This editorial to the special issue on heterogeneous effects of studying abroad starts with a review of studies on the determinants and individual-level effects of studying abroad. On that basis, it illustrates the necessity to place more emphasis on effect heterogeneity in research on international student mobility. It then develops a typology of heterogeneous effects of studying abroad, which shall function as an agenda for future research in the field. Thereafter, the editorial introduces the contributions to the special issue. It concludes by summarising major findings and directions for future research.
Die Dissertation untersucht aus einer interdisziplinären Lebensverlaufsperspektive, welche Faktoren beeinflussen, ob Studierende einen studienbezogenen Auslandsaufenthalt durchführen, und welche Auswirkungen Auslandsaufenthalte auf den Berufsverbleib haben. Zu diesem Zweck werden psychologische, soziologische und ökonomische Theorien integriert (Rubikonmodell der Handlungsphasen; Theorie rationaler Entscheidungen; Reproduktionstheorie; Migrationstheorien; Suchtheorie; Segmentationstheorie). Die aufgestellten Hypothesen werden mittels quantitativer Analysen national repräsentativer Datensätze getestet (DZHW-Studienberechtigtenpanel; deutsche, österreichische, schweizerische und niederländische Studierenden-Sozialerhebungen; DZHW-Absolventenpanel und Bayerisches Absolventenpanel; WiNbus Online-Panel). Im Einklang mit den theoretischen Überlegungen zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass entscheidende Weichen für studienbezogene Auslandsmobilität bereits in vorhochschulischen Sozialisations- und Bildungsphasen gestellt werden. Beispielsweise gehen Kinder aus akademischem Elternhaus in allen untersuchten Ländern deutlich häufiger während ihres Studiums ins Ausland. Dies erklärt sich maßgeblich dadurch, dass sie bereits während der Schulzeit häufiger Gelegenheit haben, solide Fremdsprachenkenntnisse zu erwerben und erste Auslandserfahrungen zu sammeln. Entsprechend schätzen sie ihre Erfolgswahrscheinlichkeit sowie die Erträge von Auslandsmobilität als höher und die Kosten derselben als geringer ein. Auslandserfahrene Absolvent*innen unterscheiden sich von nicht auslandserfahrenen Absolvent*innen vor allem hinsichtlich der Internationalität ihrer Karrieren: Erstere arbeiten anteilig häufiger im Ausland und sind auch in Deutschland stärker in internationale Arbeitszusammenhänge eingebunden, in welchen sie öfter auf interkulturelle Kompetenzen angewiesen sind. Studienbezogene Auslandsaufenthalte - insbesondere Auslandspraktika - wirken sich ebenfalls auf den Berufserfolg positiv aus: In bestimmten Beschäftigungskontexten beziehen Absolvent*innen höhere Einkommen, wenn sie während des Studiums im Ausland waren. Dieser Einkommensvorteil ist einerseits auf ihre positive Selbstselektion zurückzuführen. Andererseits können sie schneller Lohnerhöhungen erreichen, weil sie anteilig häufiger in gut bezahlenden großen und multinationalen Unternehmen arbeiten und in ihren ersten Erwerbsjahren häufiger gewinnbringend den Arbeitgeber wechseln. Auch für eine wissenschaftliche Karriere scheinen studienbezogene Auslandserfahrungen von Nutzen zu sein: Sie stehen in Zusammenhang mit späteren Auslandsaufenthalten zu Forschungszwecken, der Einmündung in internationale Forschungskontexte und der Einbettung in internationale Wissenschaftlernetzwerke. Studienbezogene Auslandsmobilität kann folglich ein Instrument darstellen, um Hochqualifizierte auf Leben und Arbeit in einer internationalisierten und kulturell diversen Gesellschaft vorzubereiten. Sie kann aber auch zur Entstehung sozialer Ungleichheit beitragen, weil nicht alle Studierendengruppen gleichermaßen Zugang zu Auslandsaufenthalten haben. Die Dissertation zeigt, dass soziale Ungleichheiten im Zeitverlauf sogar zugenommen haben - unter anderem durch den massiven Ausbau von Stipendienprogrammen im Zuge des Bologna-Prozesses. Da soziale Ungleichheiten bereits in frühen Lebensphasen ihren Ursprung haben, dürften im Hochschulstudium ansetzende Ausgleichsmaßnahmen in ihrer Reichweite begrenzt bleiben.
