Internationalization in Higher Education is currently a strategic objective of the EU and is perceived by European leaders as contributing to the quality of teaching and learning and the competitiveness of higher education institutions (European Parliament, 2015). While there are efforts to foment the internationalization of the curriculum in order to construct a less elitist model, international mobility is still seen as key in contemporary efforts to reinforce cooperation and collaboration among higher education institutions.  Due to policies such as the Bologna treaty the Erasmus program and the 'Mobility Strategy 2020 for the European Higher Education Area' Europe is considered a model for good practices (Teichler, 2009). While there is a growing body of information regarding student internationalisation (Murphy-Lejeune,2003; Brooks and Waters 2011) there is not much data about staff mobility on the European level. Part of the reason is conceptual as there is a confusion regarding what is meant by 'staff mobility in higher education’. What is considered mobility? participation in international conferences, study visits, or research stays? (European Commission, 2013). Lately, we have seen efforts to evaluate national policies of staff mobility and financing (Marimon, Lietaert, & Grigolo 2009). However, we still lack qualitative research on the impact of staff mobility.

In this paper we look at Spanish University teachers who went abroad as part of their professional development (pre- and post- doctorate levels) to spend time in important research centres. Our object is to evaluate the impact of these stays on their professional work once they came back. Their perceptions of the process are highly relevant for understanding the impacts of mobility schemes. While the EU and national governments are striving to foment mobility they should gather more information on factors that enhance and hinder their impact.  Our research explores these factors paying special attention to the question of gender.

Literature on gender differences in higher education focuses on three critical moments: choice of studies, the early stage of the scientific career and career advancement. In all three, gender plays an important role (Bain and Cummings, 2000; Etzkowitz, Kemelgor, Uzzi, 2000; Husu 2000; Morley, 2000; Vázquez-Cupeiro and Elston, 2006; Benschop, 2009; Van den Brink and Benschop, 2012a; 2012b; Risman and Davis, 2013; O´Connor et al. 2015). Our aim is to see how gender mediates the impacts of international mobility on the personal and the institutional levels.  

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