|
Field
Abstract
|
Before
This research project evaluates the causal effect of an information treatment on students’ intentions to participate in international mobility programs. The study focuses on undergraduate students enrolled in the Economics bachelor’s degree (TrEC) at the University of Padua.
As part of a broader survey aimed at understanding students’ preferences, expectations, and perceived barriers to mobility, participants will be randomly assigned at the individual level to one of three groups:
- Control group receiving general information about mobility opportunities.
- Treatment group receiving additional information on the academic benefits of studying abroad.
- Treatment group receiving information on both academic and labor market returns.
The treatment consists of standardized written information summarizing evidence from the economic literature on the academic and employment effects of international mobility. Previous research shows that study abroad experiences are associated with improved academic performance, timely graduation, higher employment probabilities, shorter job search durations and a greater likelihood of working abroad after graduation (see Granato et al., 2024 and De Paola et al., 2026)
Participants will be recruited through in-class announcements and the Moodle platform. Participation is voluntary, uncompensated, and the survey duration is approximately 5–10 minutes.
The study aims to contribute to the literature by estimating whether exposure to evidence-based information about academic and labor market returns significantly affects students’ intentions to apply to mobility programs.
|
After
This research project evaluates the causal effect of an information treatment on students’ intentions to participate in international mobility programs. The study focuses on undergraduate students enrolled in the Economics bachelor’s degree (TrEC) at the University of Padua.
As part of a broader survey aimed at understanding students’ preferences, expectations, and perceived barriers to mobility, participants will be randomly assigned at the individual level to one of three groups:
- Control group receiving general information about mobility opportunities.
- Treatment group receiving additional information on the academic benefits of studying abroad.
- Treatment group receiving information on both academic and labor market returns.
The treatment consists of standardized written information summarizing evidence from the economic literature on the academic and employment effects of international mobility. Previous research shows that study abroad experiences are associated with improved academic performance, timely graduation, higher employment probabilities, shorter job search durations and a greater likelihood of working abroad after graduation (see Granato et al., 2024 and De Paola et al., 2026)
Participants will be recruited through in-class announcements and the Moodle platform. Participation is voluntary, uncompensated, and the survey duration is approximately 5–10 minutes.
The study aims to contribute to the literature by estimating whether exposure to evidence-based information about academic and labor market returns significantly affects students’ intentions to apply to mobility programs.
UPDATE: starting in October 2026, the same survey will be rolled out with the same procedures in other six Italian Universities (Cagliari, Calabria, Naples Federico II, Pavia, Milan Bicocca, Ca' Foscari Venice) with an effort to extend statistical and external validity. A new IRB was obtained to cover this data collection
|
|
Field
Trial End Date
|
Before
June 05, 2026
|
After
February 28, 2027
|
|
Field
Last Published
|
Before
February 24, 2026 06:16 AM
|
After
October 03, 2026 01:01 AM
|
|
Field
Intervention End Date
|
Before
March 13, 2026
|
After
December 31, 2026
|
|
Field
Experimental Design (Public)
|
Before
Three-arm individual-level randomized controlled trial among undergraduate Economics (TrEC) students at the University of Padua. Recruitment occurs via in-class announcements and the Moodle platform. The survey lasts approximately 5-10 minutes and will be administered through Google Form. Participation is voluntary and uncompensated.
|
After
Three-arm individual-level randomized controlled trial among undergraduate Economics (TrEC) students at the University of Padua. Recruitment occurs via in-class announcements and the Moodle platform. The survey lasts approximately 5-10 minutes and will be administered through Google Form. Participation is voluntary and uncompensated.
UPDATE: starting in October 2026, the same survey will be rolled out with the same procedures in other six Italian Universities (Cagliari, Calabria, Naples Federico II, Pavia, Milan Bicocca, Ca' Foscari Venice) with an effort to extend statistical and external validity.
|
|
Field
Planned Number of Observations
|
Before
1100 students enrolled in the bachelor in economics at the university of padova (year 1 and 2 - potential extension to year 3). We assume a potential non-response rate of 40%, hence effective sample size 660
|
After
1100 students enrolled in the bachelor in economics at the university of padova (year 1 and 2 - potential extension to year 3). We assume a potential non-response rate of 40%, hence effective sample size 660
Update: We expect similar non-response patterns in the other six participating univeristies, but do not have enough data to compute sample size ex-ante. We can nonetheless provide expected figures depending on pooled effective sample size.
|
|
Field
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
|
Before
Control: 1/3 (expected = 220 students)
Treatment 1 (academic benefits): 1/3 (expected = 220 students)
Treatment 2 (academic + labor market returns): 1/3 (expected = 220 students)
|
After
Control: 1/3 (expected = 220 students)
Treatment 1 (academic benefits): 1/3 (expected = 220 students)
Treatment 2 (academic + labor market returns): 1/3 (expected = 220 students)
Update: We expect similar non-response patterns in the other six participating univeristies, but do not have enough data to compute sample size ex-ante. We can nonetheless provide expected figures depending on pooled effective sample size.
|
|
Field
Power calculation: Minimum Detectable Effect Size for Main Outcomes
|
Before
Assuming a target population of 1,100 participants and 40% non-response rate, we expect an effective sample of 660 individuals. We conducted power calculations for an individually randomized design with a binary outcome (Y), using a two-sided test with significance level α = 0.05 and power 1 − β = 0.80. Given the assumed control-group baseline outcome rate (specified below), the implied Minimum Detectable Effect (MDE) is:
MDE= 9.5 pp if E(Y)=0.20, for two treatment groups (C=1/3 vs T1=1/3 or T2=1/3)
MDE= 8.4 pp if E(Y)=0.20, for one pooled treatment group (C=1/3 vs pooled T=2/3)
MDE= 11.4 pp if E(Y)=0.30, for two treatment groups (C=1/3 vs T1=1/3 or T2=1/3)
MDE= 10.0 pp if E(Y)=0.30, for one pooled treatment group (C=1/3 vs pooled T= 2/3)
|
After
Assuming a target population of 1,100 participants and 40% non-response rate, we expect an effective sample of 660 individuals. We conducted power calculations for an individually randomized design with a binary outcome (Y), using a two-sided test with significance level α = 0.05 and power 1 − β = 0.80. Given the assumed control-group baseline outcome rate (specified below), the implied Minimum Detectable Effect (MDE) is:
MDE= 9.5 pp if E(Y)=0.20, for two treatment groups (C=1/3 vs T1=1/3 or T2=1/3)
MDE= 8.4 pp if E(Y)=0.20, for one pooled treatment group (C=1/3 vs pooled T=2/3)
MDE= 11.4 pp if E(Y)=0.30, for two treatment groups (C=1/3 vs T1=1/3 or T2=1/3)
MDE= 10.0 pp if E(Y)=0.30, for one pooled treatment group (C=1/3 vs pooled T= 2/3)
UPDATE: Whereas the original registration reported the MDE for a single sample size, the attached Figure traces the number of respondents in the pooled experimental sample required to detect each MDE under the parameters specified in the original registration.
|