PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS

In response to the evolving demands of globalised labour markets, higher education institutions are integrating international and intercultural perspectives into the curriculum to foster students’ professional growth by developing core employability skills. This study explores the development of so...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Veriko Berandze, Mirian Khelashvili, Levan Chichua, Katarina Aškerc Zadravec
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Editura Universitatii Agora 2025-06-01
Series:Agora International Journal of Economical Sciences
Online Access:https://univagora.ro/jour/index.php/aijes/article/view/7167
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849420757828894720
author Veriko Berandze
Mirian Khelashvili
Levan Chichua
Katarina Aškerc Zadravec
author_facet Veriko Berandze
Mirian Khelashvili
Levan Chichua
Katarina Aškerc Zadravec
author_sort Veriko Berandze
collection DOAJ
description In response to the evolving demands of globalised labour markets, higher education institutions are integrating international and intercultural perspectives into the curriculum to foster students’ professional growth by developing core employability skills. This study explores the development of soft and transferable competences through students’ participation in a one-week, project-based international mobility programme. Using a structured reflection framework and qualitative content analysis, the article examines 29 student reflections guided by a set of thematically aligned prompts and reflective questions. The findings indicate that even short-term international collaboration can lead to meaningful development of key professional competences, including intercultural communication, adaptability, teamwork, and digital literacy, as shaped by the designed pedagogical activities. Students also reported increased global awareness, clearer career orientation, and enhanced goal clarity in relation to future professional pathways, alongside the practical application of skills in authentic contexts. The results underscore reflective writing as an effective pedagogical strategy in international learning environments, helping students to recognise and articulate otherwise hidden competences. While the study’s small sample size presents limitations, the findings support the integration of short, intensive, and internationally diverse learning formats into higher education curriculum to foster employability-relevant skills.
format Article
id doaj-art-0ccb110321044a00bdf0cdbf09554102
institution Kabale University
issn 2067-3310
2067-7669
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Editura Universitatii Agora
record_format Article
series Agora International Journal of Economical Sciences
spelling doaj-art-0ccb110321044a00bdf0cdbf095541022025-08-20T03:31:40ZengEditura Universitatii AgoraAgora International Journal of Economical Sciences2067-33102067-76692025-06-0119110.15837/aijes.v19i1.7167PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONSVeriko BerandzeMirian KhelashviliLevan ChichuaKatarina Aškerc Zadravec In response to the evolving demands of globalised labour markets, higher education institutions are integrating international and intercultural perspectives into the curriculum to foster students’ professional growth by developing core employability skills. This study explores the development of soft and transferable competences through students’ participation in a one-week, project-based international mobility programme. Using a structured reflection framework and qualitative content analysis, the article examines 29 student reflections guided by a set of thematically aligned prompts and reflective questions. The findings indicate that even short-term international collaboration can lead to meaningful development of key professional competences, including intercultural communication, adaptability, teamwork, and digital literacy, as shaped by the designed pedagogical activities. Students also reported increased global awareness, clearer career orientation, and enhanced goal clarity in relation to future professional pathways, alongside the practical application of skills in authentic contexts. The results underscore reflective writing as an effective pedagogical strategy in international learning environments, helping students to recognise and articulate otherwise hidden competences. While the study’s small sample size presents limitations, the findings support the integration of short, intensive, and internationally diverse learning formats into higher education curriculum to foster employability-relevant skills. https://univagora.ro/jour/index.php/aijes/article/view/7167
spellingShingle Veriko Berandze
Mirian Khelashvili
Levan Chichua
Katarina Aškerc Zadravec
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS
Agora International Journal of Economical Sciences
title PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS
title_full PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS
title_fullStr PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS
title_full_unstemmed PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS
title_short PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH SHORT-TERM INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON STUDENT REFLECTIONS
title_sort professional growth through short term international mobility a qualitative study based on student reflections
url https://univagora.ro/jour/index.php/aijes/article/view/7167
work_keys_str_mv AT verikoberandze professionalgrowththroughshortterminternationalmobilityaqualitativestudybasedonstudentreflections
AT miriankhelashvili professionalgrowththroughshortterminternationalmobilityaqualitativestudybasedonstudentreflections
AT levanchichua professionalgrowththroughshortterminternationalmobilityaqualitativestudybasedonstudentreflections
AT katarinaaskerczadravec professionalgrowththroughshortterminternationalmobilityaqualitativestudybasedonstudentreflections