Taking a semester abroad, either studying at another university or doing an internship at a company or an organization, can positively broaden your horizon – both on an academic and personal level.
Reasons to study abroad
Coping alone in another country really speeds up personal development:
- Increase your independence as you will have to face many challenges out of your comfort zone.
- Become more confident in the face of your successes, small and large, abroad.
- Through cultural exchanges your worldview will change significantly and your cultural sensitivity will develop.
By going abroad you can secure experiences and skills that are increasingly crucial in today’s globalised world:
- You can engage in collaborative team work in a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary setting.
- You can broaden your understanding and appreciation of diversity and other cultures.
- You will be able to meet people from around the world, all with different professional backgrounds, and make valuable new connections for your network.
You will gain new insights through the new environment, no matter what field of study you are in:
- You will experience alternative ways of learning, which can improve your abilities to engage in independent and reflective learning.
- Being exposed by a new academic environment can offer new perspectives, which can sharpen your capacity for analytical and critical thinking.
- New perspectives in your line of study can give you an edge when it comes to innovative thinking.
- You can gain access to courses that might not be available at SDU, or supplement courses that you are very interested in.
Being immersed in another country and its culture can really challenge your communicative skills – and thereby improving them:
- Improve already acquired language skills, like English, Spanish or other.
- Learn a new language in the best possible setting, as you are forced to challenge and practice your skills on a daily basis.
- Increase your communicative skills in a multi-lingual setting.
The most important reason for going abroad as part of your studies is the competitive edge you can gain and make use of in the globalised work force you will enter after you end your studies.
A result of all the experiences and skills that you will develop and/or improve while being abroad is that your study abroad period becomes a significant asset on your resume. Several studies have shown that employers rate a period studying abroad important, when looking at applicants.
The Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science produced the following article. Here the experts state that a study abroad period gives a competitive advantage: