Study Abroad Curriculum Design: Reflections on the Past, Reviewing the Present and Writing the Future

Abstract

Informed by an evidence-based classroom approach, a 2024 survey of students studying abroad, and reflections on current higher education discourses, this paper examines study abroad (SA) curriculum design and reflects on the future of SA in the context of the needs and circumstances of students today. Adopting an interdisciplinary lens, it explores student experiences alongside the inhibitors and enablers shaping learning outcomes abroad. It argues that SA curricula must move beyond a narrow linguistic focus and instead approach students as whole persons, recognizing the multiple variables influencing SA quality and impact. A multidisciplinary approach to SA preparation is proposed, placing “Self” at the center of teaching and learning, and promoting a more flexible understanding of academic experience. The chapter further contends that universities must invest more intentionally in SA, as students contend with increasing stress and mental load. Moving away from a neoliberal lens, SA is reconceptualized as an “act of care” (Costantino, 2021), with implications for both students and educators alike. Finally, it is postulated that SA in the future will necessitate a paradigm shift from traditional mobility alone, toward adaptive and non-mobility options.

Keywords: curriculum design and innovation, learning inhibitors and learning enablers, study abroad for Gen Z students