Defining, Measuring, and Facilitating Intercultural Learning: A Conceptual Introduction to the IJIE Special Issue

If you do not already think so, the articles in this volume will convince you that study abroad has changed. At the university level, it has transcended its history as a “grand tour” for the leisure class and the more plebian “junior year abroad.” Now university study abroad encompasses massive mobility of students among European Union universities and to and from the United States and other countries through a myriad of school-based and consortia-based programs. At the secondary (high school) level, the traditional AFS year in the US or Europe has been expanded by AFS and other organizations to include shorter programs to and from a broader range of countries. Added to the change in format and destination are educational foci that go well beyond traditional study to include internships, service-learning, and other learning opportunities.