The third week of November marks International Education Week 2017. To mark the occasion, the WFCP will be sharing reports, opportunities, and highlights of the benefits of international co-operation and studying abroad during the week of November 13-17.

Today’s installment comes from the Institute of International Education (IIE) who have spent almost 100 years working with clients, sponsors and donors to develop and manage a variety of facets of international education, such as training the workforce, advancing women and girls, and supporting scholars affected by conflict and natural disasters.

The October 2017 report, Gaining and Employment Edge: The Impact of Study Abroad on 21st Century Skills & Career Prospects, demonstrates the link between studying abroad and development of skills needed for the workforce and career advancement. The IIE report found that students who spent longer periods of time studying abroad experienced a high impact on career advancement, and gained important skills such as communication, foreign language and teamwork. IIE developed a specific list of 15 soft and hard skills identified as competencies most desired by 21st century employers and surveyed 4,500 U.S. college and university alumni, at varying stages in their careers. In-depth interviews were also conducted as part of the study.

The study was released at the IIE Summit on Generation Study Abroad in Washington, D.C. on October 2, 2017. The full report can be downloaded at www.iie.org/employability.