International exchanges are like immersive training grounds for university students, offering a unique opportunity to develop a wide range of soft skills crucial for personal and professional growth. These experiences go beyond just academic learning; they provide a dynamic environment for honing adaptability, communication skills, collaboration, leadership, and emotional intelligence.
Adaptability is perhaps one of the most essential skills fostered during international exchanges. Imagine being dropped into a completely new country, where the language, culture, and customs are unfamiliar. For many students, living abroad challenges them to adjust their thinking and behavior. They often must navigate cultural differences, learn a new public transportation system, and figure out how a different education system works. Finding a place to live, for instance, can be a vastly different experience across countries. Adapting to a foreign environment requires flexibility, resilience, and an open mindset. Leaving our familiar comfort zone forces us to grow.
International exchanges also help students develop essential communication skills. When students find themselves in a diverse environment with peers and professors from different cultural backgrounds, they must learn to communicate effectively. Whether they making an academic presentation, collaborating on group projects, or socializing with new friends, students must learn to convey their ideas, listen actively, and navigate cultural nuances. Through these interactions, they develop a heightened awareness of communication styles, linguistic differences, and nonverbal cues, becoming more adept communicators.
Students often have to collaborate more when they study abroad. Working with peers from diverse backgrounds requires students to embrace teamwork, respect differing viewpoints, and leverage individual strengths. Whether collaborating on group assignments, participating in extracurricular activities, or organizing cultural events, students learn to bridge cultural divides, navigate interpersonal dynamics, and achieve common goals through collaboration. Students on global exchanges usually find themselves connecting more easily with other exchange students from around the globe.
International exchanges also offer leadership opportunities. Exchange students often join international clubs and other organizations in the host institutions. Away from their family and in an unfamiliar environment, they must take initiative, make decisions, and navigate cross-cultural challenges. When they return home, they often get to talk to others about their experience and incorporate what they learned. These leadership experiences not only bolster their resumes but also cultivate essential leadership qualities such as initiative, adaptability, and resilience.
Emotional intelligence is perhaps one of the most profound outcomes of international exchanges. Living and studying in a foreign country can be emotionally challenging, from dealing with homesickness and cultural shock to navigating interpersonal relationships in a new environment. Students must recognize and manage their emotions, develop empathy for others, and build resilience. Through reflection and self-discovery, students can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
While soft skills can develop organically during study abroad experiences, sending institutions can do a lot to help students cultivate them. First, international offices can include information on adaptability, resiliency, intercultural communication, and other soft skills in their orientation. Secondly, the sending university can require students to reflect on their experiences abroad and what they learned from them during their stay or after their return. At Coastal Carolina University, every student who studies abroad is required to write a report about their experience and discuss the skills they developed. The receiving institutions also have a role to play. They should encourage international students to stay engaged and promote opportunities for leadership like community engagement projects. Also, they can encourage discussions among students to discuss their experiences, challenges, and coping strategies.
International exchanges offer a rich and multifaceted learning experience that extends far beyond the classroom. By fostering adaptability, communication skills, collaboration, leadership, and emotional intelligence, these experiences empower students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world. Whether through semester-long exchanges, short-term academic programs, or double and joint degrees, international experiences provide students with the skills, perspectives, and confidence they need to succeed in today’s globalized society.
Yoav Wachsman, Coastal Carolina University