ABSTRACT
Learning abroad was mainly seen as linked to language skills and cultural understanding, and relevant to only a minority of companies and positions. The old promise of learning abroad as being a source of special capabilities that enhance employability and overall competences seems to be in fluctuation. Educational institutions, authorities, and agencies promoting learning abroad need to engage in a more thorough dialogue with both public and private employers to make the hidden competences understood and recognised. Interestingly, the attributes that Finnish employers associated with international expertise were rated among the most important recruitment criteria overall. The substantial difference in the value students and employers placed on international expertise called for further investigation. In 2012–13, the Centre for International Mobility and the think tank Demos Helsinki examined how employers rated the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired through learning abroad in their recruitment processes.
