In 2025, The Forum on Education Abroad launched its National Survey of Education Abroad Alumni through the Career Catalyst Campaign, a field-wide initiative focused on illustrating the connection between global learning and workforce readiness. As a Founding Supporter, IES Abroad analyzed responses from nearly 500 participants who identified as IES Abroad alumni.
The findings offer clear evidence that global learning experiences through IES Abroad help students develop the skills, perspective, and adaptability that matter in today’s workforce. Importantly, IES Abroad’s findings also reflect the broader results of The Forum’s National Survey of Education Abroad Alumni, reinforcing the consistency of these outcomes at both the institutional and field-wide level.
- According to the analysis, 92% of IES Abroad alumni said their experience helped them build job skills, while 89% believe education abroad is an important asset for career success.
- Alumni also reported that their experience abroad had a lasting influence on their professional journeys: 65% described their IES Abroad experience as an extremely or very important influence on their career path, and 64% said it definitely or probably contributed to their career advancement.
- For many graduates, the impact began early. Nearly half of respondents (48%) reported that their IES Abroad experience helped them secure their first job after graduation, demonstrating how international education can help students stand out as they enter the workforce.
- When asked which competencies they developed through their time abroad, alumni most frequently identified communication, adaptability, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and collaboration—skills widely recognized by employers as critical in today’s global economy.
- In total, 96% of alumni assigned some level of importance to their IES Abroad experience in shaping their career path, highlighting the lasting professional impact of studying abroad.
These findings represent an early preview of a forthcoming IES Abroad research report that will situate this alumni data within decades of outcomes research, longitudinal studies, and broader scholarship on the impact of international education.
IES Abroad continues to support efforts across the field to demonstrate how global learning prepares students not only to navigate the workforce but to thrive in it.
See the Highlights From IES Abroad Alumni
Learn more about the career benefits of study abroad and check out our other decades of outcomes
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