Supporting International Student Mobility Through Resourced International Internships

Abstract

Higher education students are increasingly being encouraged by governments and their universities to participate in global mobility activities, and yet historically few received appropriate preparation, reporting that they had inadequate knowledge of the country and the industries to which they were headed. This article discusses the result of a student-centred research-led project which resulted in the creation of resources for communications students undertaking solo international mobility activities. In particular, we discuss the ‘Global Work Ready’ project developed in an Australian university for communications students headed predominately to Asia. Using iterative participatory action research, a website was designed to improve preparation and outcomes for students. The resources were developed after in-depth interviews with 14 former international interns, three host employers and a cross-university team of staff interested in global education. The focus is on providing information and advice for students before, during and after their internship, much of it in the students’ own words. Combined with links to relevant university services and resources, the Global Work Ready website provides a template for resources for students that can save staff hours of one-to-one advice and support and enables students to access relevant information as and when they are ready for it.