Each year, more than 200 engineering students leave the University of Illinois to immerse themselves in another culture --studying and working in a foreign country, forming new friendships, and learning how people live around the world.

By spending time abroad, either studying or working, students gain perspective and develop adaptability. "Those skills are essential for our students to thrive in the global community in which we now live and work," said J. Bruce Litchfield, director of International Programs in Engineering (IPENG).

The IPENG office and the campus Study Abroad Office offer a variety of opportunities for international travel to any student with a passport, a curiosity about other cultures, and a sense of adventure. In addition, students interested in a particular country or region can combine engineering studies with courses in foreign language, culture, economics, and politics to earn an International Minor.

"We are all involved in lifelong learning," Litchfield said. "A willingness to learn from and adapt to new situations is key for personal satisfaction and employability. This is particularly true for engineers because we are immersed in a global culture of rapid technological change."

Engineering students can spend a summer, a semester, or an academic year studying in such countries as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, and Turkey. Campus offices maintain a constantly changing list of opportunities and also help students interested in particular countries. Work experience is often arranged through the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, Council on International Education Exchange, and other agencies.

The IPENG and Study Abroad offices will help students prepare for travel, whether they need language tutoring, cultural orientation, or fellowships. In addition, the Study Abroad Office continually reviews safety, security, and evacuation procedures, removing countries from the list of possible destinations and bringing students home if conditions are deemed dangerous.

The top misconceptions about international travel are that it is too expensive for most students, delays graduation, and requires fluency in another language. In fact, financial fellowships make travel abroad affordable for nearly all engineering students, Litchfield noted. Approved course credits earned abroad transfer to the U of I, so many students who spend a semester away from campus still graduate on schedule. While familiarity with another language is a plus, lack of fluency is not a barrier–many trip announcements state that language fluency is not required.

"All students can benefit from international experiences," he said. "Some of our students come with significant international travel and exchange experiences, and they are keen to continue those activities. Others have never been far from home and have not thought about going abroad.

"Students at both extremes, and all along the continuum in between, can have meaningful international experiences and benefit academically and personally from the opportunities we help provide."

Engineer—Ingénieur

David Kudla, a general engineering student from Chicago, followed his freshman year with a summer of study at the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine in Nancy, France. On most weekends, he traveled with new friends to nearby countries to take in the sights and experiences of Europe. Even so, he found time to answer email about his experiences.

Outlook: What motivated you to enroll in the study abroad program? Kudla: A summer in France was the perfect opportunity to practice speaking French, something that is rarely possible for me in the United States. IPENG also made the trip affordable; I would never have considered going to France before learning about the program.

O: What are you doing at the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine?

K: During the first four weeks, we attended French language courses that covered some grammar but focused mostly on speaking. For the second month, we were assigned internships in the school’s labs related to our fields of study. We also sat in on some engineering lectures, and we went on a few field trips for a taste of French culture.

O: What are you doing when you have time on your own?

K: One of the nicest things about living in Europe is the ease of travel, and that’s what I spent my free time doing. Whether skydiving over the Swiss Alps, biking along the cliffs over the Atlantic in Brittany, or enjoying the world’s finest chocolate in Belgium–no matter which direction I headed–I knew I’d find a great way to spend a weekend.

O: Describe a difficulty that you overcame.

K: Among the many students in the program, the only common language was French, which made meeting them a challenge. Even when we could understand each other’s accent, our occasional lack of vocabulary made for very interesting and gesture-based conversations. After two months, however, we could hold a conversation like French people with Paraguayan/ American/Russian accents.

O: What do you think you’ve accomplished?

K: After spending a summer outside the United States, I’ve come to realize that the world isn't just a larger America. I met people from all over the world, and I learned plenty about their cultures along the way. There’s a lot to experience in other places–I’ve done enough to know that I want to experience more.

O: What did you learn about yourself?

K: I found that speaking French, and even speaking with people in general, wasn’t as difficult as I had expected. After always having to work harder to communicate with French students, with professors, and even at the train station, I grew more comfortable doing so in any language.

O: What surprised you about this experience?

K: When I arrived, I looked forward to returning home, but after a few weeks, I found myself looking for ways to extend my stay.

O: How will this study abroad experience help you as a student and eventually as an engineer?

K: I had never fully understood the value of being multilingual before seeing the available opportunities while I was overseas, not only for one’s knowledge of French, but also of one’s native language. I helped the professor with whom I worked in the agricultural engineering school to translate his website, which contained uncommon words such as terms for different types of food packaging. One of his colleagues visited one day to ask in French, "What’s the English word for the container you put yogurt in?" I had never realized the difficulties that businesses or researchers might have in communicating their ideas in other parts of the world.

O: What advice do you have for students thinking about going abroad for study?

K: Just fill out the application and do it. Studying abroad is an experience you can’t possibly regret–you’ll only wish you’d done it sooner.

Find out more about study and work abroad opportunities on the International Programs in Engineering website.