I found "The Effect of Study Abroad on Intercultural Competence Among Undergraduate College Students" an important critique on the impact of study abroad for intercultural competence. The data presented analyzes students at different stages of their higher education experience, exploring how the environment, background and social experiences are relevant for intercultural education development. The study attempts to show realistically how much the overseas experience alone is responsible for influencing on intercultural competence.

As an advocate of cross-cultural exchange as a way to revisit "common humanity and our deepest differences" (Slimbach) and with that build the "foundation for finding common solutions to the threats facing the world today" (Slimbach), the study makes me revisit and question the power and limitations of study abroad experiences. What are the best practices and why? What can students and educators do to explore the best of what this experiences have to offer?

The research also pushes me to think of alternative ways to link international education to multicultural education and how to expand global perspective domestically.