In a Bloomberg piece published on March 12 (I missed it, but thanks to Independent Institute, came across it this morning), Richard Vedder argues that the increasing prevalence of study-abroad programs is merely another needless cost increase that does nothing to enhance the student’s education. At one time, Vedder maintains, study-abroad programs may have done something for the student’s proficiency in another language, but it appears that few students work hard on their foreign language any more — or on other academic subjects. Mostly, they’re junkets that only serve the purpose of making the student look more sophisticated to prospective employers.