College and universities should require their students to spend at least one semester studying in a foreign country

From my own perspective, I would not fully agree that it is necessary for college and universities to make student spending at least one semester studying in a foreign country as requirement. Yet, it would more efficient if college and universities encourage student who are willing and intended to learn abroad.

First of all, most of students are economically dependent, which implies that their family, or, who are responsible and obligatory to take care of them supports their expenses such as living cost, tuition fee, and spending on social activities. Studying in a foreign country will impose economic burden to students’ family to some extent. For example, Taiwanese students study abroad as international students who are charged more than 5 times tuition fee than local students in UK. Heavy tuition fee may lead to unavoidable trade-off on family’s living expanse and thus will deteriorate living quality more or less. Furthermore, even if students are able to earn money to cover their expenses, it will take most of their time to involve in work to make money. Take Chinese students in UK as example, some of them have to work in Chinese restaurant as waiter right away after classes are off daily. They do not earn too much but enough to cover their living expense in UK, however, working hours are at the cost of students’ learning time and it affects students’ learning performance.

Secondly, students are responsible for learning and put it as their first priority. As learning has no boundary; student can focus on acquiring knowledge not only through studying in foreign country but also in his or her own country as well. Take Taiwanese undergraduate education for instance, college and university adopt English textbooks which are originated from US for teaching and this enable Taiwanese students learn on the same pace with worldwide student following the same trend. On the other hand, even if students devote themselves in learning while staying in foreign country, they will miss the chance to deeply look into various cultures and stories of the world thus makes staying in the foreign country less meaningful.

Some people might contend that students should learn the complexity and diversity world widely to enhance competitiveness for the coming future. And attending college and university in the foreign country can help students to achieve this goal. Nevertheless, as the technology advanced rapidly day-by-day, students can acquire a wild variety of information and knowledge not only through school education but also through many other channels, which have eliminated distance within this world. Such as on-line courses, international publication, public educational institute (TEDXTalks), digital medial…etcetera. Technology improves the delivery of communication and accessibility of information profoundly; make it not necessary to request students to study in a foreign country.

Some people might concern that students are inevitably to be less international if staying in their own country during the whole learning stage. Accepting the same educational system, getting along with alike people around them, soaking in the cultural they are used to be, these rarely incite students’ creativity and imagination. Admittedly, without catalyst from external environment, there is minor chance to come up with new ideas and think outside the box. Hence, it would be more effective if colleague and university provide accessible channels to encourage student to learn in the foreign country. For example, application of scholarship, zero interest loan for tuition fee, consultant service, and credits transfer, which provide potential assistance for those students who are confident to be able to learn and improve themselves in the foreign country. And for those who are prepared to learn how to get along with people with different cultures conventions as well as appreciate points of views diverse from their own.

Accordingly, it is not necessary for colleague and university to make students spending one semester in foreign country as a request, but to offer accessible channels for well-prepared and confident student thus makes it more effective.