Designing outbound mobility experiences : strategies behind the itinerary

As the popularity of outbound student mobility increases, so too does the number of scholars recounting their own experiences implementing mobility programmes. This offers academics, both experienced and new, the opportunity to benchmark their own practices against what others in the industry are already doing. Whilst these disseminations are useful, there is a tendency to primarily focus on the activities and locations of mobility programmes. In doing so, what is missed is an explanation of the “why” that supports the design and development of an outbound mobility itinerary. Using experience gained from designing and implementing outbound mobility experiences to Vietnam between 2010 and 2017, this paper outlines some of the decision-making and risk management strategies utilized by the author in creating an outbound mobility itinerary.