Study Abroad and the Boomerang Effect: The End is Only the Beginning

As research on the effectiveness of study abroad programs continues to evolve, we are beginning to see a gradual shift in focus from “Is study abroad effective?” to “What can we do to improve the quality of the study abroad experience?” (e.g., Pederson, 2010; Shaheen, 2004). We believe that this broadened perspective is a natural consequence of the maturing of assurance of learning programs at institutions of higher education (e.g., AACSB: Eligibility Procedures and Accreditation Standards for Business Accreditation, 2012; Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Criteria for Accreditation, 2012; de Witt, 2010). Refinements in methodology and baseline effectiveness will of course continue to be an important and ongoing body of work (e.g., Anderson and Lawton, 2011; Braskamp et al. 2009; Rexeisen & Al-Khatib, 2009; Vande Berg et al., 2009). The current study adds to the current literature by addressing a gap in the existing study abroad outcomes assessment literature by focusing on the question of whether the developmental benefits of study abroad endure over time.