2023 Learning Abroad Survey Initiative
Global research has firmly established that wide-scale investment in outbound mobility nurtures the next generation of a country’s global leaders and directly increases a country’s competitiveness. Few avenues hold greater promise in strengthening Canada’s future potential than fully utilizing our country’s human capital to build strong economic, social and cultural bonds with other nations. As the voice for Canada’s international education sector, CBIE is leveraging its unique role to build a comprehensive and timely national dataset on learning abroad. The CBIE 2023 Learning Abroad Survey Initiative consists of two questionnaires: the Institutional Survey and the Student and Alumni Survey. Together, these surveys will collect data on outbound mobility activities from both the institutional and student perspective. Through this national research initiative, CBIE will illuminate the impact, value and outcomes of these experiences to support innovation and growth in our sector and inform Canada’s global engagement over the long term.
Institutional Survey
All Canadian post-secondary institutions, both CBIE members and non-members, are invited to join this national research initiative and complete the 2023 CBIE Learning Abroad Survey. This data collection effort will compile broad student participation numbers related to exchange programs, international work-integrated learning, faculty-led programming, international research and other learning abroad activities. This initiative will help to establish a strategic baseline for learning abroad in Canada and build the foundation for a robust, longitudinal national dataset that can inform policy and decision-making with implications at the institutional, provincial/territorial and federal levels.
Student & Alumni Survey
All Canadian post-secondary institutions, both CBIE members and non-members, are welcome to join this national research initiative and complete the 2023 CBIE Learning Abroad Survey to collect student and alumni data. In cooperation with participating institutions, CBIE will administer this survey to students and alumni who have completed a learning abroad opportunity within the past five years. This student-focused data will complement the institutional data by collecting insight into the motivations, impact, value and outcomes of both physical and virtual learning abroad activities.
The Student and Alumni Questionnaire is now closed. Thank you to all the institutions who joined this surveying initiative!
Data Access
CBIE will publish a national survey report that will be publicly available to benefit the Canadian international education sector. The public report will recognize participating institutions as contributors and offer high-level insights from the results of both surveys. The Learning Abroad Survey data will be anonymized. Institution-specific reports and the anonymized national dataset will be provided to all participating CBIE member institutions.
Institutions that are non-members of CBIE are encouraged to participate in the survey. There is a fee of $5,500 for participating non-member institutions who wish to obtain their institution-specific reports and datasets. We strongly encourage institutions to become members to obtain access to this data as well as a wide range of benefits.
The 2023 Learning Abroad Survey Initiative is undertaken in part with financial support from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.
