Studying in another country will provide you with the opportunity to develop your skills, discover new cultures and enhance your knowledge about different ways of life. And it’s not just about work!
Globalisation is leading to political and economic boundaries becoming more co-operative, which means it's not only easier than ever before to travel and study in a different country, but it is also becoming more desirable. Exploring different cultures will enrich your life, as well as your studies, forever. Many employers now see studying abroad and being exposed to different cultures as an increasingly important experience for their employees to have. Consequently, not only will a period abroad broaden your own horizons, but it will improve your job prospects as well.
More skills are required
The workplace today is fast paced and constantly changing. We rely more than ever on science and technology. All this means that there is a strong need for workers to be able to draw on up-to-date knowledge. It is no longer enough for you to have just basic knowledge and experience. Systems and skills change all the time and it’s important to keep up.
Employers want a workforce that is abreast of current learning, so they increasingly see qualifications as important at all levels. Indeed, in many countries it is difficult to enter a career without some form of qualification. It is also difficult to advance in a career without a first degree. Even when on the career ladder, jobs are less secure than they were in the past, so qualifications can also be an insurance against being made redundant. Lifelong learning is now very important for career progression.
Filling the skills gap
This need for a workforce with more skills and knowledge is being met by an increasing number of qualifications offered by qualification and examination bodies, which can be studied at a growing number of further and higher education institutions around the world.
Edexcel is a leader in this process. The qualifications and examination body recently expanded its operations to meet the increasing demand for its qualifications from educational institutions and employers the world over and now has registered centres in over 110 countries.
You will find that the many academic and professional qualifications now on offer can helpyou do your jobs better and improve your career prospects. Finding the best-quality qualification might mean having to study abroad at a high-quality foreign institution that offers expertise not available elsewhere. This is an increasingly popular option.
In the cultural mix
Being exposed to different cultures and different ways of life will provide you with a fulfilling experience. The chance to experience everything from differences in architecture to new and exciting shopping opportunities will be available to you. The chance to discover new cultures and different customs will broaden your knowledge on how other parts of the world operate. Even something like fashion has the ability to open your eyes, as people around the world let their own cultures influence what they wear.
However, you will also be exposed to more than just the local culture of the place where you are studying. You will often also get the opportunity to meet students from other parts of the world who are studying at your institution. Strong friendships are often formed between classmates from different parts of the world. Familiarity with other cultures can also inspire greater tolerance. This greater cultural awareness is also something that employers value, particularly companies that operate in more than one country.
Discover what else is on offer
As well as career development, studying abroad encourages personal development. Likewise, just being in another country for any length of time while studying at a foreign institution forces students to deal with situations and ways of doing things that are completely new to them. It encourages them to develop skills that they might not have developed had they stayed at home. It also immerses them completely in a foreign culture in ways that a holiday cannot.
Even on campus, there will be more to your time than just studying. Each educational institution is a community in its own right, with a host of extracurricular activities and opportunities on offer. For example, at most institutions you will be able to get involved in the following:
- formal student organisations that represent all students at the institution (or in the whole host country), and which run facilities and services aimed at students
- student-run societies that cover every subject area, activity and interest
- every type of sport, both individual and team-based (you will often be able to join sports teams that represent the institution), often at facilities owned by the institution
- societies and clubs specifically aimed at international students
- student-run clubs, bars and cinemas
- student-run newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations
- trips, outings and other events that are often arranged for international students by the institution.
All in all, there will be many opportunities for you to develop non-academic interests and skills that will contribute to your own development and impress potential employers.
A whole world of choice
Australia, continental Europe, the UK and the US are popular study destinations for international students for many very good reasons. All of them are prosperous, safe and have tolerant societies. They have extensive and well-developed academic sectors offering an impressive number of study programmes.
Each has a wide variety of institutions of all types, locations and sizes, making it easier for you to meet your needs. Institutions in all these countries are experienced at dealing with international students, having welcomed them for many years now, meaning they have developed comprehensive support networks for you. Most of the institutions in these countries have strict quality-assessment systems in place. They follow stringent government regulations to ensure that courses offered by their institutions are of a high standard. The facilities on offer at most of these institutions are usually of the highest standard.
All are at the forefront of developing the latest technology and equipment, and are constantly developing new courses, curricula and methods of teaching.
What will the experience bring?
What this means in practice is that you will find a wide variety of institutions of different sizes and locations offering an equally wide variety of programmes to choose from – you should be able to find the right programme for you. You can also be sure that you will get a high-quality qualification that will be respected the world over.
Studying abroad will also develop the skills necessary to get on in an increasingly volatile global market. Equally importantly, it will develop your ‘soft skills’ in ways that might not have been possible had you stayed at home. In all, it will boost your future prospects, making you a more attractive proposition.
This could include anything from developing your confidence when giving a presentation
to a large audience, to simply improving your team-working skills by playing for your institution’s football team.
So, what’s stopping you from being adventurous and taking the opportunity to see another part of the world while also improving your prospects? Many students have done so and not regretted it one bit.
Learning the language
- Going abroad will also give you exposure to the language(s) spoken in your host country. Many employers operating in a global marketplace value fluency in more than one language. There are lots of languages that are useful to know for an international career, such as French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and, in particular, English.
- Studying abroad is the best way of improving your skills in them. For instance, going to an English-speaking country is a very good way to improve your English-language skills. Just by carrying out your daily activities, whether this involves your studies, or even if it's on an extra-curricular basis, you will encounter many opportunities to develop your skills.
- You may be doing your weekly shopping at the local supermarket, perhaps you're buying tickets for a music concert with a group of friends, or it could be an evening out at the cinema followed by some dinner at a restaurant. These and many other everyday activities will add to your knowledge and experience by taking your language skills out of the classroom and making use of them in the real world. This will give you greater confidence, which will help during your studies and throughout your career.
- Remember, however, that you do not have to go to an English-speaking country for this. Many countries increasingly offer courses that are taught solely in English. Taking this option gives you two opportunities – not only will you improve your English, but you will have the chance to learn your host country’s language as well.