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Background Student mobility programmes aim to enhance academic competence and personal growth. However, non-academic reasons are decisive for students’ decisions not to participate in exchange programmes abroad. Short exchange programmes are becoming increasingly popular among both institutions and students, addressing some of the non-academic reasons to not participate in exchange programmes. The aim of the study was to gain insight into nursing students’ motivation for, and experiences from, participating in a short-term exchange programme focused on mass casualty incidents. Method A qualitative study was conducted using focus group interviews with 30 nursing students from Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy. The data were analysed using content analysis. Results Three main categories were identified. These were “motivation”, “learning experiences” and “barriers and coping”. The two main motivational factors identified were the academic subject of mass casualty and the opportunity to experience international encounters. The learning experiences encompassed perspectives on nursing, cooperation and teamwork along with measurable academic outcomes related to the learning outcomes of the blended intensive programme. The participants expressed language and communication challenges and professional discrepancies as barriers in the learning process. Nevertheless, they also reported a feeling of coping and achievement after completing the programme and provided insights into various aspects of the learning climate during the blended intensive programme. Conclusions Driven by students’ academic interest and motivation for international encountering, the BIP demonstrated educational and personal benefits, emphasizing the potential value of short-term international programmes in nursing education. The programme fostered important competencies such as emergency preparedness, intercultural communication and interprofessional collaboration. Coping with language barriers and professional discrepancies contributed to personal and professional growth.

Although explanatory models of adolescent risk behavior have predominantly focused on adolescents’ limited ability to self-regulate impulsive and/or reward-driven behavior (reactive risk behavior), recent arguments suggest that a significant proportion of adolescent risk behavior may actually be strategic and planned in advance (reasoned risk behavior). The present study evaluates hypothesized predictors of reasoned versus reactive risk behavior using self-reported and neurocognitive task data from a large, diverse adolescent sample (N = 1266 participants; N = 3894 risk behaviors). Participants’ mean age was 16.5 years (SD = 1.1); 56.9% were female, 61.9% White, 17.1% Black, 7.0% Hispanic, and 14.1% other race/ethnicity; 40% were in 10th grade, 60% in 12th grade. As hypothesized, reasoned risk behavior (compared to reactive risk behavior) was associated with higher levels of sensation seeking, better working memory, greater future orientation, and perceiving risk behavior to be more beneficial than risky. These results support the distinction between reasoned and reactive risk behavior as meaningful subtypes of adolescent risk behavior and challenge prevailing frameworks that attribute adolescent risk behavior primarily to poor response inhibition.

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a comprehensive review of short-term study abroad (STSA) outcomes to help guide future STSA and study abroad (SA) scholars and practitioners in the further development of the field. This paper is the first comprehensive and systematic review of all outcomes of STSA programs within the SA body of research based on 156 papers. The study provides the first comprehensive classification of all previously studied STSA outcomes (85) into six categories: cross-cultural outcomes, STSA pedagogy outcomes, personal and professional outcomes; language outcomes; teacher and faculty outcomes; and other outcomes. Distinct sub-categories are identified that provide insights on the current landscape of STSA and related research. This study makes a significant contribution to the theory and practice of SA, and among the key contributions are a systematic understanding of the scale and scope of STSA outcomes; insights on the most efficient design of future STSA programs; and an expanded understanding of the role and importance of STSA programs in international education. Furthermore, a comprehensive STSA outcomes map develops an extensive research agenda. While the COVID-19 pandemic currently limits the opportunities for STSA, given its previous popularity, the authors envisage a strong return in the coming years of this form of affordable and valuable global learning. STSA programs have become an important component of higher education and which require considerable resources from participants and educational institutions alike. Therefore, further research is needed to understand the impacts of STSA programs and to further improve program design. Such research will serve to better inform both academic understanding of the phenomenon and educational practice. The study provides the first comprehensive classification of all studied STSA outcomes. [Author abstract, ed]

Foreign exchange windfalls such as those from natural resource revenues change nonresource exports, imports, and the capital account. The paper studies the balance between these responses and shows that the response to $1 of resource revenue is, for our preferred estimates, to decrease nonresource exports by 74 cents and increase imports by 23 cents, implying a negligible effect on foreign savings. The negative per $1 impact on exports is larger for manufactures than for other sectors, and particularly large for internationally mobile manufacturing sectors. Although standard Dutch disease analysis points to contraction of the tradable sector as a whole, division into nonresource exports and imports is important if, as suggested by much development literature, a higher share of exports to GDP is associated with faster growth. The large negative impact of resources on these exports points to the difficulty resource-rich economies face in diversifying their exports.

