Adaptability & Resilience

1. Understanding Adaptability

Understanding adaptability is essential for anyone preparing to embark on an international mobility experience. In this section, we will define adaptability and explore why it is a fundamental skill for thriving in new countries, cultures, and work environments.

We will also introduce the psychology of change — how people perceive and respond to transitions — and offer insights for embracing change as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. This foundation will help students develop the mindset and strategies necessary to cope with uncertainty and succeed in diverse international contexts.

1.1 What is Adaptability?

Adaptability is the ability to adjust behaviour in changing or uncertain situations. It involves learning, combining experiences and modifying responses to cope with both internal and external changes. It is an essential skill for continuous development and managing uncertainty in the educational and work environment of the 21st century.

It is a process of self-regulation that facilitates person-environment adjustment and psychological well-being. For Brassey (2021), it is a ‘meta-skill’, i.e. the ability to learn to learn flexibly and to apply that knowledge in various situations.

1.2. What does adaptability look like in the real world?

Professional Sector	Situation	Adaptability behave
Industrial (welding, mechanics, electricity)	Imagine that your host company in Poland uses different numerical control machinery than your educational institution.	Adaptability here does not mean knowing how to use the machine on the first day, but rather observing carefully, not being afraid to ask about new safety protocols, and adjusting your work method to the pace of the local assembly line without getting frustrated.
Healthcare and social care (nursing, dependency care)	During your internship at a nursing home in France, you discover that hygiene protocols and patient care follow different cultural norms	Resilience will help you manage frustration if a patient does not understand you at first, allowing you to find alternative forms of nonverbal communication and learn the country’s codes of empathy.
Administration, commerce and marketing	You arrive at an office in Ireland and discover that the management software is in English and that the hierarchy is much more horizontal than you expected	An adaptable profile takes advantage of this opportunity to propose ideas in team meetings, overcoming the language barrier, and quickly adjusts to the use of collaborative digital tools that were unfamiliar.
Hospitality, culinary arts and tourism	In a hotel in Italy, the pressure of service and meal schedules are very different from those in Spain.	Adaptability is demonstrated by remaining calm during peak times, accepting constructive criticism from the chef, and learning to work with local products and ingredients that you have never handled before.

1.3 Importance of adaptability in international mobility.

International mobility is the perfect situation for cultivating and testing our ability to adapt, as this experience is, by definition, one of constant change and challenge. Here are some of the benefits of developing this ability through mobility experiences:

It enables people to learn more quickly and effectively, guiding them towards opportunities that arise, rather than focusing solely on the challenges.

A study by Martin, Nejad and Liem (2013) revealed that adaptability predicts “positive academic outcomes” such as class participation and enjoyment of school, beyond sociodemographic and personality factors. Khairani (2023) observed that, in the context of mobility, for international students, this skill facilitates “a complete understanding of the new culture, mastering the language and adapting habits”, which is evident in the recovery and adjustment phases of the cross-cultural adaptation process.

It is linked to key psychological skills, from coping ability to personal growth, and is associated with increased learning, better performance, confidence, and creativity.

A study by Curran (2018) found that adaptability predicts “superior social skills”,  such as the ability to understand and adapt to cultural and situational norms, as well as to manage complex interactions, including conflicts and disagreements. A systematic review of the literature (Lippman et al., 2015) included it among the “top 10 constructs related to successful entrepreneurship” (OECD, 2024). In his findings, Khairani (2023) reported that, in mobility experiences, international students develop “intrapersonal communication” and an “open mindset” towards cultural differences, which improves their cognitive and problem-solving skills and contributes to their “self-development”.

It is essential for psychological and physical well-being and is associated with higher levels of social support and overall life satisfaction.

The study by Martin, Nejad, and Liem (2013) found that adaptability “significantly predicts self-esteem, life satisfaction, and a sense of meaning and purpose” (OECD, 2024). Khairani (2023) highlighted that for international students, overcoming phases of crisis characterised by dissatisfaction and loneliness through the construction of social relationships is an indicator of its positive impact on overall well-being.

By working on their adaptability, students or professionals in mobility can transform their relationship with uncertainty and prepare for a dynamic and change-filled future.

