Enhancing students’ global competence through international business study missions

• Main Authors: CHONG, Mark, GAN, Benjamin, MENKHOFF, Thomas
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2020
• Subjects: Global competencies; Study missions; Curriculum design; Asian University; Study abroad; Short term; Faculty led; Learning outcome; Asian Studies; Higher Education; International Business
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6621; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/7620/viewcontent/Attached_standard_file_.PDF.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

This article shares how an Asian University enhanced students’ global competence through international business study missions (BSMs). More specifically, it focuses on (i) how the design of these BSMs enabled “deep” learning beyond industry tourism and (ii) how 21st century competencies such as ‘global competence’ can be acquired through participation in short-term, faculty-led study missions.Using the case study approach, it critically analyses the learning goals and objectives, design decisions, implementation details and learning outcomes underlying three business study missions led by three instructors from the same university to the USA (New York), Germany (Berlin and Stuttgart), and South Korea (Seoul).The study shows that students gained global competencies related to specific fields of study such as the creative industries, urban sustainability, and entrepreneurship. It shows how design choices such as destination, range of organizations, length of individual visits, range of pedagogical techniques, intensity of preparation, and quality of management contribute to students’ acquisition of global competencies.Our research presents a subset of case studies that may limit the generalization of the findings; the bias that results from an unrepresentative, opportunistic sample (selection bias); and lack of quantitative causality in a qualitative evaluation.The course design described here provides practical information for designing study abroad “deep” learning goals, objectives and outcomes focusing on global competence.The detailed case studies of three instructors from different disciplines to achieve the country’s education vision of globally competent students.