Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Higher education is challenged by the changing climate created by globalisation and the phenomenon of internationalisation. Internationalisation of higher education provides a platform for institutions to engage with counterparts across the world in a manner that would enhance the quality of all aspects of the institution, but also poses a number of challenges to institutions and higher education systems. The literature review of the study sketches the background to the study and analyses some of the above-mentioned opportunities and challenges. The study researched one aspect of internationalisation, namely the mobility of undergraduate students. The mobility of students can take place through an array of activities that includes summer school programmes, internships, or tailored short programmes. This study focuses on one type of mobility, namely an international exchange semester. The study stemmed from the actual problem at Stellenbosch University where a major imbalance exists in the number of students received from partner universities and of Stellenbosch students taking part in a semester at the partner university. The rationale and practice of international exchange semesters in four Faculties were analysed on multiple levels by means of a case study design. The four case studies were concluded in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of AgriSciences and the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, and within these Faculties the investigation was restricted to general-formative programmes. Data were collected and analysed at four levels of each Faculty, namely the climate that is created through Faculty strategy, the views and perspectives of students in their final and pre-final year, the view and perspectives of programme coordinators, and finally, the views on a managerial level by means of the inputs of deputy deans. Each of the case studies reveals specific issues and opportunities for international exchange semesters within the particular Faculty, yet, the comparative perspectives reveal that the major barriers to student mobility are consistent across faculties, and that particularly the type of information available, the applicability of that information within the particular academic environment and financial aspects are consistently identified by students in all four Faculties. The barriers identified by staff, both on departmental and management level, resonate with the barriers identified by students, but further illustrate more specific organisational and pedagogical challenges linked to the implementation of international exchange semesters. The study not only makes a contribution to a deeper understanding of existing challenges pertaining to international mobility by means of an exchange semester but it also makes specific recommendations to address these challenges and poses alternatives to existing practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoër onderwys word uitgedaag deur die veranderende omgewing as gevolg van globalisering en deur die verskynsel van internasionalisering. Internasionalisering van hoër onderwys bied ’n platform vir interaksie tussen instellings en hul eweknieë in ander wêrelddele op ’n wyse wat die gehalte van alle aspekte van die instellings kan bevorder. Internasionalisering is egter ook ’n verskynsel wat ’n bedreiging en ’n uitdaging vir instellings en hoëronderwysstelsels inhou. Die literatuurstudie van hierdie studie skets die agtergrond tot die studie en ontleed van hierdie geleenthede en uitdagings. Die studie het een aspek van internasionalisering, naamlik die mobiliteit van voorgraadse studente, ondersoek. Die mobiliteit van studente geskied deur ’n verskeidenheid aktiwiteite wat somerskole, internskappe en taalkursusse insluit. Die studie fokus op een aktiwiteit, naamlik internasionale uitruilsemesters. Die studie het gepruit uit ’n voortslepende uitdaging by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (US) waar die aantal inkomende uitruilstudente van vennoot-instansies die aantal US studente wat aan uitruilsemesters deelneem, ver oorskry. Die rasionaal en uitvoering van internasionale uitruilsemesters in vier fakulteite is deur middel van ’n gevallestudie-ontwerp op verskeie vlakke ontleed om ʼn omvattende begrip te ontwikkel. Die vier gevallestudies is in die konteks van die Fakulteit Lettere en Sosiale Wetenskappe, Fakulteit Agriwetenskappe, Fakulteit Natuurwetenskappe en Fakulteit Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe uitgevoer, en in die studie van hierdie vier fakulteite is die konteks verder tot algemene vormende programme beperk. Data is ingewin en ontleed op vier vlakke in elke fakulteit, naamlik die platform wat geskep word deur die strategie van die fakulteit, die oortuigings en perspektiewe van studente in hulle finale en voor-finale jaar, die perspektiewe en insig van programkoördineerders, en laastens die perspektief op bestuursvlak deur middel van onderhoude met adjunkdekane. Elke gevallestudie onthul spesifieke kwessies ten opsigte van en geleenthede vir internasionale uitruilsemesters binne die betrokke fakulteit, maar die vergelykende perspektiewe dui aan dat die grootste struikelblokke vir studente mobiliteit deurlopend dieselfde is tussen die vier fakulteite. Die studie toon aan dat die beskikbaarheid van die tipe inligting, die toepaslikheid van daardie inligting op ‘n student se spesifieke situasie (program) en finansiële aspekte in al vier fakulteite deur studente gekies is. Die struikelblokke wat deur personeel, beide op departementele en bestuursvlak, uitgewys is vind aanklank by die struikelblokke wat deur studente aangedui is, maar illustreer ook verdere uitdagings ten opsigte van organisatoriese aspekte en pedagogiese uitdagings wat verband hou met die implementering van internasionale uitruilsemesters. Die studie maak nie net ‘n bydrae in terme van ‘n dieper verstaan van die bestaande uitdagings ten opsigte van internasionale studente mobiliteit deur middel van ‘n uitruilsemester nie, maar maak ook voorstelle oor hoe om hierdie uitdagings aan te spreek en stel alternatiewe voor vir die bestaande praktyke.