Khairani’s (2023) research showed that students who transition from the “crisis phase” to the “adjustment phase” in cross-cultural adaptation manage to “master the new culture and integrate without anxiety”, demonstrating a clear transformation in their relationship with the unknown and difficulties. Similarly, the study by Martin et al. (2012) highlighted that adaptability can be developed in various learning contexts, such as simulations, games, and problem-based learning (OECD, 2024).

1.4 The psychology of change: learning by leaving.

International mobility is a transformative process that requires considerable adaptation and has a significant psychological impact. Understanding the psychology of change in this context is essential for facing its challenges and taking advantage of opportunities for personal and professional growth. This experience is considered an “adaptive challenge” that requires personal commitment to adopt new attitudes and behaviours.

The psychology of change, defined as the science of human behaviour in relation to transformation, is fundamental to this process. This experience is seen as “learning by leaving”, which benefits students by complementing their professional training and developing new knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Research by De la Torre et al. (2023) points out that measuring the impact of mobility on a student’s professional development remains a challenge.

The international mobility experience often follows an emotional journey with 3 phases:

1. Initial Enthusiasm: Motivations include the desire to learn about new cultures, improve language skills, increase self-confidence, and strengthen academic development.
2. Culture Shock: This is a common phase characterised by insecurity in the host city, unfamiliarity with the social organisation, customs, and local schedules. The difficulty in initiating conversations or establishing relationships can lead to loneliness or the formation of cliques, limiting interaction with the local community. This culture shock can cause stress, frustration and demotivation, affecting self-esteem.
3. Adaptation and Growth: Overcoming challenges leads to greater open-mindedness, self-knowledge, autonomy and problem-solving skills. Medium-term stays improve social skills and resilience and reduce stress, and interaction with people from the host country is associated with greater emotional understanding, social skills and resilience.

1.4.1 Psychological challenges of international mobility students

These students face frequent psychological challenges.

• Anxiety and uncertainty are common due to an unfamiliar environment with a different language and customs, which requires flexibility and a willingness to change.
• Language difficulties persist despite prior knowledge, especially in everyday situations or in the first classes, although constant practice improves comprehension and expression.
• Bureaucratic challenges, such as personal information or course paperwork, are complex and time-consuming, causing discomfort and stress.
• Lack of financial resources is a major barrier to international mobility.
• Economic instability in the country of origin, insufficient scholarships and unfamiliarity with the host banking system can cause liquidity problems and financial stress.
• The absence of the usual support network can result in nostalgia and social disconnection, forcing students to develop their own resources. This can lead to the formation of endogamous groups if they are unable to establish links with locals.

1.4.2 Practical strategies to embrace psychology of change.

• Accept mobility as an adaptive challenge: this requires personal commitment to adopt new attitudes and behaviours, and to foster intrinsic motivation by valuing the inherent satisfaction of the activity.
• Exposure to new experiences: it drives the development of psychosocial and cross-cutting skills, such as open-mindedness, self-awareness, autonomy and problem-solving skills, which are in high demand in various fields.
• Cultivating intercultural skills: for example communication and language skills, is vital, as stepping outside one’s comfort zone accelerates their acquisition.
• Comprehensive preparation and support: this is essential before, during and after the stay, covering linguistic, cultural, vocational, psychological and practical aspects. This includes encouraging immersion, accountability, supervision/mentoring and debriefing to visualise learning.
• Interaction with local students: host universities should actively promote it through joint activities and mentoring, as contact with hosts has a positive impact on students’ socio-emotional development.

2. Developing Resilience

Resilience, although lacking a universally accepted definition, is fundamentally understood as:

• The ability to adapt positively in the face of adversity.
• It is not simply a fixed trait, but a dynamic and multidimensional process involving the interaction of personal resources and contextual factors.
• Is the ability to recover quickly from disruptions in functioning caused by stress and to return to a previous level of functioning. However, it goes beyond simply “returning to normal”, which is often a misinterpretation.

