Student exchange program: Difference between revisions

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{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}

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[[File:Pakistan-U.S. Student Exchange Program 2011.jpg|thumb|Pakistan to US Student Exchange Program, July 2011]]

A '''student exchange program''' is a program in which students from a [[secondary school]] (high school) or universityhigher education [[study abroad]] at one of their institution's partner institutions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2006 |title=Stella Ting-Toomey, PhD |url=http://www.ces.uc.pt/icopromo/documents/02%20Stella%20Ting-Toomey%20-%20Developing%20Intercultural%20Communication%20Competence%20-%20A%20Mindful%20Systems%20Perspective.pdf |access-date=25 October 2014}}</ref>

A student exchange program may involve international travel, but does not necessarily require the student to study outside their home country.

Foreign exchange programs provide students with an opportunity to study in a differentanother country and environmentexperience experiencinga thedifferent history and culture of another country,environment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Daly |first=Amanda |date=1 April 2011 |title=Determinants of participating in Australian university student exchange programs |journal=Journal of Research in International Education |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=58–70 |doi=10.1177/1475240910394979 |issn=1475-2409 |hdl-access=free |hdl=10072/63753 |s2cid=144999878}}</ref> asThese wellprograms provide opportunities that may not be available in the participant's home country, such as learning about the history and culture of other countries and meeting new friends to enrich their personal development. International exchange programs are also effective to challenge students to develop a [[Global Perspectives (journal)|global perspective]].

The term "exchange" means that a partner institution accepts a student, but does not necessarily mean that the students have to find a counterpart from the other institution with whom to exchange. Exchange students live with a host family or in a designated place such as a hostel, an apartment, or a student lodging. Costs for the program vary by the country and institution. Participants fund their participation via scholarships, loans, or self-funding.

Student exchanges became popular after [[World War II]], and are intended to increase the participants' understanding and tolerance of other cultures, as well as improving their language skills and broadening their social horizons. Student exchanges also increased further after the end of the [[Cold War]]. An exchange student typically stays in the host country for a period of 6 to 12 months; however, exchange students may opt to stay for one semester at a time. [[International student]]s or those on study abroad programs may stay in the host country for several years. Some exchange programs also offer [[academic credit]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2019 |title=Foster School Exchange Programs |url=https://foster.uw.edu/centers/gbc/undergraduate/exchange-programs/ |access-date=18 October 2019 |publisher=University of Washington}}</ref>

Students of study abroad programs aim to develop a global perspective and cultural understanding by getting out ofchallenging their comfort zonezones and immersing themselves in a different culture. Studies have shown that students' desire to study abroad has increased, and research suggests that students choose programs because of ___location, costs, available resources, and heritage.<ref>{{Cite (Angulo,2008;journal Eder,|last1=Naddaf Smith|first1=Mariana &|last2=Marie |first2=Jakia |last3=Mitchell |first3=Donald |date=2020-01-01 |title=Heritage PittsSeekers,2010; MorenoIdentity, 2009)and Study Abroad: A Phenomenological Exploration |url=https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/education_fac_pub/13 |journal=Journal of College Student Development|volume=61 |issue=2 |pages=251–256 |doi=10.1353/csd.2020.0026 |s2cid=216334322 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Although there are many different exchange programs, the most popular are the programs that offer academic credit, as many students are concerned about traveling ifhindering it means getting them off track withtheir academic and professional plans.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Angulo |first=Sarah Kathryn |date=2008 |title=Identity change in students who study abroad |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/194154897 |journal=The University of Texas at Austin ProQuest Dissertations Publishing |id={{ProQuest|194154897}} |via=ProQuest}}</ref>

== Types of exchange programs ==

=== Short-term exchange ===

A short-term exchange program is also known as STEP. These focus on homestayshome-stays, language skills, community service, or cultural activities. High school and university students can apply for the programs through various government or non-governmental organizations that organize the programs. A short-term exchange lasts from one week to three months and doesn't require the student to study in any particular school or institution. The students are exposed to an intensive program that increases their understanding of other cultures, communities, and languages.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-01-27|title=What are Short-Term Programs?|url=https://educationusa.state.gov/your-5-steps-us-study/research-your-options/short-term/what-are-short-term-programs|access-date=2021-09-26|website=EducationUSA|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-06|title=Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs -– Office of Non-Public Education|url=https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/non-public-education/other-federal-programs/dos.html|access-date=2021-09-26|website=www2.ed.gov|language=en}}</ref>

