Perceived Benefits and Individual Characteristics of Internationally Mobile Students: A Discrete Latent Variable Analysis

In this paper, the potential benefits of studying abroad during higher education are analysed on the basis of an online survey administered to about 1600 students of a medium-sized university located in the North of Italy (the University of Bergamo) who spent a credit mobility experience abroad during the academic years from 2008/09 to 2014/15. Two dimensions are specifically investigated: the impact of the international experience on the students’ skills, and the fulfilment of expectations concerning the international experience. A two-dimensional latent class Item Response Theory model under a concomitant variable approach is used to assess the item responses. The results show that international mobility positively affects students’ perception of personality development and improves their language and soft skills. Mobile students report gains in terms of personal growth and enhanced employability at home and abroad. However, individual characteristics influence the latent class membership probability.