While recent research has investigated what signals of academic performance govern academics' access to professorships, whether the power of such signals varies across disciplines has to date hardly been examined. We argue that the signaling power of academic achievements depends on the discipline-specific degree of standardization of research and on the spatio-temporal universality of research objects. Using a factorial survey experiment with Germany-based university professors of German studies, selected social sciences, and chemistry, we investigate the suitability of fictitious candidates for a tenured professorship (Nrespondents = 874, Nvignettes = 6354). Across disciplines, we find that the formal qualification, publications and citations, and teaching experience are of primary importance for being considered suitable for a professorship, whereas international experience and connectivity are less important. Cross-level interaction analyses based on the responding professors' discipline reveal that the formal qualification is valued most in German studies and least in chemistry. For third-party funding, we find the opposite pattern. International publications and citations are similarly important in the social sciences and in chemistry, but less important in German studies. Teaching experience is rewarded equally in all disciplines. In sum, our study provides first systematic evidence for the German academic system of how the signaling power of academic achievements varies across the humanities, social, and natural sciences.
While recent research has investigated what signals of academic performance govern academics' access to professorships, whether the power of such signals varies across disciplines has to date hardly been examined. We argue that the signaling power of academic achievements depends on the discipline-specific degree of standardization of research and on the spatio-temporal universality of research objects. Using a factorial survey experiment with Germany-based university professors of German studies, selected social sciences, and chemistry, we investigate the suitability of fictitious candidates for a tenured professorship (Nrespondents = 874, Nvignettes = 6354). Across disciplines, we find that the formal qualification, publications and citations, and teaching experience are of primary importance for being considered suitable for a professorship, whereas international experience and connectivity are less important. Cross-level interaction analyses based on the responding professors' discipline reveal that the formal qualification is valued most in German studies and least in chemistry. For third-party funding, we find the opposite pattern. International publications and citations are similarly important in the social sciences and in chemistry, but less important in German studies. Teaching experience is rewarded equally in all disciplines. In sum, our study provides first systematic evidence for the German academic system of how the signaling power of academic achievements varies across the humanities, social, and natural sciences.
In many Western countries, women are more likely to study abroad than men. At present, there is a lack of theory-guided empirical studies searching explanations for this pattern. We address this research gap by examining gender differences in study abroad intent among first-semester students in Germany. To derive a comprehensive theoretical framework, we draw on social role theory of sex differences, cognitive development theory, new home economics and statistical discrimination theory. Using data from the nationally representative 2010 DZHW School Leavers Survey, we test our hypotheses by estimating logistic regressions and non-linear effect decompositions. We find that women more often intend to study abroad primarily because of the gender-specific interest profiles they develop throughout their early life course: Related to their subject choice at school, women tend to acquire competences (e.g., language skills) that ease later stays abroad. To some extent, women's better educational performance during school also explains their better chances to study abroad. Once in higher education, women tend to choose fields of study in which studying abroad is considered more valuable for competence acquisition. Losing time due to studying abroad is less of an obstacle for women but - against theoretical expectations - not because of a lower labour market orientation. Finally, the expectation to interrupt the professional career for taking care of the family deters women - especially those from a low social background - from studying abroad, but not men. We do not find evidence that women understand studying abroad as a strategy to counteract this anticipated discrimination. Overall, our results underscore the particular importance of social role and cognitive development theory for explaining gender differences in the spatial mobility of students.
Studying abroad can positively influence students' personality development, transversal skills, and labour market outcomes. At the same time, students from a high social origin are more likely to study abroad than students from a low social origin. Against this background, recent research has suggested that international student mobility (ISM) may foster the reproduction of social inequality. However, this assumption has hardly been tested empirically. Drawing on social stratification theory, we first demonstrate that a scenario in which ISM increases social inequality (cumulative advantage) is as plausible as a scenario in which it decreases social inequality (compensatory levelling). We then address the sketched research gap by testing whether the effect of studying abroad on graduates' labour income varies across social groups in the German labour market. Using data from the 2005 DZHW Graduate Panel, we perform a propensity score matching and calculate random effects growth curve models to examine the role of ISM for the development of social inequality during the first 10 years of graduates' careers. In line with the scenario of cumulative advantage, our results suggest that graduates from a high social origin benefit more from ISM than graduates from a low social origin. Considering that students from a high social origin are also more likely to study abroad in the first place, we conclude that ISM tends to foster the reproduction of social inequality in the German labour market.
