Sometimes also called telecollaboration or Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), Virtual Exchange utilises technology and the internet to connect students and academics with their peers across national borders.

No new technology is required, MS Teams or Zoom is sufficient. Developing a project doesn’t have to mean a dramatic rethink to curriculum – just working collaboratively with academic partners to plan, design and guide students on their virtual team project. Assessment is done by the home university, so it doesn’t require grade conversion from another university system.

A Virtual Exchange project usually lasts for 6–12 weeks. This allows participants time to build relationships and deliver to the brief – much as in a class-based project.

The Virtual Exchange programme is co-designed and implemented by partnering academics and it is important to consider the following as part of these discussions:

• Partnerships – who will your students work with?
• Language – is there a common language between the student groups?
• Technology – what online tools will they use to collaborate?
• Tasks – what will the students do together online?
• Support – how will lecturers help students to reflect and learn from their interactions?
• Integration/Assessment – how will students receive credit for their work?