International Student Mobility: An Empirical Study Based on FEUP Mechanical Engineering Data

Y

11

Study Abroad; Engineering Education; Student Mobility; Student Attitudes; Universities; Foreign Countries; Global Approach; International Education; Graduate Students; Masters Programs; International Cooperation; Educational Cooperation; Educational Policy; Occupational Mobility; Career Development

Portugal; Europe

2227-7102

Students are formal learners seeking documented and recognized tertiary education. Student mobility in higher education can be inward (into a country) or outward (out of a country). Both types of mobility are educational processes offering different experiences and resulting in different outcomes. At least half of MIEM (Integrated Mechanical Engineering master degree of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal) students are driven to seek different institutions and different societies outside their known environment. During the academic year 2019/20 one hundred and forty MIEM students were engaged on exchange mobility projects distributed among inward Portuguese universities and a large number of outward European and non-European programs. This report focuses on MIEM student exchange aiming to share collected data based on numbers and experiences. A developed questionnaire addressing exchange mobility benefits on student educational progression as well as on the foreseen future career was handled to all 2019/20 mobility students and the collected data are reported here. Results of the survey show that 90% of the responding students consider that the engaged exchange program will turn into a positive influence on their career and a short 10% did not appreciate the mobility experience.

As Provided

2021

EJ1288259