The document summarizes a focus group discussion about students' decisions to study abroad for higher education. Six students participated in the discussion: three were pursuing bachelor's degrees, two planned to study abroad for master's degrees, and one wanted to pursue a PhD abroad. The focus group explored reasons for studying abroad like exposure to new cultures, unavailable programs/faculty in Pakistan, better job opportunities, and higher quality education abroad. Fields like engineering and supply chain management had fewer opportunities in Pakistan. Overall, students felt that studying abroad led to better career prospects and independence.

1. HP
Focus Group
“Why Students leave abroad for higher education? and why not ? Is there any difference
in this trend in different areas of studies.”
Sohail Khan
1235340
Advanced Research and Methodology course assignment

2. Table of Contents
Participants ............................................................................................................................................... 3
The Interview: ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Engagement questions: ........................................................................................................................ 4
Exploration questions ........................................................................................................................... 4
Exit question ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Insights ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Screening Questionnaire:.......................................................................................................................... 6
Focus Group Confirmation Letter ............................................................................................................. 8
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3. Focus Group Interview
Participants
For my focus group, we decided to find eight different people in my university ,some of them have plan
to go abroad for higher education while rest of them have different opinions. The Six people I found are:
Participant A Age-22- Doing Bachelors in Mechatronics plans to go abroad for Masters.
Participant B Age-24- Plans to pursue Masters in Supply Chain abroad.
Participant C Age-26- Would like to go abroad for PHD.
Participant D Age-23- Doing Bachelors in Computer Science.
Participant E Age-20- Doing BBA would like to go for MBA abroad.
Participant F Age-22- Doing bachelors in Social Science.
The questions asked to these six students are primarily questions about importance of higher education
and their opinions on getting higher education from abroad. By asking these questions, we got a
more clear view on what the targeted audiences think of getting higher education abroad and as opposed
to my questionnaire results which provide the demographics of my audience alone.
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4. The Interview:
Engagement questions:
• What field of education are you pursuing?
• Do you have plans to go abroad for higher studies?
Participant A Doing Bachelors in Mechatronics plans to go abroad for Masters
Participant B Plans to pursue Msc in Supply Chain abroad
Participant C Would like to go abroad for PHD
Participant D Doing Bachelors in Computer Science
Participant E Doing BBA would like to go for MBA abroad
Participant F Doing bachelors in Social Science
Answer Most of the participant had plans to go abroad for doing Masters (higher studies)
Exploration questions
• What are the reasons that people go abroad for higher studies?
• Should students go abroad for higher education? Why?
Participant A Getting Exposure in multicultural environment
Participant B No scope of emerging fields such as mechatronics in Pakistan.
Participant C Faculty unavailable, Insecurity in Pakistan
Participant D all those who can afford they go abroad ,Political instability in country
Participant E Because there are only two top business schools in the country, So if we
didn’t get admission in these two universities.
Participant F people go there to get work permit and finance their families. There
motive is not to get higher education.
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5. Answer student who studies abroad is assumed to be more valuable employee than
someone who did not study abroad that’s the perception of employers today. Another reason is
Quality of Education/ degree value, and to get highly paid jobs, Personal Benefits such as getting
exposure.
• Is there any difference in this trend in different fields of study?
• Participant A In mechatronic the high quality faculty is not available. And the engineers
are getting the job related to service and maintenance and sales. They are not getting the
job related to their own field..
• Participant B Agree to what A said
• Participant C No scope of emerging fields in country, so people go abroad to get highly
paid jobs there
• Participant D Supply chain has no scope in Pakistan and there are no good jobs. The
people from the field of supplychain management do get more salary in the middle east.
• Participant E Digital marketing is growing field all over the world but in Pakistan
employees do not get salaries that they deserve. Low paid jobs in digital media.
• Participant F Agree to what D said
Answer All who want to pursue their career in the emerging field are most likely to go
abroad for higher studies.
Exit question
• Why not get higher education in home country?
• Participant A Political Instability in the country
• Participant B Not a good learning environment
• Participant C Faculty unavailable, Insecurity in Pakistan
• Participant D No practical experience, not research oriented
• Participant E Not a single institution which has good ranking in the world
• Participant F No Job opportunities after getting higher education in home country
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6. Answers Most Pakistani educational institutions are not very well known around the
world and they do not offer a good learning environment.
Insights
Most of the participant had plans to go abroad for doing Masters (higher studies), student who
studies abroad is assumed to be more valuable employee than someone who did not study abroad
that’s the perception of employers today. Another reason is Quality of Education/ degree value is
better in universities abroad, and to get highly paid jobs, Personal Benefits such as getting
exposure and independence. All who want to pursue their career in the emerging field are most
likely to go abroad for higher studies.
Screening Questionnaire:
1. What is your field of Study? *
o Art/Social Sciences/Humanities
o Natural Sciences
o IT/Engineering
o Business & Management
2. For which program did you applied/planning to apply abroad? *
o Undergraduate Degree
o Post Graduate Diploma
o Certificate Course
o Masters
o PhD
3. Country of destination? *
(If you live abroad, please select "Not Applicable")
o United States
o Australia
o Britain
o Canada
o Not Applicable
o Other
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7. o Other
4. Gender *
o Male Female
5. Age *
o 18-24 years
o 25-30 years
6. What is the highest level of education you have completed in your home country? *
o Intermediate/A-level
o Undergraduate Degree
o Post Graduate Diploma
o Masters
o Phd
7. When are you planning to go abroad? *
(If already Abroad, please select "Not Applicable")
o 2013 (Summer/Fall)
o 2014
o 2015
o Not Applicable
8. During which year did you go abroad? *
(If not abroad, please select "Not Applicable")
o 2007
o 2008
o 2009
o 2010
o 2011
o 2012 (spring)
o Not Applicable
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8. Focus Group Confirmation Letter
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