Developing unexpected skills with international internships

Ask educators what skills students gain from an international experience and most will cite social and interpersonal skills. What if they were wrong? What if international experiences enhance cognitive skills more than social skills? Our research found exactly that. International experience matters for employers but only if graduates can transform skills into behaviours that are observable and translatable into value-adding workplace performance. Unexpectedly, our research finds that an international experience translates into behaviours involving the highest order cognitive skills (eg quick thinking, learning agility and creative insight).