Blended short-term student mobility lowers the threshold for internationalisation

Finnish higher education students have been participating in international exchange programmes for decades. However, over the last ten years or so, student mobility has declined in proportion to the growth in student numbers, with students going on fewer long-term exchanges for studies in particular. On the other hand, blended short-term student mobility has increased.

The new Finnish National Agency for Education study provides a situational picture of the prevalence, benefits and impact of blended short-term student mobility. The study examines blended short-term student mobility through statistical and survey data and interviews with higher education students. The study was conducted for the Finnish National Agency for Education by the University of Turku.

Shorter mobilities complement traditional long-term student exchanges

According to the study, higher education students are increasingly interested in short, flexible mobility periods instead of long-term exchanges. However, the results of the study show that short-term mobility is not just a substitute for longer exchange periods for students, but an attractive option in its own right. The most common reason for participating in short-term mobility for studies or a traineeship is interest in the content of the mobility period. For many students, a short-term mobility period is also an opportunity to try out a blended exchange or international mobility before committing to a longer period abroad.

The choice of short-term mobility over a longer mobility period is also influenced by practical factors such as life circumstances and financial possibilities. Shorter mobilities can thus significantly lower the threshold for participating in international mobility.

Students who had participated in student mobility for studies emphasised the content of the mobility periods and the desire to try out a shorter period, while participation in short-term student mobility for traineeships was often driven by a mobility period being part of degree requirements.

The results of the study show that participation in short-term mobility is not evenly distributed across the student population. Participation is most common in younger age groups and students studying for a bachelor’s degree in universities of applied sciences. The differences in participation between fields of education are particularly large in universities of applied sciences, while in universities, participation in short-term mobility as part of degrees is less common across the board.

Students report having benefited from short-term mobility

Almost 99% of students who participated in short-term mobility under Erasmus+ between 2021 and 2025 estimated that they had benefited from it. This figure is broadly in line with the benefit estimates for long-term Erasmus+ mobility periods. In particular, students felt that their cultural learning and interaction skills had improved as a result of participation. The majority of respondents also reported that they had learned to work better in a team, to tackle challenging situations and to organise and plan their own learning.

The results suggest that the benefits of short-term mobility are not limited to international experience, but also extend widely to the general skills needed in studies and the world of work.

The comparison between short-term and long-term mobility conducted in the study shows that short-term mobility cannot be considered a weaker version of long-term mobility. The perceived benefits in terms of intercultural competence and openness are almost equal in both cases. On the other hand, long-term mobility seems to be especially effective for strengthening skills related to international work, career clarity and employability. Some of the interviewed students described short-term mobility as a stepping stone to a longer mobility period abroad. The experience of participating in short-term mobility boosted confidence and encouraged students to apply for an exchange lasting for a semester or an entire year.

At the same time, students highlighted challenges in regard to the scheduling, content and practical arrangements of mobility periods. The study can serve as a basis for exploring solutions to make international short-term mobility and related opportunities accessible to a larger number of students, while taking into account the principles of sustainable development.

The Finnish National Agency for Education promotes the internationalisation of Finnish society

The Finnish National Agency for Education offers services for the internationalisation and international cooperation of educational institutions and organisations. We support the international cooperation of higher education institutions e.g. by implementing funding programmes and individual scholarship programmes for international cooperation and mobility between institutions.

In 2025, Finnish higher education institutions, together with higher education stakeholders, prepared a set of recommendations to increase international mobility. The recommendations apply in particular to mobility periods abroad that are part of higher education degrees and qualifications.

Enquiries:

Lead Adviser Mari Pohjola, international higher education cooperation, firstname.lastname [at] oph.fi (firstname[dot]lastname[at]oph[dot]fi), +358 29 5331746

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