=== Long-term exchange ===

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-09709-0002, Dresden, Ankunft eines indischen Gaststudenten.jpg|thumb|Enthusiastic welcome offered to the first Indian student to arrive toin [[Dresden]], [[East Germany]] (1951)]]

A long-term exchange is one which lasts six to ten months or up to one full year. Participants attend high school or university in their host countries, through a [[student visa]]. Typically, guest students coming to the United States are issued a [[J-1 visa|J-1 cultural exchange visa]] or an [[F visa|F-1 foreign student visa]]. Students are expected to integrate themselves into the host family, immersing themselves in the local community and surroundings. Upon their return to their home country they are expected to incorporate this knowledge into their daily lives, as well as give a presentation on their experience to their sponsors. Many exchange programs expect students to be able converse in the language of the host country, at least on a basic level. Some programs require students to pass a standardized test for English language comprehension prior to being accepted into a program taking them to the United States. Other programs do not examine language ability. Most exchange students become fluent in the language of the host country within a few months. Some exchange programs, such as the [[Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange]], [[KL-YES]], [[Future Leaders Exchange|FLEX]] are government-funded programs.

The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel is a not-for-profit organization committed to quality international educational travel and exchange for youth at the high school level.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CSIET |url=http://www.csiet.org/ |website=csiet.org}}</ref>

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====Australian high school exchange programs====

Each state in Australia provides a different program of student exchange for secondary students. The programmesprograms from each state are different for whether a student in Australia is looking to study internationally or a student from another country is looking to study in Australia. Student exchange in Australia, depending on the state, might be managed by registered exchange organisationsorganizations or the school chosen for study must be registered.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Secondary student exchange - DE International |url=http://www.decinternational.nsw.edu.au/study/student-exchange |access-date=15 May 2016 |website=www.decinternational.nsw.edu.au}}</ref> The countries that are most popular for Australian students to choose to study are, Japan, France, Germany, USA, Italy, Canada, Belgium, Spain and Argentina. The main purpose of student exchange in Australia is to allow students to study, engage and experience a new culture. International students who choose to study in Australia are given different opportunities through the programmesprograms at set schools will learn about Australian culture, but also gain English language skills at a high school level.{{Citation needed|date= October 2019}}

====Australian university students exchange programs====

Exchange programs for university students to study abroad vary depending on the university campus offers. International student exchange programs for university students are aimed to enhance students' intercultural skills and knowledge. Student exchange programs for university students allow broadening their knowledge on their study of choice from a different country. This gives university students a chance to develop their work experience by seeing how their studying profession is practiced in another country. International exchange for tertiary students allows them to gain cultural experience in their studies and a chance to travel abroad while completing their degree.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lynas |first=Kathie |year=2009 |title=Student exchange program broadens world of participants |journal=Canadian Pharmacists Journal |volume=142 |issue=1 |pagespage=14 |doi=10.3821/1913-701x-142.1.14 |s2cid=72483524}}</ref>

