Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an overview of national policy on learning abroad and the growing trend to purposefully link learning abroad programs to employability. It highlights the value of raising awareness of the “hidden competencies” developed via international experiences and ensuring that employers and government recognise how learning abroad contributes to the development of cognitive skills highly valued in labour markets. The book reveals a tendency among Australian employers to underestimate the benefits of new graduates and also highlights the importance of “re-storying” personal experiences into career-relevant stories. It argues that an effective model of developing employability in transnational education settings will support students to interpret their new-found knowledge and skills in the local labour market while also interpreting employability within the local paradigm.