Author: Dr Monika Foster, Associate Professor and Director of Learning and Teaching, Edinburgh Napier Business School

This thought piece contributes to the discussion about the value of international student mobility and how it can be enhanced within business schools through long term benefits of cross-cultural learning, given the increased pressure to provide an excellent student experience and hit TEF targets, alongside high quality research for REF. The piece is informed by the results of a study which explored the impact of students’ mobility on cross-cultural adaptation in order to produce a set of recommendations for business schools who wish to enhance their students’ outgoing, international mobility. The study is significant in that it highlights the need to consider a more reflective approach to working with students in mobility and a shift away from a mechanistic focus on systems and structures towards developing practical intercultural skills.

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