Resilience involves the ability to adapt, change, and reorganise while coping with a disturbance. Resilient people “learn from a disturbance to better cope with a similar situation in the future, without returning to exactly how they were before”. This process of positive adaptation can lead to growth, where the individual achieves a higher level of functioning and well-being than before the adversity, acquiring new skills, knowledge or confidence.

To illustrate this simply: a student who moves abroad to continue their education may experience loneliness, stress or uncertainty. However, if they are resilient, they will not only overcome these obstacles, they will also develop greater autonomy, intercultural skills and self-confidence through the experience.

2.1 Strategies to cope with setbacks.

Contexts of mobility and international environments act as catalysts for developing practical resilience in students by exposing them to challenges such as culture shock and difficulties in adapting.

This directly fosters their adaptability and openness, allowing them to recover quickly from problems, accept change, and learn from new perspectives. By encountering different norms and ways of thinking in different cultures, they develop a deeper understanding of diversity, accepting varied ideas and opinions.

In the academic sphere, resilience helps students overcome the stress and adversity that arise from the transition from high school to higher education, which may involve moving to a new city or adapting to new demands. Thus, resilience not only allows them to cope with change, but also to take advantage of it as an opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Below are some basic coping strategies:

– Seeking social support: Turning to colleagues, friends, family members, or professionals to share emotions, receive advice, or seek practical help is one of the most effective strategies.

– Problem-focused coping: This involves analysing the situation, identifying causes and seeking concrete solutions, such as planning actions, setting goals and breaking the problem down into manageable steps.

– Positive re-evaluation: Reformulate the setback as an opportunity for learning and growth, identifying positive aspects or lessons that can be learned from the experience.

– Emotional expression and reflection: Talking about feelings, writing them down, or reflecting on them helps to process the experience and reduce the associated discomfort.

– Avoid denial and procrastination: Actively address the situation, avoiding ignoring the problem or delaying its solution, as these attitudes tend to aggravate the discomfort.

– Participation in physical or extracurricular activities: Exercising or engaging in alternative activities can be a good coping strategy as it helps channel stress and improves mood.

2.2 Case studies on overcoming challenges abroad.

The real-life experiences of students in international mobility programmes offer concrete examples of how personal, academic and cultural challenges can be overcome in global contexts. Below are several case studies that illustrate effective strategies and key learnings derived from these experiences. The analysed case studies show that overcoming challenges abroad requires a combination of personal, social, and academic strategies, as well as constant adaptation.

Case study 1: Gebhard’s (2013) study of Asian students in the US emphasises the significance of coping mechanisms, such as maintaining connections to one’s cultural background and relying on networks of compatriots. It also highlights the importance of observing and imitating local behaviours, as well as actively reflecting on how to modify behaviours to improve integration. Participation in extracurricular activities and seeking institutional support were also revealed to be key factors in overcoming academic, social, and emotional barriers.

Case study 2: Heist and Torok’s (2020) research on Japanese doctors undergoing clinical training in the US, emphasise the importance of acknowledging linguistic errors, seeking clarification, utilising non-verbal communication, and embracing an open-minded approach to cultural and professional practice differences.

Case study 3: Resilience and self-efficacy, as demonstrated by Algerian students in Jordan (Rayyan et al., 2023), can be cultivated by seeking support, utilising external resources, managing emotions, and maintaining a positive outlook on challenges.

Case studies 4-5: Research on New Zealand students in China (Gong et al., 2020) and Canadians abroad (Shougee, 1999) emphasises the value of self-reflection, forming intercultural friendships and actively participating in local life as effective coping strategies for overcoming linguistic, academic and cultural barriers. Together, these studies demonstrate that successful international adaptation depends on a combination of prior preparation, flexibility, social support and a willingness to learn from experience.

All these researchs demonstrates that resilience is strengthened through active coping strategies, social support, and positive thinking, and that these strategies are key to overcoming setbacks in educational and personal settings.