Study-abroad in the United States traces its roots back to early colonial times. The concept of spending a semester or year abroad during the undergraduate degree programme is not a new one; however increasing emphasis has been placed upon the need for acquiring a global education to cope with the demands of an ever increasing internationalised world. The traditional locations for American undergraduates who chose to study-abroad have always been and continue to be Western Europe. Yet, with a culture similar to that of the United States, the question of what intercultural learning takes place is an apt one. Emphasis on non-traditional locations is increasing, yet few studies have been undertaken which examine the experience of American undergraduates who do choose non-traditional destinations for their study-abroad experience. This research examines, through a qualitative study, using in-depth, semi-structured descriptive interviews, the experience of six American undergraduates who chose to spend a semester in South Africa from January to June 2004. A focus group of professionals within the American university study-abroad setting was also interviewed in May of 2003 to determine factors of interest to professionals within the field. The major findings included: The traditional barriers to study-abroad were not applicable to the students studied, however, barriers dealing with lack of information or inaccurate information regarding South Africa and non-promotion of South Africa as a first world country were found to be relevant as deterrents to students choosing South Africa as a destination for study-abroad. The most relevant factors that influenced students to study-abroad in South Africa were found to be: prior academic coursework in African studies at the home institution, the perception that it was a destination that offered opportunities for personal enjoyment and learning prospects in a unique cultural setting in addition to the fact that the host institution's language of instruction was English. Based on these findings, relevant recommendations for further research in this field were suggested. / Educational Studies / DED (COMP EDUCATION)

Study-abroad in the United States traces its roots back to early colonial times. The concept of spending a semester or year abroad during the undergraduate degree programme is not a new one; however increasing emphasis has been placed upon the need for acquiring a global education to cope with the demands of an ever increasing internationalised world. The traditional locations for American undergraduates who chose to study-abroad have always been and continue to be Western Europe. Yet, with a culture similar to that of the United States, the question of what intercultural learning takes place is an apt one. Emphasis on non-traditional locations is increasing, yet few studies have been undertaken which examine the experience of American undergraduates who do choose non-traditional destinations for their study-abroad experience. This research examines, through a qualitative study, using in-depth, semi-structured descriptive interviews, the experience of six American undergraduates who chose to spend a semester in South Africa from January to June 2004. A focus group of professionals within the American university study-abroad setting was also interviewed in May of 2003 to determine factors of interest to professionals within the field. The major findings included: The traditional barriers to study-abroad were not applicable to the students studied, however, barriers dealing with lack of information or inaccurate information regarding South Africa and non-promotion of South Africa as a first world country were found to be relevant as deterrents to students choosing South Africa as a destination for study-abroad. The most relevant factors that influenced students to study-abroad in South Africa were found to be: prior academic coursework in African studies at the home institution, the perception that it was a destination that offered opportunities for personal enjoyment and learning prospects in a unique cultural setting in addition to the fact that the host institution's language of instruction was English. Based on these findings, relevant recommendations for further research in this field were suggested. / Educational Studies / DED (COMP EDUCATION)