International Exchanges Beyond COVID-19

 

​International exchanges are an essential part of campus internationalization and global engagement.  More broadly, they strengthen our democracy by developing stronger institutions and better citizens. 

The pandemic has prompted some vital questions about the future of exchanges: 

  • What will the world of exchanges look like after the pandemic has subsided? 
  • Should campus leaders take a fresh look at exchanges and how they contribute to their international goals?
  • Should we move more decisively toward [online collaboration] versus physical mobility? 

With support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, ACE will explore these questions in a series of webinars and case studies that will focus on faculty, student, and professional exchanges. 

Webinars

Focusing on the relationship between the United States and the European Union, ACE Engage convened a series of discussions among academic experts, former participants, and campus executives.  The webinars built on an ebook on the same topic, which was released in late March.

These webinars took place on April 1, 15, and 22, and focused on faculty exchanges, student exchanges, and professional exchanges.

Ebook

An ebook with six chapters takes a close look at the current state of international exchanges and make some predictions about their future after the pandemic.  The geographic focus is on the European Union, including the impact of recent political developments on the bilateral US-EU relationship.  The eight authors are a unique combination of academic experts and seasoned practitioners.

Download the full ebook (PDF)

Explore Individual Chapters

 Introduction

​The first section introduces the volume.  Brad Farnsworth, lead author for the series, lays out the themes that are explored throughout the remaining chapters, including the impact of technology, the need for more rigorous evaluation, and the need to align the goals of exchange programs with the broader institutional mission of ACE institutions.

Download the Introduction (PDF)

 Chapter 1

​The first chapter focuses on scholarly exchanges, with a focus on the Fulbright Program, the government-funded exchange program with the strongest name recognition and public support in the United States.  Ray Mitic notes that the program is at a critical inflection point after a successful 75-year history.  He proposes a number of changes in order to strengthen the program and specifically discusses the contribution of exchanges to the overall US-EU relationship.

Download Chapter 1 (PDF)

 Chapter 2

​Chapter 2 moves to the area of professional exchanges, taking a close look at exchanges in the field of journalism.  Birgit Rieck describes the key elements of successful programs for mid-career professionals while raising some important questions about the benefits to sending and hosting organizations.  She concludes with case studies of how exchanges have led to ongoing collaboration among journalists worldwide.

Download Chapter 2 (PDF)

 Chapter 3

Chapter 3 focuses on the world of international research collaboration, a complex eco-system with formal funding structures augmented by informal, “bottom up” networks.  Recent advances have greatly enhanced our ability to measure the impact of research collaboration across borders.  Co-authors Laure Haak and Caroline Wagner make some critically important points about investing in infrastructure—including norms and standards—that would expand research collaboration beyond elite institutions.

Download Chapter 3 (PDF)

 Chapter 4

​Chapter 4 begins the discussion of student exchanges.  Co-authors Amelia Dietrich and Melissa Torres cover a broad range of issues while focusing on technology as a means to improve the exchange experience--including interventions before, during, and after the travel stage.  They discuss evaluation and impact in detail, making some important recommendations for improving measurement and accountability.

Download Chapter 4 (PDF)

 Chapter 5

​The final chapter continues the discussion on student exchanges, focusing on the exchanges at the graduate level and MBA programs specifically.  Lisa Miller describes the challenges of designing travel programs for students in professional schools, and especially the challenge of increasing interest in the European Union as a destination.  She concludes with several recommendations for designing programs that would increase student interest.

Download Chapter 5 (PDF)
Support

This project is generously supported by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.


 
 

Read the Ebook

An ebook with six chapters takes a close look at the current state of international exchanges and make some predictions about their future after the pandemic.

Download the full ebook (PDF)