The Chronicle surveyed 2,900 administrators and faculty members about their views on working overseas.
International Experience | Do you have a valid passport? |
| Yes | 88% |
| No | 12% |
| Have you have traveled outside the U.S. in the last year? |
| Yes | 54% |
| No | 46% |
| Have you ever lived outside the U.S. for six months or longer? |
| Yes | 39% |
| No | 61% |
| Have you ever held an academic or administrative position of a year or longer at a college or university outside the U.S.? * |
| Yes | 9% |
| No | 91% |
| * This question was asked only of respondents who said they had considered a position outside the United States. However, the percentages were calculated as percentages of all faculty and administrator respondents. |
Outlook on Working Abroad | Have you ever considered working at a college or university outside the U.S.? |
| Yes | 61% |
| No | 39% |
| If so, are you actively seeking a position at a college or university outside the U.S.? |
| Yes | 19% |
| No | 81% |
| Do you know how to go about searching for an international position? |
| Yes | 49% |
| No | 51% |
Reasons for Staying Home | Are the factors that would deter you from working abroad related more to professional or personal reasons? |
| Personal | 85% |
| Professional | 15% |
Concerns About Working Abroad | Which of the following best describe the concerns you have about working abroad? |
| 1. Isolated from family and friends | 47% |
| 2. Cost associated with living abroad | 45% |
| 3. Not knowing the language | 40% |
| 4. Uprooting family | 40% |
| 5. Leaving elderly parents | 39% |
| 6. Quality of benefits | 35% |
| 7. Interrupting partner’s career | 32% |
| 8. Salary | 31% |
| 9. Personal safety | 27% |
| 10. Job stability | 27% |
| Note: When separated out, 32 percent of faculty members listed stepping off the tenure track as a significant concern. |
Easing the Way | Which of the following would have the biggest positive impact on your interest in working abroad? |
| 1. Ability to teach in English | 53% |
| 2. High salary | 52% |
| 3. Language training | 35% |
| 4. Help finding partner employment | 33% |
| 5. Job security | 30% |
Regions of Interest | On a scale of one to 10, rate your interest in working in the following parts of the world. |
| Europe | 8.03 |
| Australia | 6.90 |
| New Zealand | 6.74 |
| Latin America and Caribbean | 5.20 |
| East Asia and Pacific | 4.81 |
| South Asia | 3.84 |
| Africa | 3.66 |
| Central Asia | 3.41 |
| Middle East | 3.00 |
| Note: Figures shown are means. |
Countries of Interest | On a scale of one to 10, rate your interest in working in the following countries or territories: |
| Britain | 7.80 |
| Australia | 7.05 |
| Canada | 7.03 |
| New Zealand | 6.88 |
| Germany | 6.17 |
| Hong Kong | 4.74 |
| Singapore | 4.29 |
| China | 4.20 |
| India | 3.90 |
| South Korea | 3.53 |
| Macau | 3.30 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3.11 |
| Qatar | 2.96 |
| Oman | 2.58 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2.53 |
| Note: Figures shown are means. |
| Source: SimpsonScarborough for The Chronicle |
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