This paper investigates how study abroad experiences have influenced the leadership orientations and peace-related policy choices of Asia-Pacific political leaders over the past fifty years. Although international education is often associated with fostering global citizenship among students, its long-term impact on future political elites remains underexplored. Focusing on figures such as Junichiro Koizumi, Park Geun-hye, Ma Ying-jeou, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Lee Hsien Loong, Thaksin Shinawatra, among others, the study assesses whether foreign education correlates with stronger commitments to diplomacy, multilateralism, and cooperative foreign policy behavior. Drawing on democratic peace theory, neoliberal institutionalism, and political psychology, the analysis proposes that exposure to democratic norms, transnational networks, and intercultural environments fosters cosmopolitan identity formation and greater willingness to pursue peaceful conflict resolution. The research employs comparative case studies and process tracing, supported by content analysis of speeches, policy documents, and biographical accounts. Key indicators include participation in international organizations, expansion of trade agreements, restraint from interstate conflict, and support for peacekeeping or diplomatic initiatives. Preliminary findings indicate that leaders with substantial international education are more likely to emphasize negotiation, multilateral engagement, and rule-based cooperation than those educated exclusively in domestic contexts. By linking foreign study to peace-oriented governance, the paper highlights an overlooked dimension of global citizenship education: its potential to shape the values and decisions of national leaders, with implications for regional stability and the broader study of political behavior.

Authors:
Kevin Tangonan, University of Maryland Global Campus - Hawaii, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Kevin Tangonan, Adjunct Assistant Professor at UMGC, studies U.S. foreign policy, East Asia, and international education. His current project, Educating for Peace, examines study-abroad influences on Asia-Pacific leadership.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-a-tangonan808/

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