ABSTRACT
One of the notable aspects of the internationalization of higher education is international student mobility. The 21st century has brought changes to study abroad destinations for US students. This chapter focuses on the intersection of study abroad and diplomacy by examining the experiences and impacts of former participants of a US study abroad program in Japan, Japan Study, from the 1960s to 2010s. The Open Doors data from the Institute of International Education from 2000 to 2016 show a diversification of host regions, as the number of US students studying abroad increased outside of Europe, particularly to Asia and Latin America. The emergence of knowledge diplomacy—“the role of international higher education and research in building and strengthening relations between and among countries”— provides a lens to understand how formerly internationally mobile students experience personal transformation in their understanding, interest, and connectivity to the world outside of their home country.
