Executive Summary

What do you want your project to achieve?

Commitment to Internationalisation reflects the University’s understanding of the international experience as a crucial part of contemporary tertiary education for all students. In addition to providing valuable insights and comparative data, from Monash University, into what constitutes a good Study Abroad experience, this project will examine and inform the underlying theories and the everyday pedagogical practice of Warwick ‘at home’ as an international context. The project will include exploration of short to medium (and potentially also long-term) outcomes for students with reference to perceived intercultural competency and confidence. The fieldwork will also identify challenges and difficulties that might be strategically addressed in preparatory courses and materials.

Overall Objectives:

• Comparative study of a range of programs at Warwick and Monash involving study abroad.

• Comparative study of UK and Australian student motivations/priorities/barriers/outcomes in study abroad and internationalisation ‘at home’.

• Development of new joint academic and research initiatives e.g. shared cultural literacy units and competitive research grant applications (these would be follow-up activities).

• Preparation of a report for Warwick that provides recommendations for future programming and identifies the factors necessary for students to enjoy a 'successful' study abroad.

• Development of preparation, follow up and assessment procedures relating to the year abroad component of modern languages degrees (Italian dept)

How many students will your project reach?

Initially the project will reach the 2011/2012 cohort of between 60 and 90 students involved in study in Italy from Italian, History and History of Art. Students with past experience of study abroad in Italy will also be involved. However, the outcomes have the potential to reach all future students undertaking study abroad in Venice and or in Italy, as well as to be rolled out to students going to other destinations. Some of the outcomes are directly relevant to the internationalisation of the student experience at Warwick as a whole.