Abstract

PERICO, Franco Gatelli  and  GONCALVES, Roberto Birch. Academic exchange: the difficulties of adaptation and readaptation. Educ. Pesqui. [online]. 2018, vol.44, e182699.  Epub Aug 24, 2018. ISSN 1678-4634.  https://doi.org/10.1590/s1678-4634201844182699.

The internationalization of education through international academic mobility is a reality that, every day, brings more opportunities for Brazilian students to increase their knowledge and experience. The Science Without Borders program and initiatives of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have intensified and promoted an increase in student exchange, but when they back, the students have suffered from the process of readaptation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the process of readaptation of the exchange student on his return to Brazil after a period of studies in another country, identifying the main aspects and impacts on the exchange student’s life. The methodology used in this study was a descriptive study with a quantitative approach based on a survey-type survey, in which data were collected from 586 questionnaires answered by ex-exchange students. The results show that the exchange students undergo a change of cultural identity, detaching themselves from their culture of origin when adapting to the destination, making return to Brazil more difficult. It was also concluded that HEIs do not play a fundamental role in this process by closely following their exchange students in the three stages of exchange: before, during and after.

Keywords : Academic exchange; International experience; Readaptation; Education.

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