2.3 What does resilience look like in the real world?

Professional Sector	Situation	Resilient behave
Industrial (welding, mechanics, electricity)	You make a critical mistake when assembling a part and your supervisor reprimands you harshly in front of the team.	Resilience is processing the mistake without getting discouraged, staying calm in the face of criticism, and immediately focusing on fixing it so that the project can move forward.
Healthcare and social care (nursing, dependency care)	After an exhausting day with difficult patients and language barriers, you feel like you can’t take it anymore.	Resilience is using your emotional management tools to disconnect, accept what you are feeling, and rest so that you can return the next day with the same dedication and energy.
Administration, commerce and marketing	A computer glitch erases all your morning’s work just before a deadline.	Instead of panicking, resilience means accepting the error, honestly informing your manager, and organizing an emergency plan to recover the data.
Hospitality, culinary arts and tourism	You receive an unfair and aggressive complaint from a customer about something that is not your fault.	Resilience is not taking the attack personally and processing that the complaint is not related to your personal worth, and being able to resume service effectively without that incident ruining the rest of your day or affecting your treatment of other customers.

        3. Practical Exercises

• • Simulation activity: Adapting to a new work environment.

Objective: to develop adaptability, intercultural communication and problem-solving skills in a diverse and dynamic work environment, preparing participants to successfully face situations of change and challenge in international contexts.

Instructions: The simulation is carried out in groups of 6 to 8 participants, who represent the international team that has just joined a fictitious multinational company. Each participant assumes one of these specific roles:

• Team leader (responsible for coordinating and making final decisions).
• New international employee (newcomer, with language and cultural barriers).
• Experienced local employee (with knowledge of company rules and culture).
• Human resources manager (conflict mediator and integration manager).
• Remote employee (works from another country and faces communication challenges).
• Technical specialist (must collaborate with different departments).
• Employee with specific needs (e.g. disability, religion, etc.).
• Assigned mentor (supports new employees and facilitates adaptation).

Simulation development: The facilitator presents a series of situations and challenges that require quick decision-making, problem-solving and adaptation. Examples of situations:

1. An intercultural misunderstanding causes conflict within the team.
2. Organising an urgent meeting with members from different time zones and cultures.
3. A new international employee has difficulty understanding key instructions.
4. An unexpected technical problem arises that requires collaboration and creativity.
5. The human resources manager must mediate a complaint of discrimination or lack of inclusion.
6. The team must decide how to adapt a campaign or project for a foreign market, taking cultural differences into account.

Each participant, from their role, must contribute solutions, negotiate, communicate their needs and collaborate to solve the challenges. The team leader coordinates, but success depends on the active participation and flexibility of everyone. The facilitator introduces unexpected changes (e.g. a new company policy, a change in leadership, or an external crisis) so that the team must adapt quickly.

• Journaling challenge: Reflect on a moment of change and how you managed it.

Objective: This exercise will help you become aware of your abilities, identify your own coping strategies, and better prepare yourself to manage changes in the future, both on a personal level and in international mobility experiences.

Instructions: For one week, spend 10 minutes each day writing in a personal journal about a past experience in which you had to face a major change (e.g., moving, starting at a new school, adapting to a new group or country). Reflect on:

Moment	Reflection	Questions
Day 1	Describe the context of the change in detail.	What happened? Why was it important to you? What were your expectations before it happened?
Day 2	Reflect on your initial emotions.	How did you feel at first? Did you feel fear, insecurity or excitement?
Day 3	Identify the main difficulties or challenges you encountered during the adaptation process.	Were they emotional, social, academic or practical?
Day 4	List the strategies you used to deal with these difficulties.	Did you seek support from others? Did you try to inform yourself, get organised or change your attitude?
Day 5	Analyse the results.	What worked and what didn’t? How did your perspective change throughout the process?
Day 6	Reflect on what you learned from that experience.	What skills, resources or personal strengths did you discover in yourself?
Day 7	Think about how you could apply these lessons to future changes or challenges, especially in the context of international mobility.

At the end of the week, review your writings and highlight recurring patterns, personal resources, and emotions. You can voluntarily share a final reflection with the group, identifying which aspects of your resilience and adaptability you would like to continue strengthening.

• Emotional management: Covey’s Circle of Control

Objective: Strengthen your ability to identify and prioritize the factors that are under your direct control, reducing anxiety and stress caused by external elements beyond your control during mobility.

