International academic mobility: the attraction factors of Brazilians students in Spain

Abstract

[EN] The mobility of university students abroad is a phenomenon of great importance in the context of globalization and internationalization of higher education. Certain factors, such as the image of the institution, the country, the city, the evaluation of the study program, the cost, selection processes and even personal resources can determine the destination country. This article seeks to identify the attraction factors for which Brazilian university students choose Spanish universities to carry out their higher education. An exploratory study of a qualitative nature was conducted, a semi-structured questionnaire applied to twenty-eight Brazilian students of official rank: graduation, master's degree and doctorate. Data analysis was based on the assessment of attraction factors. The results indicate that the language, the tradition of the Spanish universities, the scholarships of the country of origin and the more flexible selection processes are important factors in the decision of these subjects. Spain is an option for many international students and the flow of Brazilian students to this country is significant, the authors also consider that these flows may be much larger in the future.