Contrasts and Shifting Trends in the Study Abroad Experiences of Faculty Members from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia

This chapter explores the current landscape—as well as its transformative trends—of faculty study abroad experiences across ten leading universities in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. It is based on the findings of the Empirical Research Project on Impacts of Study Abroad in Developing Countries undertaken by the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development between 2018 and 2023. Drawing from an extensive questionnaire survey involving approximately 3,300 participants, the chapter paints a comprehensive portrait of study abroad by faculty members. It examines their choice of international or domestic study, preferred destination countries, financial resources, and the motivations behind these decisions. It elucidates both the similarities and differences across the four nations. The chapter highlights Southeast Asia’s progress in nurturing its academic professionals, underscored by the proliferation of domestic advanced degree holders and the formation of a regional academic community within the ASEAN region. It explores the expanding scope of academic mobility, the rising significance of internationalizing higher education through faculty study abroad, and the profound influence of scholarship programs on faculty engagement in such initiatives. Overall, this chapter reveals a diverse and dynamic picture of the study abroad experiences of faculty members from leading universities in Southeast Asia.