Cross-Border Education: The Experiences of Filipino Scholars Educated in South Korea

Abstract

One major case of brain drain happens when students from developing countries studying in the developed countries decide not to return home after their studies (Baruch, Budhwar, & Khatri, 2007). After achieving their undergraduate degrees, Filipino students may opt to stay in the Philippines for work, or venture abroad to further enhance their careers or attend graduate school. This research focuses on characterizing the context of Filipino graduates who have decided to go back to the Philippines. Despite the advantages of studying abroad, scholars who have returned to their home countries still struggle during re-entry (Alandejani, 2013). Seventy-four graduates have participated in the study. Participants are Filipinos who have completed their graduate degrees in South Korea and decided to return to the Philippines. With their South Korean education, returning Filipino scholars did not only see the academic, social, and professional advantages of the experience along with the difficulties and challenges. They also considered several personal gains and benefits compared to their locally educated counterparts. It is interesting to note that majority of Filipino graduates chose South Korea because of the offering of scholarship/financial support and are motivated by career advancement in the future. While the respondents see their study abroad experiences as positive, one-third of them believe that courses in South Korea were somewhat difficult compared to the Philippines. More than 50% of the graduate students returned homes because of their willingness to help the Philippines, as 80% of them have landed a job after 1-3 months after their return. Aside from financial literacy, findings reveal that graduates possessed ability to deal with problems and people in a more mature manner particularly in an intercultural setting and being able to adapt to change better.