The Impact of Erasmus+ Program Participation on Student Satisfaction, Academic Development, and International Competence: A Quantitative Study among University Students in Türkiye

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Erasmus+ program participation on student satisfaction, academic development, and international competence among university students in Türkiye. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 300 university students who participated in Erasmus+ mobility programs through a structured online questionnaire administered via a five-point Likert scale. Measurement items were adapted from previously validated instruments in the higher education and intercultural competence literature. Data were analyzed using SPSS software through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression. The findings revealed statistically significant positive relationships between Erasmus+ participation and all three dependent variables. Specifically, Erasmus+ participation accounted for approximately 53% of the variance in student satisfaction (β = 0.73, p < .001), 50% of the variance in academic development (β = 0.71, p < .001), and 46% of the variance in international competence (β = 0.68, p < .001). All three research hypotheses were supported, confirming that participation in Erasmus+ mobility programs positively contributes to students' educational experiences, academic growth, and intercultural competencies. Descriptive analysis revealed that international competence recorded the highest mean score (M = 4.22, SD = 0.61), followed by Erasmus+ participation (M = 4.12, SD = 0.68), academic development (M = 4.06, SD = 0.69), and student satisfaction (M = 3.64, SD = 0.86). The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing literature on higher education internationalization and international student mobility, and provides practical recommendations for universities and policymakers to enhance Erasmus+ program effectiveness and student support services.