Institutional Strategies for Virtual Transatlantic Academic Exchange
By: Priya S. Nayar, MA (Leitung Studienzentrum Hochschule Fresenius New York)
The digital era has introduced many new tools and opportunities to advance teaching and learning in higher education. Institutions seeking innovative and entrepreneurial internationalization strategies have taken advantage of these trends and conceived of new ways to internationalization their academic programs. One example of this is the Trans-Atlantic Virtual Exchange and Collaboration Project (TAVEC), a cooperation between the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Germany and Adelphi University in the United States. A new alliance between the schools of business at these institutions offers an innovative program that is thriving in this new virtual world.
The TAVEC project was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the International Virtual Academic Collaboration (IVAC) Program with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. We found that Adelphi University and Hochschule Fresenius shared many common values, with institutional strategies aligned towards an inclusive and diverse internationalization and digitalization goal. Through the IVAC application process, our institutions created the parameters for collaboration. One of the primary drivers of our successful partnership was the discipline and practice of flexibility by design and mutual accommodation.
In the TAVEC project, faculty from both business schools collaborated to co-teach four selected modules using a participatory approach, cutting across projects and inter- as well as intra-university teams. TAVEC consisted of four joint courses—two at the undergraduate level and two at the graduate level—culminating in a student conference, where students who worked on a semester long project in cross-university teams within each module competed to win a mobility grant. TAVEC had about 126 students total at both institutions, with about 32 joint student group projects and over 400 teaching hours across the courses.
To implement and facilitate the execution of the project, the TAVEC managers set up weekly check-ins. Our project coordinator had a hands-on role in supporting not only the faculty in their courses but also the students in the execution of their group projects. We found that we could address challenges in real time because of our open and transparent channels of communication.
This project led to varied and successful end goals—a multidisciplinary student driven conference and a collaborative website documenting both the cooperation between the institutions and showcasing student work through a dynamic “toolkit” space.
The 4 pillars of the TAVEC project are:
- Virtual Exchange and Teaching—which brought 4 courses from each institution together and paired faculty to create a unique international digital experience for their students.
- Trans-Atlantic Student Conference—where we hosted about 6 hours of intense and competitive presentations from the TAVEC students.
- Blended Mobility—which allows the Delegation of Student Ambassadors and Faculty to visit their counterpart institution.
- Community of Practice—which is our intentional digital space including the website and social media channels where we promote both online and offline networking opportunities.
Blended learning with its various online and offline teaching elements has evolved into “blended mobility”, which along with digitally-aided instruction is augmented by collaborative components in an international context. The result is entirely new teaching and learning arrangements that are student-focused, participatory, collaboration-based, community-minded, and unimpeded by geographic or time restrictions. Research orientation and project work are further examples of didactic approaches which can provide structure to virtual exchange scenarios and cultivate a network between instructors and students.
Through the course of this project, we leaned into the post-pandemic “new normal” of online teaching, learning, and participation. The COVID-19 crisis created conditions that opened entirely new possibilities for re-envisioning international mobility and intercultural exchange by means of digital presentation. In doing so, we encountered specific challenges for which we developed strategies and real-world practical tools to navigate (see table below). These challenges, strategies, and tools were encapsulated in a poster presentation at the NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference & Expo titled, “
Institutional Strategies for Virtual Transatlantic Academic Exchange.”
The TAVEC project was goal driven and some of the key outcomes were:
- Course and Faculty – A collaboration of the 8 courses or 4 joint courses with faculty and students in a Trans-Atlantic digital blended format
- Student Conference – A student driven conference where the groups of students could live pitch to real world executives, from relevant private and public sector corporations
- Online social media and Community – An online active presence and a virtual community
- One Stop shop website – A web portal serving as a one-stop shop and resource for tool kits, conferences, and resources and
- In person Delegation (Blended Mobility) – A physical in person cross campus Trans-Atlantic delegation where students from each institution are visiting the partner institution.
In review and summary, some of the takeaways are:
- Virtual exchange is sustainable long term, beyond the very specific post-pandemic online environment we are in by adapting and finding new models of joint projects and conferences, with blended in-person and virtual group activities, workshops, and classes.
- Digital engagement on social media channels is something that students respond well to – however there must be concise, relevant, and substantive content creation that resonates with overarching vision, mission, and goals of the project.
- Successful international (or domestic) collaboration between institutions, inherently require trained and competent project managers and coordinators who can wear multiple hats and are comfortable navigating a digital environment.
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