Many people think that an international education is only when you live in a foreign country and go to school there. This is one aspect of it. Another broader – and more important – feature is that the education prepares a person to live and work in an interconnected world.
In the book, The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman explains how technology has made this a flat world – meaning that the national boundaries that used to be around countries are eliminated because of technology. Because of the Internet, e-mail, Skype, broadband connections, and other various technologies, people can communicate with others in a far off land just as easily as if they lived next door.
Through an international education, a student gains respect and concern for other peoples and culture. Their horizon is broadened beyond their own community and country. They develop a better understanding of the foreign country and how it relates to theirs.
Students also become familiar with global and international issues. They understand how doing business in one country affects another. They learn how businesses are interconnected because they have counterparts in different countries. They understand how business affects politics. (Countries are less inclined to go to war with another country that contributes significantly to the economic welfare of their company.)
Students understand how international businesses impact the economy of different countries. They see how it improves (or makes worse) the living conditions of the people in the country. They see how the international supply-and-demand chain works.They learn that businesses have a responsibility to ensure their company does not damage the environment.