Diverse Impacts of University Faculty Study Abroad on Higher Education Development in Southeast Asia

This final chapter presents a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of study abroad experiences of faculty members at leading universities in developing countries. It synthesizes the findings of the case studies presented in Chaps. 4 through 13 , adding new comparative perspectives, such as country of origin and country of destination. Key findings are, firstly, that faculty study abroad experiences have positive impacts on academics’ subsequent teaching and research activities, particularly in the context of universities’ expanding international engagement, which has recently gained momentum in Southeast Asia. Secondly, the impacts vary in magnitude, with Vietnam and Cambodia showing more pronounced effects than Malaysia and Indonesia. This suggests that as domestic graduate education progresses, the impacts of study abroad tend to diminish. Striking a balance between promoting domestic graduate programs and strengthening internationalization through faculty experience abroad becomes critical. Finally, our research underscores the unique strengths of different host countries. Some destinations, such as Japan and the Netherlands, excel at facilitating faculty research activities, while others, such as France and the United States, are notable for fostering faculty teaching skills. Diversifying study abroad destinations allows universities to tap into a wide range of strengths, enriching the overall academic landscape.