Education is at once a right and a privilege; all of us have a right to learn, but not all of us enjoy the privilege of learning to the limits of a given subject.
A lucky few of us gain access to some of the most prestigious learning institutions in the world, from where we can turn our knowledge and experience into a lucrative career that betters our own lives and betters our field too. Put simply, this privilege should not be squandered.
There are many that breeze through the education system in the UK, utilizing the opportunities at their fingertips to achieve the bare minimum. But there are greater pastures to be found and greater academic heights to reach in looking a little farther beyond one’s fingertips.
Making your education an international one can be a hugely beneficial move, whether by moving abroad to take a further qualification or simply taking a year to study in a partner university.
Whatever your situation, the legal efforts necessary to legitimize your educational moves are highly worthwhile, with potential future impacts ranging from the professional to the personal. What follow are just some of the key benefits you could enjoy from an international education.
Enhanced Cultural Awareness and Diversity
The first benefits are perhaps the most obvious. Your time in education is the time at which you are most receptive and at which you benefit the most from exposure to new ideas; it tracks, then, that spending time learning in another country could be nothing short of transformative for your holistic education experience.
Given the progressive society that the vast majority of us live in, diversity is not something that many of us need to consciously learn in principle (though there are obvious merits to conscientious learning of specific issues in relation to internalized prejudice and systemic biases).
However, spending time in another culture can be nonetheless an eye-opening experience – one which alerts you to a broader, global viewpoint and which can enrich your personal and professional lives accordingly.
Academic Excellence and Unique Learning Opportunities
Traveling elsewhere to study is not just a cultural opportunity but also an academic one. It is easy to think of the UK’s education system as a closed system, and to settle with localised pathways within your chosen subject of study.
However, international opportunities can massively broaden your academic potential, whether by enabling you access to different resources or giving you one-on-one time with uniquely-placed experts on your specialism.
Career Advancement and Global Networking
Finally, taking time abroad to study is an excellent method of broadening your academic and professional network.
Whether becoming friendly with professors internationally, or creating networks with fellow international students (who will eventually become professionals in their respective specialisms), you can look forward to a vibrant, diverse and stimulating professional cohort as your career develops – and even open yourself up to new academic opportunities in the process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, international education offers various benefits for children and young people, including global awareness, cultural appreciation, critical thinking, and, of course, a wider diversity. It also helps with language skills helping students to understand the global job market.