In this article, we review quantitative studies that empirically examine whether studying abroad influences graduates' wages. Our review suggests that studying abroad has a moderate positive effect on graduates' early-career wages in various national and institutional settings. However, this effect tends to vary across groups of graduates, employment contexts, and types of stays abroad. Employer change, access to large and multinational companies, and access to high-wage labor markets abroad appear to be the most relevant mechanisms mediating the effect of studying abroad on wages. Other mechanisms, such as improved language skills and a greater tendency to pursue further education, turn out to be less relevant. Overall, our review illustrates that this area of research has made great progress in recent years, but it can be further advanced by standardization of study designs, internationally comparative and longitudinal datasets, analyses of further mediating mechanisms, and new research questions.
Die Studie untersucht auf Basis des Promoviertenpanels des Deutschen Zentrums für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung (DZHW), inwiefern sich die Wahrscheinlichkeit von Auslandsaufenthalten nach Promotionskontexten unterscheidet. Promovierende in strukturierten Programmen (33%) und Stipendienprogrammen (30%) gehen deutlich häufiger ins Ausland als Promovierende auf Haushalts- (18%) und Drittmittelstellen (14%) sowie frei Promovierende (6%). Logistischen Regressionen zufolge erklärt sich dies teils durch individuelle Selektion in Promotionskontexte, insbesondere in Abhängigkeit der studienbezogenen Auslandserfahrung und des Promotionsfachs. Die Unterschiede werden jedoch auch maßgeblich durch die nach Promotionskontexten variierende Internationalität des Arbeitsumfelds, die Strukturiertheit des Promotionsprozesses sowie die Unterstützung von Forschungsaufenthalten, Konferenzbesuchen und Netzwerkaktivitäten vermittelt.
On the basis of theories of cultural reproduction and rational choice, we examine whether access to study-abroad opportunities is socially selective and whether this pattern changed during educational expansion. We test our hypotheses for Germany by combining student survey data and administrative data on higher education entry rates. We find that studying abroad was socially selective during the entire observation period. Selectivity increased between 1991 and 2003 and hardly changed thereafter. Unexpectedly, the expansion of higher education does not explain this development. We also find that students from a high social background are more likely to choose exclusive types of stays abroad, that is, prolonged stays and stays funded through study-abroad scholarships. Regarding access to scholarships, social inequality increased as studying abroad became less exclusive. High-background students thus seem to replace their prior practices with more exclusive study-abroad practices.
Early-life environments can have long-lasting effects on individuals' later life courses. Interestingly, research on the effects of school reforms has hardly adopted this perspective. Therefore, we investigate a staggered school reform that reduced the number of school years and increased weekly instructional time for secondary school students in most German federal states. We analyze this quasi-experiment in a difference-in-differences framework using nationally representative large-scale survey data on 69,513 students who attended university between 1998 and 2016. Using both TWFE and weighted-group ATT estimators, we find negative effects of reform exposure on hours spent attending classes and on self-study. Moreover, reform exposure increased the time gap between school completion and higher education entry. Our results support the view that research should examine unintended long-term effects of school reforms on individual life courses.
We examine the mechanisms explaining the dropout intentions of students with disabilities by integrating Tinto's model of student integration, the student attrition model, the composite persistence model, and insights from social stratification research. The resulting theoretical model posits that not only students' academic and social integration, but also their private resources (financial, home learning, and personal resources) are crucial for academic success. Analysing data from a 2020 Germany-wide student survey, we find that students with disabilities are substantially more likely to intend to drop out of higher education than students without disabilities. Linear regressions and Kitagawa-Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions show that their lower academic integration and fewer personal resources are most relevant for explaining this difference, while their lower social integration, home learning, and financial resources play subordinate roles. Further analyses reveal that dropout intent is highest among students with psychic disabilities, followed by students with learning disabilities and students with physical disabilities. Regarding all three disability groups, less academic integration and fewer personal resources are most relevant for explaining their higher dropout intent (compared to students without disabilities). However, the disability groups differ regarding the importance of the different explanatory factors. Overall, our results highlight the importance of considering both students' integration into higher education and their private resources for understanding student-group-specific dropout intent.
Studierende mit Beeinträchtigung stehen im Studium oft vor besonderen Herausforderungen. Im Zuge der Corona-Pandemie haben sich ihre Studienbedingungen nochmals erschwert. Welche Auswirkungen hatte das auf das Abbruchrisiko dieser Studierendengruppe?
