What factors direct our youth to study abroad?

While the importance given to education in the world is increasing day by day, the value of education has started to be understood more. This change in understanding has shown a noticeable increase in the number of international students around the world in recent years. In the past, the children of families who did not have fertile land to be cultivated were helpless and became men, now we see that even families who will deal with farming make their children educated and conscious.

Now, "studying" and "working" have become two separate concepts, independent of earning a living in the subject of education. Of course, although it is ideal for a person to receive an education in the subject they want to work in, we see that young people who are educated in different subjects continue to do their family work after graduation or work in different fields. Because, in the changing new world order, young people look at their education as an integral part of their personal development and as a journey to become a global world person. So what facts are shaping them on this journey?

The main factors that motivate Turkish students to study abroad are; they are of the opinion that studying abroad gives them the opportunity to develop in a global environment and gives them a vision that they cannot achieve domestically. In addition to these, the culture in the educational institutions that Turkish students attended before they went abroad motivated the students to go abroad for educational purposes, the prior abroad experiences, the encouragement of the family, the lack of a program in the desired field in Turkey or the lack of the desired department in the university exam, the desire to see abroad and migration. It can be said that factors such as the desire to study abroad cause education abroad. The incentive effect of the family is more pronounced, especially for undergraduate students. The underlying reason for these preferences of families may be that they think that studying abroad will carry their children further in terms of career, or that they see education abroad as a source of prestige.

What factors do Turkish students consider when choosing to study abroad?

The abroad education experience of international students is affected by the target country as well as the targeted higher education institution. In the choice of university in the target country where international students want to study;

• Reputation of the University (in terms of academic and popularity)
• Accepting previously obtained degrees,
• High quality, programs and opportunities offered
• Finding expert faculty members,
• The region where the university is located, campus facilities
• Training cost
• Having connections with other familiar world universities,
• High number of international students
• Having alumni and community from which to learn about the university.

reasons such as

When choosing a university abroad, Turkish students mostly pay attention to the academic ranking of the university, physical facilities, school fees and costs, and if the student is going to graduate education, the faculty member they will work under their supervision.

Individuals who go abroad for a more qualified higher education naturally prefer the highest ranked universities they can go to. However, for university students who go abroad for postgraduate education, the faculty member they will work under has a significant impact. Students want to work with a faculty member advisor, whose work they follow, which they think will contribute to their academic development in the context of research and thus be beneficial for them in the continuation of their careers.

In addition, these young people prioritize universities that will provide them with financial resources. As a matter of fact, in this system, the fact that education is paid and requires high amounts is an important factor in the university selection of students who do not have their own resources.

Predominantly, students think that studying abroad in a cosmopolitan environment offers them the opportunity to work and develop. Gaining experience abroad, getting to know a foreign culture, experiencing, adapting and specializing can be the elements that make up the value of this multicultural environment.

At the same time, it can be said that education abroad adds a new vision to the individual and this vision arises from the fact that students encounter some problems and situations that they cannot encounter in their own culture and gain new experiences while coping with them. After all, these young people, miles away from their families and the culture they are used to, have to learn to be self-sufficient...

On the other hand, thanks to the multinational environment abroad, students also state that they interact with individuals from different cultures and this situation helps them to establish a wide professional network and network.

Education abroad, especially in a language like "English", which has become a world language, is spoken in the consistency of mother tongue. It not only provides the individual with the opportunity to learn, but also makes many students feel a free and safe environment politically and economically. While education abroad adds a vision to young people with its cosmopolitan structure, it provides an environment where freedom of thought and expression is the basis, and where legal assurance is essential.

One of the most important issues regarding the education of Turkish students abroad is whether the students return to their country after their education abroad. Because the fact that international students do not return to their home country by staying in their place of education or in another country causes brain drain that leaves the dimension of manpower and causes economic and social losses. There is no doubt that economic development will be achieved when our brilliant minds eventually return to our country and become catalysts for development.

Bibliography: April 2020Journal of Higher Education and Science 10(1):193 M. Emir Rüzgâr