Studying Abroad at Home: The Meaning of Education Abroad During the Pandemic

Studying abroad has virtually ended with the pandemic. New (online) formats are being already offered, but this not stopped universities from having to revise curricula, renegotiate partnerships and consult students about studying in 2020 beyond. This short essay stems author’s experience of cancelling his own Japanese study program late February avoid participants taking unnecessary risks face unknown speed at which Covid-19 was spreading Europe. The cancellation that trip brought fore, however, entrenched issues term programs pushed author consider what value ‘abroad’ ‘study abroad’ had been until then. A comparison practice ethnography ensues, inspired by early pandemic debates on future anthropological fieldwork, is another endeavour traditionally depended relatively extended stays abroad. closes two problems organisers will have think a post-corona world.