Worldw dwide de
Study Abroad and the Liberal Arts: A Winning Combination ICEF Dubai Conference 2018 Presented by Webster University - International Campuses Dr. Keith Welsh and Mr. Will McDonald
Gl Global al E Enroll ollment nts 180, 180,000 000 alumni w worldwide
Res esearch ab abou out t the e Ben enef efits o of Study Abroad • Measuring Personal Growth • Enhances employability and skills for “Career Readiness” Research shows: study abroad students have better grades, less attrition (fewer • failure rates) and faster rates of graduation
On On Person onal al g growth…
Impac act o on Person onal al De Develop opment… European Commission research on mobility exchange outcomes (characteristics relevant to 92% of employers interviewed): • Tolerance of ambiguity (acceptance of others, adaptability) Curiosity (open to new experiences) • • Confidence (trust in one’s own competence) • Serenity (awareness of strengths and weaknesses) • Decisiveness (ability to make decisions) • Vigor (ability to solve problems) On average, exchange students presented higher values on these factors than 70% of all students in Europe The change in personality traits after study abroad is equivalent to a change over four years of life.
Im Impact o t on Emplo loyabilit ility… Hard and Soft-skills, including: • Cognitive skills – cognitive processes and strategies, knowledge and creativity • Intrapersonal skills – intellectual openness, work ethic and positive self-evaluation Interpersonal skills • – various communication, teamwork and leadership skills
Reaso sons s for pur ursuing ng i int nterna nationa nal s stud udy shifte ted FROM HIGH IDEALS TO THE VERY PRACTICAL • International solidarity • Return on Investment (ROI) considerations for families • Global development • Labor market & demands of • Mutual understanding globalisation • Exploring culture • Economic competitiveness is a higher priority for • Individual improvement government-funded programs … … dr driving g a a tren end toward hy hyper-specia ializ lizatio ion
Hypers rspecia ializ lizatio ion vs. L Lib iberal l Educatio ion • In many countries, admission implies acceptance to a specific “faculty” – where courses are nearly all in the same fields • 21st Century careers are less predictable (no longer a fixed path: careers are non-linear) • Graduates often face a diverse, complex and volatile job markets, often requiring career ‘reinvention’ • The capacity to innovate requires broader knowledge across disciplines • Some specializations are highly technical yet also highly localised (ie. law, nursing/medicine) – these credentials don’t always cross borders easily
Valu luin ing t the Lib iberal l Ar Arts s – in in Silic ilicon V Valle lley?
Cham ampion ons f for or t the L Liberal al Arts • Innovative CEOs with Liberal Arts backgrounds include • Stewart Butterfield, Slack (Philosophy) • Jack Ma, Alibaba (English) • Susan Wojcicki, YouTube (History and Literature) • Brian Chesky, Airbnb (Fine Arts) Google study: Project Oxygen • – The seven top characteristics of success at Google are all soft skills
Univ iversit ities a and the Liberal A l Arts
Web ebster er’s G Glob obal al Cit itiz izenship ip Pr Progra gram ( (GCP) P) REGARDLESS of their major , all students must complete courses in each of the Global Citizenship Program categories. PLUS Skills Requirement courses: All students must complete at least one course for each of the following skills: Written Communication Oral Communication Critical Thinking Intercultural Competence Ethical Reasoning
GCP runs i in Par aral allel el w with Acad adem emic M Maj ajor or c cou ourses First-year Seminar introduces GCP program, 1 emphasizes critical thinking, interdisciplinarity, integration GCP courses address knowledge, 2 communication, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, global understanding, intercultural competence, integrative thinking Global Keystone Seminar serves as capstone 3 course for the Global Citizenship Program of general education
Welcom come to to a wor orld o of choice ce…
A Libe A beral Ar Arts Ed s Education L Lets Y You Ex Explo plore! • When beginning a bachelor’s degree, many students are not ready to decide exactly which major they should pursue • Enables students to choose several elective courses in the first year, fulfilling GCP requirements while gaining exposure across disciplines • Students can enroll with an “Undecided” Major, or can change their major (or add a second Major or Minor) after testing and exploring Choice of most suitable major can be made, based on knowledge • gained, by the second year • Combinations of different disciplines is possible and encouraged
CHA- A M / B BANGKO KOK, THAIL AND
GENEVA, S W ITZ E R L A N D
LEIDEN, THE HE N ETHERL RLANDS
VI VIENN NNA, AUS TR IA
ATHENS, S, GR E E E E C E
ACC CCRA, GHAN A
Study A y Abr broad s semest mester(s) s) i in the U U.S. ST. LOUIS IS, M MISS ISSOURI US USA
Adde ded B d Benefits of of S Study A Abroa oad at We Webster Webster believes so much in Study Abroad that… We cover the cost of the student’s round-trip flight Their “home campus” tuition rate travels with them There is no ‘transfer’ of credits needed (all on one transcript) Ranked among Top 2% of US universities for Study Abroad, in “America’s Best Colleges” (2018 edition)
Webst ster er Univer ersi sity’ y’s s Missi ssion: n: To ens nsure hig high qua uali lity learning experiences that trans nsform student nts for global citize izenship hip and d indi dividual excel ellen ence. e.
Thank you Questions & discussion
Speaker Contacts • Dr. Keith Welsh, Thailand Campus welshk@webster.ac.th www.webster.ac.th • Mr. Will McDonald, Geneva Campus mcdonald@webster.ch www.webster.ch
Career Impact and Alumni Reach Webster Geneva Alumni Country Origins, 1979-2018 (6 continents, 150+ countries, 4,000+ alumni) 2017 Survey of Graduating Students (88% response rate) 73% gained work experience during their Webster studies 54% conducted an internship during their degree program
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