Transformative Experience Through Networking Opportunities Abroad: A Case Study of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

The number of people participating in study abroad programs is growing every year as governments, universities, institutions, and organizations become increasingly involved. One reason for this growth is the need to develop the skills of higher education professionals to elevate university rankings. This chapter presents the case study of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and analyzes the impact of faculty members’ experiences abroad. Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire with a sample of 324 participants from different faculties and programs at UTM. An interview was then conducted with nine participants to offer purposeful reflection and detailed discussions of participants’ experiences. The results show that study abroad experiences positively influenced education and research-related activities, with a significant increase in participation in international collaborative research projects and networking. This contributed to the advancement of UTM as a research-focused university. The new knowledge and skills acquired through study abroad have led to an increase in the number of research papers and attracted international research funding, international collaborations, and networking.