Sonja Bickford, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Business Management at Oregon Tech, recently represented an international research team at the 2025 InSITE Conference in Hiroshima and Tokyo, Japan. Her presentation, “Building Global Educational Opportunities to Meet Today’s Student Needs,” showcased innovative approaches to creating meaningful, applied international education experiences for students.
The research, conducted in partnership with Dr. Ruth Claire Black, Dean of Online and Global Engagement at Oregon Tech, and Anzelika Krastina, Senior Lecturer at Lapland University of Applied Sciences in Finland, explores how student and faculty expectations should guide institutional decisions around study abroad program design. The project focuses on flexibility, interdisciplinary engagement, and alignment with students’ educational and career goals.
During the InSITE Conference, hosted by the Informing Science Institute at Hiroshima Institute of Technology, topics such as AI and Education were presented, among others. During one of the conference’s education sessions, Bickford shared key findings from a multi-phase study that included student and faculty surveys, data from a three-week multi-modality travel course across four countries in 2024, and the research team’s post-trip analysis of shifting student destination preferences and educational priorities. Bickford’s session was well attended and generated great discussion among the conference participants, leading to new project ideas, research collaborations, and invitations to join broader international education networks.
“Our goal is to meet students where they are—professionally, academically, and personally—by offering study abroad options that are structured, applied, and interdisciplinary,” Bickford said. “We are already seeing a shift in what students want from these programs. Institutions have a real opportunity to evolve, and we’re excited to be at the forefront of that change.”
Bickford’s research emphasizes the impact of faculty-led international courses on students’ future academic and professional trajectories. Many participating students indicated a newfound interest in integrating global perspectives into their careers, with several expressing increased confidence, expanded networks, and deeper cultural awareness.
The team will continue this important research and work as they prepare to share insights and ideas for future study abroad opportunities that reflect students’ evolving needs—right in line with Oregon Tech’s mission to deliver hands-on, real-world learning.
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