A new survey undertaken by Chambers of Commerce across the UK has revealed that those who have spent time living abroad or who work with international partners are far more likely to export than those with little in the way of direct international experience. Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) believe that this underlines the case for giving more people the opportunity to study abroad in order to encourage a more \'global\' business mindset. Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of SCC said:
\'It seems obvious that trading internationally comes more easily to those people who already have extensive experience of living abroad or collaborating with overseas businesses, but as we seek to ensure that Scotland grows its exports, it is clear that we need to find new ways to get more people to think global.
\'For some time now, Scottish Chambers of Commerce have been urging universal access to international exchange opportunities for all students on all undergraduate degree courses in Scotland. The findings of this latest survey underline just how important developing such international experience is and is evidence of how this can be developed into a tangible economic benefit for Scotland in the form of increased future exports.
\'More Scots with a mindset equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that abound in the global marketplace will result in our economy becoming more vibrant and outward looking and, ultimately, more prosperous. Now is the time to act to ensure that more Scots can benefit from the rewards that time spent studying abroad can offer. This is necessary in order to ensure that Scotland\'s small and medium sized businesses are equipped to grow and succeed.\'
