✘£valuable to help understand t✘✘ he landscape of the Chinese study abrπ↔<αoad market. We hope these re™β'¥search findings can help our partner u¥☆niversities to better understand the♥✔¶≠ student experience while o₩>n study abroad programs, and that ↑∏'our research efforts contribute to the ✘₽globalization of highe✘∞↕↓r education in China. We welcome ∑‌the opportunity to collaborate with other institu♣∞×δtions, organizations or individual scholar<'©∑s who are interested in the same areas.