This tool is a visual model based on the psychology of personal effectiveness. During a stay abroad, it is common to feel overwhelmed by the volume of changes. The exercise consists of “mapping” your current concerns and classifying them into 3 concentric levels:

1. Zone of Control (Inner Circle): This is where the things that depend 100% on you are located. These are your actions, your words, and your attitude.
2. Zone of Influence (Middle Circle): Elements that you do not fully control, but that you can act on to try to change (e.g., your relationship with your boss or colleagues).
3. Zone of Concern (Outer Circle): External factors over which you have no power (the weather, the country’s laws, the price of transportation, the local culture).

How does it help with mobility?

• It reduces stress: By stopping fighting against “the impossible” (such as it raining every day in Dublin), the mental burden is drastically reduced.
• Empowerment: It helps vocational training students see themselves as active agents in their learning rather than victims of circumstance.
• Efficiency: It allows for quick decision-making. If something is in the worry zone, the order is “Accept and let go”; if it is in the control zone, the order is “Focus and act.”
• Key rule: 80% of your energy should go to the inner circle.

Instructions:

• Draw three concentric circles on a sheet of paper.
• Write down your 5 main concerns at the moment on post-it notes or sticky notes.
• Place each note in the corresponding circle.

Practical example in the VET sector: Imagine you are in a workshop and you cannot understand your tutor’s instructions because of their accent. This causes you stress because you are afraid of getting a bad grade.

To manage this situation, first identify your Zone of Concern: your tutor’s accent is something you cannot change, so you must accept it without letting it paralyze you. In your Zone of Influence, you can act assertively by asking your tutor to write down key words or using a translator to confirm critical steps. Finally, in your Zone of Control, you decide to review the technical vocabulary at night and ensure a good night’s sleep to improve your concentration the next day.

Template tool:  Covey’s Circle of Control

• Emotional regulation: The 5-Minute Technique

This is a quick intervention strategy to regain calm and focus after a language block, technical mistake, or moment of stress during your mobility experience.

It is a 3-step exercise designed to interrupt the brain’s “fight or flight” response to a stressful situation. When you feel your nerves getting the better of you, take a break and:

1. Breathe (Physiological Control): Perform square breathing. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and exhale slowly for another 4 seconds. This sends a signal of safety to your nervous system.
2. Label (Cognitive Control): Name what you are feeling in a simple sentence: “I feel frustrated because I have not been understood” or “I feel embarrassed about this mistake.” By naming the emotion, the intensity of the fear decreases and you regain rational control.
3. Reframing (Learning): Shift the focus from the problem to the solution by asking yourself, “What piece of information was I missing, and what will I learn from this for next time?”.

What is it for? This technique is used to manage the emotional block that occurs when we make a mistake in an unfamiliar environment. It helps to reduce anxiety immediately, prevents a one-off mistake from ruining the day, and transforms a moment of crisis into an opportunity for professional improvement.

• Peer activities on coping strategies.

Objective: to encourage the exchange of creative and practical solutions among peers to address the most common challenges of international mobility. By sharing experiences, students not only normalize their fears and conflicts, but also discover that the solutions proposed by their peers are often more relatable and realistic than academic theories.

Instructions:

1. Form groups: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 people.
2. Assign a “Critical Challenge” based on real situations faced by vocational training students abroad: Each group must choose or be assigned one of the following real mobility scenarios:

• Scenario A: You have been at your destination for a week and feel very lonely because the language barrier is preventing you from making local friends.
• Scenario B: Your internship supervisor ignores you or gives you tasks that do not correspond to your vocational training profile.
• Scenario C: You cannot get used to the food or the schedules in the country, and this is affecting your sleep and mood.
• Scenario D: You arrive at your new company and the machinery is much more advanced than you expected. You feel incompetent and the fear of failure paralyzes you, causing you to make mistakes out of sheer nervousness.
• Scenario E: At your host university, your classmates are so direct that you interpret their corrections as personal attacks. You feel hurt and stop participating in class to avoid conflict.
• Scenario F: In the same week, you miss your transportation, something breaks in your accommodation, and you don’t have enough money due to the high cost of living. You feel overwhelmed and think about abandoning the mobility program and returning home.
• Scenario G: At your destination office, everyone socializes in their local language during breaks. Even though you work in English, you feel invisible in the company and lose all motivation.

