Mobility Student Community Barcelona: Characteristics and a Cosmopolitan Transformation

Rasmussen, Sheila Mia Klespe

4. term

Tourism, Master

2018

2018-09-12

112

Denne afhandling undersøger, om og hvordan der opstår et fællesskab blandt mobilitetsstuderende—internationale studerende, der midlertidigt studerer i udlandet—i Barcelona, Spanien. Den bidrager til forskningen i international uddannelsesturisme (rejser med henblik på uddannelse) og kombinerer perspektiver fra kosmopolitisme (at se sig selv som del af en global verden), fællesskabsstudier (hvordan grupper dannes og vedligeholdes), oplevelsesøkonomi (værdi skabt gennem oplevelser) og transformationsøkonomi (oplevelser, der ændrer mennesker). Ved at sammenholde indsamlede data med relevant akademisk litteratur konkluderer projektet, at der dannes et mobilitetsstuderende-fællesskab i Barcelona, drevet af stærkt socialt engagement mellem de studerende. Disse sociale interaktioner styrker deres interkulturelle kommunikationskompetencer og gør dem mere kosmopolitiske. Som følge heraf får de bedre oplevelser med international uddannelsesturisme og er, formodentlig, bedre forberedte på kosmopolitiske arbejdsmiljøer i fremtiden. Private virksomheder understøtter denne transformation ved at skabe sociale rum, hvor mobilitetsstuderende kan mødes. Samtidig kritiseres det, at både virksomheder og uddannelsesinstitutioner ikke i tilstrækkelig grad udnytter potentialet i denne udvikling til at guide den og uddanne de studerende i globalt medborgerskab. Der er et betydeligt potentiale for at facilitere bedre oplevelser for mobilitetsstuderende i fællesskaber uden for universitetscampusser. Projektet anbefaler yderligere forskning for at kortlægge og realisere dette potentiale.

This thesis examines whether and how a community of mobility students—international students who temporarily study abroad—forms in Barcelona, Spain. It contributes to research on international educational tourism (travel for study) by combining perspectives from cosmopolitanism (seeing oneself as part of a global world), community studies (how groups form and bond), the experience economy (value created through experiences), and the transformation economy (experiences that change people). By integrating collected data with relevant academic literature, the project concludes that a mobility student community does form in Barcelona, driven by strong social engagement among the students. These social interactions build intercultural communication skills and foster a more cosmopolitan outlook. As a result, mobility students gain better international educational tourism experiences and are, arguably, better prepared for future cosmopolitan work environments. Private companies support this transformation by creating social spaces where mobility students can connect. However, the study also critiques how private companies and educational institutions do not fully leverage or guide this transformation to educate students about global citizenship. There is significant untapped potential to facilitate better study-abroad experiences within mobility student communities outside university campuses. The project recommends further research to map and develop this potential.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Mobility Student Community ; Barcelona ; Characteristics ; Cosmopolitanism ; Experience Economy ; Transformation Economy ; International Educational Tourism ; Private Companies ; Ethnic Groups and Boundaries ; Neo-tribes ; Anomaly ; Co-creation ; Educational Tourism ; International Education ; Social Engagement ; Constructivism

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