Abstract:

Due to the global pandemic, institutions of higher education have moved toward virtual exchange programs that not only include distance learning within their own university but expanded into international exchange programs allowing both students and faculty the opportunity to collaborate on various educational topics with institutions on different continents virtually. Most exchange programs use a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous communication methods. The ability to travel and study abroad in order to build intercultural connections and understanding is not always feasible for all students either due to financial constraints, family and work commitments, or the Covid-19 pandemic. Although studying abroad is an excellent way for students to exchange ideas and cultures it is not always feasible. A global exchange program is both beneficial to students as well as faculty lending the faculty an opportunity to collaborate with several institutions around the world (https://www.usf.edu/world/about/news/2022-virtual-global-education.aspx). Students can see how their local problems are shared globally and note the commonalities within each location. Universities are creating global connections through intercultural global exchange programs affording students the ability to enhance intercultural competencies, collaborating with students from other parts of the world while becoming global citizens.
Through the use of technology, college freshmen from a New York City University within a First-Year Seminar course partnered with graduate students from a Business English course at a Paris university during the fall, 2022 semester in order to immerse themselves in each other's culture while solving problems of sustainability following the UN's Sustainability Development Goals looking at varying issues.

Integrating intercultural knowledge and competence into the heart of education is imperative to see ourselves as members of the world knowing we share the future with others. Through blended activities of synchronous and asynchronous communication methods topics are covered within both countries that might not otherwise have been observed if a virtual exchange hadn’t taken place. Students on both continents became more confident with themselves, with their international counterparts and more aware of the would around them as they learn from each other and about each other’s city allowing them to make informed arguments as to how they see the problems of sustainability as well as looking for solutions.

A successful Global Online Learning Exchange should consist of learning outcomes that encompass the course’s subject matter as well as intercultural competence development. Within this program the professors from both institutions collaborated and devised the learning objectives and learning activities that would be the setting for the entire semester.
The results were beneficial to all constituants, both professors and students alike. Another observation was the fact of contribution to career readiness “helping students engage, not only with course material, but gaining experience working with varying time zones, communicating across cultures, and collaborating in ways that will be expected in the workforce”.

Keywords:

Sustainability, Global Exchange.