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Do Study Abroad Programs Enhance the Employability of Graduates?

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  • Giorgio Di Pietro

    (Department of Economics and Quantitative Methods Westminster Business School)

Abstract

Using data on a large sample of recent Italian graduates, this paper investigates the extent to which participation in study abroad programs during university studies impacts subsequent employment likelihood. To address the problem of endogeneity related to participation in study abroad programs, I use a combination of fixed effects and instrumental variable estimation where the instrumental variable is exposure to international student exchange schemes. My estimates show that studying abroad has a relatively large and statistically meaningful effect on the probability of being in employment three years after graduation. This effect is mainly driven by the impact that study abroad programs have on the employment prospects of graduates from disadvantaged (but not very disadvantaged) backgrounds, though positive but imprecise effects are also found for graduates from advantaged backgrounds. © 2015 Association for Education Finance and Policy

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgio Di Pietro, 2015. "Do Study Abroad Programs Enhance the Employability of Graduates?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(2), pages 223-243, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:10:y:2015:i:2:p:223-243
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Di Pietro, Giorgio, 2012. "Does studying abroad cause international labor mobility? Evidence from Italy," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(3), pages 632-635.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    graduates; study abroad; university; employment; endogeneity; fixed effects; instrumental vatiable estimation; international student; student;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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