1. Brainstorming: The group must propose at least 3 coping strategies based on what they have learned (Circle of Control, 5-Minute Technique, seeking social support, etc.).
2. Presentation: Each group shares its “star solution” with the rest of the class.
3. Through this activity:

• Students learn to normalize conflict, as they see that their fears are shared; they are trained.
• Peer learning is encouraged, as a classmate’s solution is often more relatable and realistic than one found in a book.

4. Reflection & Self-Assessment

Self-reflection transforms experience into learning. Learners are encouraged to assess their own decision-making style, strengths, and areas for improvement.

4.1 Self-Reflection Questions:

• How do I usually react to unexpected situations or sudden changes in my academic, professional or personal environment?
• What are my main strengths when facing uncertainty or challenges outside my comfort zone?
• What strategies do I use to maintain an open and flexible attitude towards norms, customs, or ways of thinking that are different from my own?
• What internal or external resources do I look to in order to manage stress or frustration when things don’t go as expected?
• How have I turned a challenge or crisis during my international mobility experience into an opportunity for learning or personal growth?

4.2. Self-Assessment Checklist: “My Adaptive Profile”.

This checklist will allow you to assess your level of preparedness for change before your departure. There are no right or wrong answers, only areas you can work on. Read each statement and check the box if you identify with it or if you have already taken that action.

• Mental Preparation and Attitude:

[ ] Acceptance of change: I understand that my routine will change drastically and I am willing to accept new schedules, meals, and social norms without constantly judging them.

[ ] Managing expectations: I am aware that there will be difficult days and that this is a normal part of learning.

[ ] Open-mindedness: I am willing to engage in conversation with people who think or act differently from me.

• Coping Strategies (Resilience)

[ ] Support network: I have identified at least two people (a mentor at home and a contact at my destination) whom I can turn to if I feel overwhelmed.

[ ] Emotional regulation: I know at least one breathing or pausing technique to use in times of stress or frustration.

[ ] Circle of Control: I know how to distinguish between problems I can solve and those I must accept.

• Adapting to the Professional Environment

[ ] Technical curiosity: I have done some research on how people work in my sector in the destination country (tools, usual working hours, dress code).

[ ] Language barrier: I have prepared a list of basic technical vocabulary in the local language for my first day at work.

___________________________________________________________________________

Results:

8 to 10 checks: You’re ready for takeoff! You have a very resilient mindset.

5 to 7 checks: You’re on the right track, but review the areas you’re lacking in. You may need to delve deeper into emotional regulation techniques.

Less than 5 checks: Don’t worry! Review the “Circle of Control” section again and talk to your mentor to build your confidence before you leave.

4.3 Peer Reflection Activities:

• Share with your partner a situation in which you had to adapt quickly to an unexpected change during your international experience.
• Listen to your partner’s experience of how they overcame a challenge abroad and suggest an additional strategy that could have helped them.
• Do a short role-play where one person presents a difficulty and the other offers support and advice to strengthen resilience in the face of that challenges.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Adaptability is the ability to adjust your behavior and mindset to new environments, and it is the skill most valued by today’s companies. It’s not just about “fitting in,” but about maintaining your performance and well-being in uncertain situations.
• “Culture shock” and initial frustration are normal and necessary stages of any mobility experience. Understanding that discomfort is temporary will allow you to move from initial enthusiasm to personal growth and professional mastery.
• To reduce stress, it is vital to distinguish between what depends on you (your attitude, effort, and rest) and what you cannot change (climate, local schedules, or accents). Your energy should always be directed toward actions where you can truly make an impact.
• Resilience is not the absence of problems, but the ability to “bounce back” after a mistake or harsh criticism. Using emotional regulation techniques, such as the 5-minute pause, allows you to regain rational control and learn from each challenge.
• Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a strategy of social intelligence. Using your support networks (mentors and peers) and sharing coping strategies multiplies your resources to overcome any logistical or emotional barriers.