Employers' view on studies abroad - Svenskt Näringsliv

Results 20
The results show that the skills that authorities mainly believe students develop during studies
abroad are language skills and intercultural competence. This is also reflected in companies’
answers. Aside from these skills, students are considered to develop their communicative skills,
flexibility and self-confidence.
4.5 The “right” skills are developed during studies abroad
The results are interesting in themselves, but even more interesting is cross-comparing them: are
the skills important when recruiting the same as those that employers consider to develop during
studies abroad?
Language skills – English
Language skills – other languages
Intercultural competence
Communicative skills
Flexibility
Social skills
Developed
Momentum
[/endurance]
Ambition Initiative skill
Responsibility
Problem solving capacity
Ability to handle customers
Knowledge of relevant subject
Leadership skills
Stress handling capacity
importance
The diagram shows that some of the most important skills when recruiting are also considered
most likely to develop during studies abroad. Among them are communicative skills, social competence
and flexibility. These skills are considered of different importance depending on the size of
the company; flexibility, i.e., is considered more important in smaller companies, while communicative
skills and social skills are seen as valuable in both smaller and larger companies. However,
larger companies are more prone to consider communicative skills as becoming more important in
the future, whereas smaller companies instead consider the same about responsibility.
Among authorities, even more skills fall into the upper right quadrant.
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