Motivations to study abroad and university rankings : an analysis of the science without borders program

Motivations to study abroad and university rankings : an analysis of the science without borders program

Tozini, Kelber David

URI: http://www.repositorio.jesuita.org.br/handle/UNISINOS/6357

Fecha: 2017-03-20

xmlui.dri2xhtml.METS-1.0.item-contributorAdvisor: Bitencourt, Claudia Cristina

Resumen:

This study aimed to understand the relationship between university rankings and students’ motivations to study abroad in addition to identifying possible differences in terms of perceived benefits and challenges. This case study on the Science Without Borders program is divided in two sections. The first presents an overview of the SWB program and how the placement process occurred. The second section presents the results of survey in which 679 students answered a series of questions regarding their motivations, in addition to perceived benefits and challenges. The analysis revealed the existence of three clusters - Ranking-oriented students, Experience-oriented students and Language-oriented students - with distinct motivations, foreign language proficiency level and academic performance prior to the SwB. Most Ranking-oriented students were placed in the Top 500 institutions while the majority of Language-oriented ones studied at institutions which were not part of the same group. These clusters also showed different levels in perceived benefits, with Experience-oriented students having the highest means of professional skills in the academic and internship phases of the program whereas Language-Oriented ones had the lowest. The latter also had the highest perception levels of challenges faced throughout the program. When analyzing only the students’ host institutions’ rank, students who studied at the highest-ranked institutions had the highest means of professional skills and the lowest of perceived challenges, while students in non-ranked institutions had the opposite. These results point to the importance of rankings in the decision-making process and how an institutions’ rank may be associated with perception levels of benefits and challenges in mobility programs. This study also identified a series of barriers which contributed to flaws in the placement process and how some students’ lack of commitment post-participation in the program affects the country’s long-term goals.

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