=== Foreign students in Spain ===

A series of studies conducted within the last decade found similar results in students studying abroad in Spain for a short-term and/or semester long program. These studies found that students can improve their speaking proficiency during one semester, there is a positive relationship between students' integrative motivation and interaction with second language culture, and student contact with the Spanish language has a great effect on their speaking improvement.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hernández |first=Todd A. |date=1 December 2010 |title=The Relationship Among Motivation, Interaction, and the Development of Second Language Oral Proficiency in a Study-Abroad Context |url=https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=span_fac |journal=The Modern Language Journal |language=en |volume=94 |issue=4 |pages=600–617 |doi=10.1111/j.1540-4781.2010.01053.x |issn=1540-4781|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It is especially apparent in students who live with host families during their program. Anne Reynolds-Case found improvements in understanding and usage of the ''vosotros'' form after studying in Spain.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Reynolds-Case |first=Anne |date=1 June 2013 |title=The Value of Short-Term Study Abroad: An Increase in Students' Cultural and Pragmatic Competency |journal=Foreign Language Annals |language=en |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=311–322 |doi=10.1111/flan.12034 |issn=1944-9720}}</ref> One study specifically studies culture perceptions of students studying abroad in Spain. Alan Meredith defines culture as consisting "of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts." Questionnaires were given to students living with host families during a two-month program in Spain. He studies how these groups perceive customs, such as concern for personal appearance, physical contact, cooking styles, politics, etc. The study found a variety of results depending the cultural custom. However, the US students' perceptions most closely aligned with the Young Spaniards (16–22 years old).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Meredith |first=R. Alan |date=2010 |title=Acquiring Cultural Perceptions during Study Abroad: The Influence of Youthful Associates |journal=Hispania |volume=93 |issue=4 |pages=686–702 |doi=10.1353/hpn.2010.a407180 |jstor=25758244}}</ref> At the same time, Angela George's study found little significance in the adoption of regional features during their semester abroad.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=George |first=Angela |date=1 March 2014 |title=Study Abroad in Central Spain: The Development of Regional Phonological Features |journal=Foreign Language Annals |language=en |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=97–114 |doi=10.1111/flan.12065 |issn=1944-9720}}</ref> Though most of these studies focused on students who came from America to study in Spain, the United States is not the only one sending their students. Brian Denman's article demonstrates an increase of Saudi student mobility for education, including locations such as Spain.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Denman |first1=Brian D. |last2=Hilal |first2=Kholoud T. |date=1 August 2011 |title=From barriers to bridges: An investigation on Saudi student mobility (2006–2009) |journal=International Review of Education |language=en |volume=57 |issue=3–4 |pages=299–318 |bibcode=2011IREdu..57..299D |doi=10.1007/s11159-011-9221-0 |issn=0020-8566 |s2cid=143960533}}</ref>

== Drawbacks ==

Even though exchange students learn to improve themselves through the experience of studying and staying in another country, there are also many difficulties to be encountered. One of them is when exchange students are unable to adapt to pedagogy followed by the host country. Another is conflicts between the host family (who have provided accommodation) and the students, when it cannot be solved by communicating with each other and the student usually will be asked to stay with another host until they find a new match.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} This process, however, could take time while the students' duration of stay is limited. Even with preparation and knowledge about the new environment, they could still experience [[culture shock]], which can affect them in different ways. Students from a completely different culture<ref name="culture">{{Cite web |title=Resources and Information |url=http://www.foreignexchangestudentprograms.net/us-culture-guide-for-exchange-students |website=www.foreignexchangestudentprograms.net}}</ref> can also encounter homesickness for a longer period of time. Lack of transportationTransport can also becomebe a major problem, becauseas theit chancesis studentsoften buyingdifficult aor carimpractical duringfor a shortstudent periodto ofbuy staya iscar lessduring likelya toshort happenprogram. Moreover, studentsStudents will find it hard to find a job, even part-time since most exchange visas do not allow students to work and it is difficult to obtain one that does. Another potential drawback is ill-health issues that can occur during the stay in a foreign country. Students are advised to always have health insurance while traveling abroad, and carry emergency contact details of their local hosts and of multiple family members as well.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 July 2016 |title=Student Exchange Program |url=http://travelsafeclinic.com/student-exchange-program/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328072742/http://travelsafeclinic.com/student-exchange-program/ |archive-date=28 March 2019 |accessdate=17 April 2021}}</ref> Students participating in student exchange programs have sometimes been vulnerable to threats such as terrorism and other crimes. For example, in 1998 a number of US students traveling in [[Guatemala]] on a college sponsored trip were attacked, within fivethe [[1998Santa GuatemalaLucía studentCotzumalguapa]] rapes|studentsarea, with the entire group being rapedrobbed and physically harassed and threatened, and in Guatemalathe [[1998 Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa attack]] five of the young women were raped.<ref name="globe2003">{{Cite news |last=Gowen |first=Annie |date=27 January 2003 |title=Terrorism a new test for US students abroad |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/443075858/ |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref>

== See also ==

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== External links ==

{{commonscatcommons category|Student exchange}}

* {{Curlie|Reference/Education/International/International_Student_Exchange|International Student Exchange Programs}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081031062324/http://eca.state.gov/jexchanges/index.cfm List of sponsor programs registered with the United States government]

* [https://studentexchange.vn/ Vietnam Student Exchange]

* {{Curlie|Reference/Education/International/Study_Abroad|Study Abroad}}

{{Authority control}}