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counselling before, during, and with others who can help them formulate, di-
after tHe stay abroad gest and evaluate their immediate experiences
the pre-departure phase concerns preparation and put them into perspective with regard to
that enables the participants to cope better their continued educational trajectory or car-
with some of the challenges they will en- eer. even negative experiences may hold valu-
counter during the time abroad. this involves able lessons that will only emerge in structured
linguistic and cultural preparation, practical discussions with guidance professionals who
preparation, pedagogical preparation (defin- can spot their potential relevance. another
ing and agreeing on learning objectives), and issue where the involvement of guidance
psychological preparation (how to deal with counsellors can make a difference is avoiding
homesickness, isolation, culture shock, etc.). the so-called shoebox effect when participants
this does not necessarily have to be guid- do not act on the outcomes of their experience
ance counsellors’ work – in many projects and but merely relegate them to the back of their
programmes these tasks are partly or entirely mind and revert to the situation and mind-set
assumed by other staff members – but often they had prior to their departure; thus they fail
guidance counsellors are involved in one to reap the rewards of their investment. also –
or more functions, either consciously or by especially regarding long-term stays abroad –
default. the same can be said about the time participants may experience a reverse culture
abroad when guidance counsellors may offer shock and need assistance to reintegrate prop-
just “a shoulder to cry on” when the going gets erly into the home environment that suddenly
tough, or liaise with foreign colleagues to solve has become foreign.
more practical problems that the participants
may have encountered. this also works the tHe necessity of overview
other way round, as dealing with the chal- Mobility counselling now covers a much larger
lenges of incoming mobility (i.e. participants and more diffuse area where boundaries
from abroad) may become a significant task for among different types of professionals dealing
guidance counsellors in their home institution. with mobility are both flexible and highly per-
meable. Very rarely – if ever – a guidance coun-
Until recently, mobility counselling has sellor is required to become involved in all the
primarily been perceived as information aspects of mobility. the precise content of the
counselling process has to be negotiated in the
provision. particular context where some aspects will be

something the mobility participants “need to
the debriefing phase is often neglected or is know” and others – something that would be
restricted to writing a short report on the basis just “nice to know”. however, an overview of the
of some pre-defined questions, or participat- individual phases of learning mobility as a holis-
ing in an informal meeting. but the time imme- tic process is essential for every participant.
diately after the stay abroad is crucial for the
retention of learning outcomes. participants –
especially those who encountered difficulties
while abroad – need to talk the stay through

More than 85 % of Erasmus students
85 % study or train abroad to enhance their

employability abroad.
erasmus impact study, 2014

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