Abstract
Every year many students travel abroad to study. While the motivations to do so vary, it is broadly accepted that studying abroad will provide students with a unique experience that will benefit them and their country. In this systematic literature review (SLR), we synthesize the existing literature regarding the long-term impact of studying abroad on international students’ change and self-development. This study aims to broaden research knowledge concerning what happens to the outcomes of studying abroad once the students graduate. It also intends to use the SLR findings to help develop a conceptual framework of the long-term impact of acculturation that aims to test and extend the theory of acculturation
In this study, we implemented a narrative synthesis approach, limiting our search to longitudinal studies that examine changes in students in relation to the student’s knowledge, skills, attitudes, opinions, and behaviours before and after graduation to allow for the examination of outcomes of study post-graduation. After conducting a broad search and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, ten studies were identified that primarily examined intrapersonal level change over time. The SLR results and synthesis was presented in line with the theory of acculturation factors by discussing the outcomes and the mechanisms that underpin change and self-development over time. The study, also, identified several limitations to the existing body of research. First, none of the studies assessed whether specified changes occurred after the students returned to their home country; second, we found a limited sampling of diversity regarding home country and age; and third, few studies met pre-specified quality standards. Based on the results and limitations, the study proposes a new model of the long-term impact of acculturation to provide a new conceptual framework that will help future research uncover a deeper understanding of the long-term impact of studying abroad on the international community.