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

Educational institutions such as colleges and universities play an important role in moulding one's career. Colleges and universities should encourage students to take steps which allows them to be a more confident and powerful human. Does it mean that by requiring students to spend at least one semester studying in a foreign country will make them more strong and will help them gain more depth in their academic subjects? Issue is highly debatable. There are many valid arguments to each side & it is not a simple black and white choice when deciding who is right. However, from my point of view, I agree up to some extent that, college and universities should require students to spend at least one semester studying in a foreign country. There are manifold examples that asserts my view.

Firstly, studying in a foreign country means, you get a chance for foreign exposure. For example, different nations have their own standards, customs and rituals to follow. Hence, you may learn about their novel practices, art, and culture. Let us take an example of fashion designing students visiting france as their final semester curriculum. France is well known as a fashion hub in this world. There are many world renowned fashion experts in the france. Hence, I believe that by interacting with some of them students may learn about new things in field of fashion and can relate it with the subjects that they have studied. However, that does not mean that by visiting foreign country only once can learn more about subject, but it allows students to explore new areas in that field more easily.

Secondly, by visiting foreign country it may help students to know, how to live life on their own. I have observed that, many students feel homesickness and are not easily accustomed to the new environment. Therefore, by visiting foreign country students may learn new things like, how to cook, how to wash clothes and become independent. As, at universities and colleges, they have made it their home since long period. Let us take my own example here. My college was just few miles away from my home. I have never felt the experience of hostel life and have spent my entire student life with my parents. So, I believe that, by visiting foreign country it will help me to over-come my fears and make new friends also.

However, few may argue that, not everyone can afford to study one semester in foreign country, as it requires students to pay more than half of the fees. I agree with those who have negative point, but looking at the positive benefits that one could get after visiting foreign country, it clearly outweighs the negative sides. Moreover, educations is nothing but just one sort of investment. One will definitely get the return for it. To add more, many universities now a days, are providing funding to capable students whose financial condition is below average. Therefore, I agree that one should look on the positive side of studying abroad.

In sum, I concur that, by exploring the foreign country students can learn not only about their subjects in depth, but also about the moral values, cultural values and traditions of that country. However, I believe that such programs should be implemented carefully after looking at the overall burden on the students and how beneficial it will be for the students to visit any particular foreign country.