Widening Participation in Student Mobility

With an increasingly international cohort of students in UK higher education, it’s more important than ever to create global graduates who are not only engaged in international communities, but are experienced and prepared for employment in the real world.

Studies have indicated that students who have gained international experiences during their university course outperform their non-mobile peers, both academically and professionally. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds have been shown to benefit the most from outward student mobility; with research showing that they get better degree results and more opportunities to progress into graduate-level employment.*

It is for this reason that universities should adopt a policy that encourages increased participation in student mobility. One way to do this is through short-term educational experiences, usually of four weeks or less.  A short-term study trip allows for students to gain the critical skills and global outlook needed to enhance their studies, whilst being an affordable and realistic option for those students from low income families.

Short-term mobility provides students with the opportunity to come into contact with their international peers, global industry leaders and experts in the field, providing inspiration for their future career and allowing them to apply real-life context to their studies.

Furthermore, embedding short-term mobility into modules and courses, enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and allows them to explore contrasts between the UK and their host country’s approach to a specialised subject area. An experienced tour management company, such as StudyLink Tours, can work with your university’s lecturers and travel bookers to create a bespoke travel package that’s designed to meet the learning outcomes of the course.

With an increasing need for universities to widen participation in international experiences, short-term mobility not only provides the same benefits as its long-term counterparts, it also ensures that these invaluable learning experiences are accessible and affordable for a wider demographic of students.  When arranging your travel with StudyLink, you are reassured by their price promise and multiple quote policy, ensuring that you get the best value option for your student group travel.

Working on widening student participation within your university, can further improve your global ranking through the improved degree results of graduating students and their future employability. 

*Research findings taken from Universities UK International - Gone International: Rising Aspirations Report

Widening participation case study

The University of Southampton is one university taking steps to ensure the opportunity and benefits of international experiences are open to students from widen participation backgrounds.

Read our University of Southampton Case Study here