Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Education and Social Science Research (ICESRE 2025)

Does the Experience of Studying Overseas Facilitate Employability in the Indonesian Market?

Authors
Ming Chang Wu1, Muhammad Arief Budiman1, *, Nur Hidayat2
1National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Taiwan
2Universitas Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia
*Corresponding author. Email: ariefbudiman@upgris.ac.id
Corresponding Author
Muhammad Arief Budiman
Available Online 26 February 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-2-38476-543-0_19How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Cross-Cultural Adaptation; Graduate Employability; Indonesian Graduates; International Education; Job Expectations; Labor Market Reintegration; Overseas Education; Professional Competencies; Social Skills; Work Attitudes
Abstract

As international education gains popularity among Indonesian students, questions arise regarding its actual impact on graduate employability within the domestic labor market. This study explores how overseas education influences the employability of Indonesian returnees across four key dimensions: professional competencies, work attitudes, job expectations, and social skills. Drawing on human capital theory, cross-cultural adaptation theory, and employability frameworks, this research investigates the extent to which internationally acquired skills and experiences align with local employer expectations. Using qualitative and quantitative data from returnee graduates and Indonesian employers, the study reveals a complex interplay between global competencies and local workplace norms. While returnees often demonstrate strong soft skills and global awareness, challenges related to reintegration, cultural fit, and skill transferability persist. The findings have implications for policymakers, educational institutions, and employers seeking to optimize the value of international education in Indonesia’s evolving workforce landscape.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Education and Social Science Research (ICESRE 2025)
Series
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date
26 February 2026
ISBN
978-2-38476-543-0
ISSN
2352-5398
DOI
10.2991/978-2-38476-543-0_19How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Ming Chang Wu
AU  - Muhammad Arief Budiman
AU  - Nur Hidayat
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/26
TI  - Does the Experience of Studying Overseas Facilitate Employability in the Indonesian Market?
BT  - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Education and Social Science Research (ICESRE 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 209
EP  - 224
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-543-0_19
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-543-0_19
ID  - Wu2026
ER  -