Socioemotional Changes in University Students: International Mobility Duration and Friendships Matter

Fostering transversal skills is important for adapting to an ever-changing world. This study aims to evaluate the socioemotional skills of undergraduate university students participating in semester-long international mobility programs. To this end, an initial sample of 128 students from a public university in Spain participated: 49 mobility students and 79 non-mobility students. The results indicate that students who participate in mobility programs have a different socioemotional profile from their peers before starting mobility, with higher levels of self-concept and empathy. In addition, after the stay, mobility students improve their empathic skills, social skills, and resilience. It is also observed that students who maintain friendships at their destination with national hosts develop empathy, resilience, and social skills to a greater extent than those who do not. These results shed light on the socioemotional skills of international mobility students and the changes they undergo after mid-length stays at other universities.