Research Project (Ongoing)

Empirical Research on Impacts of Study Abroad in Developing Countries – based on Study Abroad Experiences of Academic Professionals of Major Universities in ASEAN Countries -

Study abroad experiences of individuals in public sector in developing countries make great impact on the attainment of knowledge and skills, the development of career, and the change of mindset of the individuals. Moreover, those individuals with study abroad experiences have contributed to the social, economic, cultural and academic development of their home country and also influenced the bilateral relationship between home and host countries. For those reasons, many developed countries, including Japan, have provided various scholarship programs to developing countries through official development assistance. There is, however, almost no empirical research on its impact of study abroad, apart from the research focusing on the impact on individual skills, knowledge, and perception in developed countries.

It is in this context that JICA Ogata Research Institute conducts the research to investigate the impact of study abroad, focusing on academic professionals who work at flagship universities in developing countries, which serve as the foundation of knowledge-based society and play a critical role in human resource development. The research targets four ASEAN countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Quantitative questionnaire will be administered to analyze the influence of factors such as destination countries, host universities, and timing of study, followed by qualitative case studies at the target universities to identify the impact of study abroad made by academic professionals on the development of the universities. The research is expected to provide important implications for the Japanese government policy on study abroad programs and also the effort of universities to promote study abroad.