Global research has firmly established that wide-scale investment in outbound mobility nurtures the next generation of a country's global leaders and directly increases a country's competitiveness. Few avenues hold greater promise in strengthening Canada's future potential than fully utilizing our country's human capital to build strong economic, social and cultural bonds with other nations. As the voice for Canada's international education sector, CBIE is leveraging its unique role to build a comprehensive and timely national dataset on learning abroad. The CBIE 2023 Learning Abroad Survey Initiative consists of two questionnaires that will collect data on outbound mobility activities from both the institutional and student perspective. Through this national research initiative, CBIE will illuminate the impact, value and outcomes of these experiences to support innovation and growth in our sector and inform Canada's global engagement over the long term.
The Institutional Survey
This data collection effort will compile broad student participation numbers related to exchange programs, international work-integrated learning, faculty-led programming, international research and other learning abroad activities. This initiative will help to establish a strategic baseline for learning abroad in Canada and build the foundation for a robust, longitudinal national dataset that can inform policy and decision-making with implications at the institutional, provincial/territorial and federal levels.
The Student & Alumni Survey
CBIE will administer this survey to students and alumni who have completed a learning abroad opportunity within the past five years. This student-focused data will complement the institutional data by collecting insight into the motivations, impact, value and outcomes of both physical and virtual learning abroad activities.