Student Voices: Mental Health and Study Abroad

Thursday, February 27, 2025

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM US EST

Session Leader(s)

Lindsay T. Allen

Director
AEP Academic Experience in Prague
Praha 1, Czech Republic

Slides

Presenter(s)

Adam Rubin

Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Education Abroad
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York, United States
Greta Decker

Associate Director of Global Education
Johns Hopkins University, United States

Education abroad professionals frequently discuss ways to support student mental health abroad, but often we leave out the most important voices in these conversations: the students themselves. In this session we will share qualitative and quantitative data from a recent survey of study abroad alumni, bringing real student experiences – good, bad, and ugly – into the conversation. Based on this data, we will then work to devise practical improvements to our organisations' processes in this area.

Learning Objectives:

Better understand and connect with real student experiences around mental health during study abroad experiences.
Look critically at their organization’s programming and structures around mental health and study abroad.
Draw on qualitative and quantitative data to advocate for practical improvements in systems and structures.
Use student feedback to better assess what they are doing well and what they can improve with regard to supporting students with mental health issues and education abroad programs.