This descriptive pilot study investigates and evaluates nursing students’ perceptions of their learning gains and the factors contributing to academic integration within a one-week Intensive Programme (IP) course, part of the Nordplus Programme. Nordplus encourages mobility and curriculum development across Nordic and Baltic higher education. The study used a short-term mobility program involving eight nursing education institutions as its setting. Students’ experiences were captured using an evaluation form inspired by the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALGs) questionnaires. The results reveal positive student responses to the IP course, particularly regarding interactions with peers and teachers. The study underscores the potential of short-term IP courses in providing concentrated learning experiences, broadening nursing topics, and fostering active engagement. The implications suggest that nursing education institutions should consider incorporating more short-term mobility programs to enhance student learning and intercultural experiences. By investing in such initiatives, institutions can cultivate an enriching and supportive learning environment. Plain Language Summary Evaluating the impact of short-term exchange programs in nursing education This study explores the experiences of nursing students who participated in a one-week intensive program as part of the Nordplus Programme, which encourages educational mobility and development across Nordic and Baltic countries. The research aimed to understand the students’ perceived learning gains and the factors that helped them integrate academically into the program. Using a survey inspired by the Student Assessment of Learning Gains questionnaire, the study found that students had a positive experience, particularly in their interactions with peers and teachers. The results show that short-term intensive programs can provide rich learning experiences and encourage active engagement, suggesting that they could be beneficial to include more widely in nursing education. This could help enrich the learning environment and support students in their studies.

Intercultural Competence (IC) has gained prominence as a strategic priority in higher education; however, the socio-emotional mechanisms through which it develops in structured short-term academic mobility remain underexplored. This qualitative study addresses this gap by examining the intercultural learning experiences of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students from Trakia University, Bulgaria, who participated in a two-week winter academic program in Zhuhai, China, hosted by the Beijing Institute of Technology. Employing a triangulated qualitative design that combines semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and content analysis of institutional discourse, the study foregrounds emotional regulation as a central process underpinning intercultural competence development. The findings indicate that navigating culturally unfamiliar situations and “disorienting dilemmas” within a multicultural co-living environment facilitated stable behavioral adaptations, including active listening, reflective pausing, empathy, and tolerance. These adaptations supported emotional well-being by reducing uncertainty and fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety within the multicultural learning community. Repeated emotional engagement with cultural difference enabled participants to internalize values of openness and mutual respect, contributing to the formation of intercultural attitudes that extended beyond the immediate learning context. These processes functioned as a feedback loop through which intercultural competence became integrated into participants’ emerging personal and professional identities. The study demonstrates that even short-term academic exchanges, when pedagogically structured and emotionally immersive, can foster meaningful intercultural learning, leadership readiness, and professional orientation. By highlighting emotional regulation as a pathway to emotional well-being (belonging and psychological safety) and to identity integration, the findings contribute to broader social science discussions on student well-being and identity formation in transnational higher education.

Objective This study examined the impact of a short-term study abroad program, focusing on program evaluation, attendee satisfaction, and acquired knowledge and skills. A questionnaire survey was conducted covering various aspects including demographics, program evaluation, and feedback. Results Results indicated higher female participation due to gender imbalances in pharmacy students in Egypt, with senior students recognizing the value of international experience. Attendee satisfaction was high, with positive feedback on accommodation, tours, and workshop materials. Field visits and workshops provided valuable experiential learning, with attendees suggesting extending the program’s duration. The program equipped attendees with knowledge and skills relevant to pharmaceutical products and services, leading to improved competences and perceptions. The study concludes that such study abroad experiences profoundly impact personal growth and recommends integrating them into educational curricula for valuable experiences.

This study examines the experiences, meanings, and professional development of preservice teachers at National Pingtung University (NPTU) in Taiwan who participated in a short-term international mobility program that involved overseas teaching in Kampar, Malaysia. Guided by the four educational competencies proposed by NPTU’s Suzaku Pioneer University Social Responsibility (USR) Project—professional competence, exploratory competence, practical competence, and caring competence—this qualitative study employed thematic analysis to examine data collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective reports, and teaching activity documentation. The findings indicate that although the short program duration limited the deepening of professional teaching knowledge, it significantly enhanced students’ exploratory, practical, and caring competencies. The participants developed greater sensitivity to cross-cultural educational contexts, improved their reflective teaching practices, and expressed stronger concerns for educational equity and social justice. The program also broadened their global perspectives and intercultural communication skills, particularly among those traveling abroad for the first time. This study highlights the importance of short-term international mobility programs in enhancing teacher education and concludes by discussing the study’s limitations and providing recommendations for future research.