Domestic Study Away in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The recent COVID-19 pandemic and an emphasis on improving access to international education experiences have spurred researchers and practitioners to consider global experiences without international travel. Domestic study away programs can broaden access to intercultural learning for postsecondary students. This systematic literature review, the first known attempt to review the literature on study away, explores how researchers and professionals have previously discussed these opportunities. We draw from 59 publications to understand how study away is defined; conceptual, theoretical, and methodological approaches to investigating study away; common programmatic features; and learning outcomes. We find that study away is often ill-defined, and many empirical publications do not utilize theoretical or conceptual frameworks in their exploration. Learning outcomes attributed to study away were most commonly either psychosocial or related to attitudes and values. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for researchers and practitioners and highlight directions for future work.