The Rise of Virtual Exchange Programs

and Why They’re Here to Stay Editorial Team

Out of necessity, to try and provide students with a learning experience comparable to in-person learning, a variety of virtual programs—including exchanges and co-taught classes by international educators—were adopted by campuses all over the world. Universities, however, seem to be heeding Dowd’s critique that “Virtual Exchange is not an ‘emergency tool’ to be considered only in times of pandemics and limited international travel.” Rather, VE programs are rapidly expanding globally, and there are indications they’re here to stay.

Why are VEs still popular in a post-pandemic education landscape?

Even once COVID-19 imposed lockdowns were lifted and in-person classes resumed, college campuses felt surreally quiet and lacking the usual buzzing energy and excitement that we typically associate with spaces where young people learn and socialize. It took quite some time before campus life began to truly feel ‘normal’ again, and once it did, it seemed that there was a push to make up for lost time and engage in as much in-person, immersive learning, socializing and cultural exchange as possible. However, while once deployed as a temporary measure, the benefits of VEs became so palpable that many institutions have continued to offer—and even, create—these programs. Yoav Wachsman, Professor at Coastal Carolina University, US, highlights VEs have several benefits for universities and students alike, such as “low cost, more capacity, no visa restrictions, and more flexibility.” VEs are particularly lucrative for universities as they require no physical space and traditional caps placed on student enrollment do not apply to the same extent.

Additionally, one of the biggest barriers to student participation in international exchange programs is economic inequality. It is unfortunately the case that many students are simply unable to participate in in-person exchange programs because of lack of funds, limitations on travel—such as family dependence on the student—not to mention stringent visa restrictions that prevent students from travelling, even when there are no financial barriers. The demographics of students who are excluded from these exchange experiences poses a problem for the inclusion of diverse and inclusive voices in education. In 2022, UNESCO released a report, “Moving minds: Opportunities and challenges for virtual student mobility (VSM) in a post-pandemic world,” which outlines that virtual student mobility (VSM)—as opposed to the traditional crossing of international borders to obtain different educational experiences—has the potential to democratize education. Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps, in fact, created a diversity and inclusion strategy for 2021-2027 to prioritize making their programs accessible to all, including individuals with fewer opportunities due to social, economic, cultural, geographical or health-related barriers.

What indicates VE programs are here to stay?

Aside from the democratizing aspects and other benefits of VEs, designing and running high quality programs is simply becoming easier for universities. The Stevens Initiative, which was established in 2014 to promote VE and gather funding for organizations to administer VE programs between youth in the US, North Africa and the Middle East, has since launched the Virtual Exchange Academy to train educators how to begin their own exchange programs. The Academy aims to “mobilize education and exchange leaders in driving virtual exchange adoption in their local communities and networks.” In 2022, the Academy trained over 80 education leaders from 19 countries and territories, including individuals from North, East and West Africa, the UAE and South America. Once completed, graduates are eligible for exclusive funding and mentorship benefits. UNICollaboration, similarly, offers VE-training specifically geared toward the European market. Both the breadth and success of these trainings suggests that the investment in VE is growing on a global scale.

Virtual Exchange programs offer universities low cost and greater flexibility

In addition, technological advancements are dramatically transforming the VE experiences of the past, which almost exclusively relied on basic video conferencing software alone. Edtech developments are making VE experiences more comparable to traditional in-person exchanges, thus increasing their popularity. Virtual Reality technologies, in particular, create thoroughly immersive environments, which allows students to collaborate and learn with their international classmates in virtual, interactive classrooms. These student collaborations are also enhanced by the expanding features of companies such as Zoom and Coursera. Zoom now offers features such as ‘Immersive View,’ which simulates a classroom setting, and additionally offers real-time language translation and interactive features such as polls, quizzes and virtual hand-raising. Coursera also offers translation services, as well as collaborative features such as enhanced peer-review systems that enable students from different countries to work closely together on assignments.

In conclusion, in our increasingly globalized higher education landscape VE offers the promise of equalizing access to learning experiences that would have previously excluded large student populations, simultaneously providing universities with a low-cost way to engage in inter-cultural knowledge exchange. What remains to be seen—given the way that VE programs are increasingly structured around new technologies—is how the ‘digital divide’ can be reduced over time and open up these opportunities even further.