2014 Ag Study Abroad Opportunities - Purdue Agriculture

ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHENSELECTING A STUDY ABROADPROGRAMAnswering the following questions can help you define what type ofstudy abroad experience would be best for you.OBJECTIVES:What aspects of study abroad are most important to you – curriculum,locale, cultural experiences, language study, travel?INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS:Where would you like to study?What is your foreign language ability?How long do you want to stay – a semester, year, spring break, winterbreak, or summer?How much does the program cost?Will you need financial assistance to carry out your plans?STUDY ABROAD DEVELOPSJOB SKILLS'Global competence is increasingly valued in the workplace'-According to a study done by NAFSA: Association of InternationalEducatorsCandidates with international study experience are likely to possesskey skills such as:• Cross-cultural communication skills (98%)• Independence (97%)• Cultural Awareness (96%)• Maturity (94%)• Flexibility (90%)-According to a 2003 RAND study that surveyed 135 human resourcemanagers from 75 companiesCross-cultural competence ranked 5th out of 19 attributes that 'makea successful career professional'-According to the 2003 RAND studyACADEMIC CONSIDERATIONS:What courses or subjects would you like to study?Do you want to take classes in English or the local language?Do you have specific degree requirements to fulfill?PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:Would you prefer to study with other Americans, with students of the hostcountry or with a combination of both?Would you prefer to live with a family, with students from the hostcountry or with other Americans?Did studying abroadhelp you build jobskills?No16%Yes84%Nearly 85% felt thatstudying abroad helpedthem build job skills, ofwhich 88% felt theexperience was ‘effective’or ‘very effective’ inhelping them do so.-According to the 2012 IESAbroad Recent GraduateSurvey