| The purpose of this study was to discover the impact of study abroad experiences on the leadership development of the graduate students who had such experiences in China.This research was a phenomenological study based on the College Impact Model(Terenzini et al.,1996)that postulates six constructs(i.e.,pre-college,curricular,in class,out-of-class,institutional context,and outcomes)to explain the educational outcomes of college students.The study involved six African alumni of the International Master’s Program in Educational Leadership and Policy at East China Normal University(ECNU)under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Commerce of China(MOFCOM).The participants revealed the dominant experiences they have had before,during and after their ECNU journey in relation to their leadership development.The data developed from this study yielded the following themes 1.The family plays a foundational role for leadership development;2.High School & College journeys significantly impact the development of leadership skills;3.The working field provides a practical atmosphere to practice and enhance leadership;4.The curricular focus of the studied program expands the students’ purview of their leadership and impacts their development;5.The highly diverse learning atmosphere is instrumental and invaluable in gaining leadership capacities;6.Studying abroad is a life changing experience that broadens the horizons and facilitates the understanding and development of leadership.Based on the perceptions and perspectives of its participants,several insightful recommendations were provided to the program stakeholders who have the mandate and the capacity to take actionable measures to keep it thriving for the future fellows.The study contributes to the existing literature as it helps the understanding of the experiences that impact the leadership development of college students particularly the African ones studying in the People’s Republic of China. |
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