Aims of our course
The aim of this online course is to familiarise participants with Virtual Exchange and Blended Mobility as pedagogical activities for engaging students in authentic intercultural collaborative projects with international partners around cross-disciplinary themes such as sustainability. The focus will be on providing examples from across all disciplines – e.g. STEM, the Humanities and Social Sciences subjects - and working to build cross-disciplinary collaborative projects with course partners. The course will provide participants with the knowledge and materials necessary to prepare online collaborative exchanges for their students.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Explain how Virtual Exchange and Blended Mobility work and how they are being employed in university contexts.
Outline the potential learning outcomes of Virtual Exchanges and Blended Mobility for their students.
Describe the basic steps for setting up and running a Virtual Exchange or Blended Intensive Programme.
Design tasks for their Virtual Exchange which are relevant to their subject area.
Take steps to design a successful Virtual Exchange or Blended Mobility project around the theme of sustainability with their international partner teachers.
Methodology
Participants will be required to read about, observe, and discuss the different aspects of running Virtual Exchange (VE) and Blended Mobility projects. They will examine and analyse different examples task design, assessment, and strategies for integrating the exchanges into coursework.
The online sessions will be interactive, and participants will have many opportunities for general discussion and debate about the underlying principles and issues related to Virtual Exchange and Blended Mobility, including using a foreign language, students’ digital competences and intercultural communication breakdown. Participants will be provided with numerous examples of VE and Blended Mobility projects in their subject areas and will have opportunities to apply ideas to their own particular contexts. In breakout activities, teachers will be matched as much as possible with colleagues from similar subject areas.
In the on-site sessions, participants will work in their groups to develop and finalise their VE / BIP projects. They will receive regular feedback from the course trainer and from colleagues.
More info: https://events.ulysseus.eu/event/66/
Workshop Schedule
PART 1:
Format: Online interactive session: 3-17-24 September 2026
✋Participation is free of charge.
📝Registration is open until 1 September 2026.
This workshop series consists of three interactive sessions. We strongly encourage participants to attend all three sessions, as they build upon one another and provide the greatest learning experience when followed as a complete series. However, we understand that schedules can be challenging, and you are still very welcome to join even if you are unable to attend every session.
Session 1
📅 Date: 3 September 2026
🕙 Time: 10:00 – 11:30 CET
Understanding Virtual Exchange and Blended Mobility: Models, Terminology and Rationale
Discover the foundations of Virtual Exchange (VE), COIL and Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs). Learn how these approaches differ from other forms of online teaching and explore their benefits for students, educators and internationalisation.
Session 2
📅 Date: 17 September 2026
🕙 Time: 10:00 – 11:30 CET
Designing Your Exchange: A Three-Stage Guide for Partner Teachers
Learn how to plan and structure a successful international collaboration, from finding common objectives with your partner institution to designing engaging collaborative activities and supporting students throughout the exchange.
Session 3
📅 Date: 24 September 2026
🕙 Time: 10:00 – 11:30 CET
Anticipating the Challenges: Case Studies in Virtual Exchange and Blended Intensive Programmes
Explore real-life case studies and practical solutions to the most common organisational and pedagogical challenges in COIL, Virtual Exchange and BIPs. Gain practical tips to ensure inclusive, sustainable and successful international collaboration.