Researcher Finds that Study Abroad Improves Thinking Skills

The study, which focuses on an international MBA abroad program, argues that students become more “flexible, creative and complex thinkers.”

Abstract:
“[…] Using a
culturally diverse sample, we found that “multicultural engagement”–the
extent
to which students adapted to and learned about new
cultures–during a highly international 10-month master of business
administration
(MBA) program predicted the number of job offers
students received after the program, even when controlling for important
personality/demographic variables. Furthermore,
multicultural engagement predicted an increase in integrative complexity
over
the course of the 10-month program, and this
increase in integrative complexity mediated the effect of multicultural
engagement
on job market success…”

study here: http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/12/10/1948550613515005

Time Magazine comments here: http://time.com/79937/how-studying-or-working-abroad-makes-you-smarter/