This document discusses virtual exchange programs under Erasmus+ that aim to promote intercultural awareness and skills development through technology-enabled communication between geographically separated individuals. It describes the goals of virtual exchange, target groups which include students and youth workers, and how virtual exchanges are conducted through online facilitated dialogues and interactive open online courses. The document also outlines training opportunities for becoming a facilitator and for educators to develop international virtual exchange projects integrated into their courses. It provides examples of existing virtual exchange partnerships between countries and fields of study. Recognition for participants includes open badges endorsed by universities and employers.

1. Education
and Training
Erasmus+
Virtual
Exchange
EADTU Peer Learning Activity
- Virtual mobility
Maastricht, 12 December 2018
José DIEZ VERDEJO
DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
European Commission
jose.diez-verdejo@ec.europa.eu

2. Politics Education
Erasmus+
Virtual
Exchange
Paris Declaration
Blended learning
Internationalisation
Future Erasmus
Media literacy
against fake news
European
Neighbourhood
Policy
Why?
EU Youth
Strategy

3. Education
and Training
34 Erasmus+
Programme Countries
&
10 Southern
Mediterranean
Partner Countries
Where?

4. Education
and Training
What? The virtual exchange concept
Technology-enabled, people-to-people
education programmes, sustained over a period
of time in which communication and interaction
takes place between individuals or groups who are
geographically separated, with the support of
facilitators and/or educators.

5. Erasmus+
5
How does
it look
like?

6. Education
and Training
Goals
Intercultural
awareness
Skills
development

7. Education
and Training
Academia
• Professors
• Administrators
• Students
Youth
• Youth workers
• Young people
Target groups

8. Education
and Training
How?
Training
• For anybody to become
facilitator
• For educators to develop
their own virtual exchanges
Exchanges
• Online Facilitated Dialogues
• Interactive Open Online Courses

9. Education
and Training
Training to become a facilitator
Skills: active listening, summarising and reframing
Hands-on practice and feedback from trainers
Individualised coaching

10. Education
and Training
Training to develop international
projects
• Professors take the initiative
• Goal: to develop an international
virtual exchange project
• Integration of the virtual
exchange into existing courses

11. Examples of training to develop
Transnational Virtual Exchange projects
Partners’ countries Fields
France-Czech Republic Chemistry and Physics-Business
Tunisia-France English as a Foreign Language
France-Spain English - Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Germany - Finland - Czech Republic - Ireland Business and Management – Global Virtual Teams
Italy-Libya History
Spain-Poland Computer Science and Gaming-Business and
Management
Palestine-Netherlands English as a Foreign Langauge - Journalism
Spain-Poland Business & Economics - English for Specific
Purposes

12. Education
and Training
Online facilitated
dialogues
• Endorsement by professors
• Participants from various countries in small groups
• Non-formal discussions but readings and papers
• Promotion by universities’ international units
• Great impact as first international experience

13. Education
and Training
Interactive open online courses
Previous IOOCs:
Introduction to Dialogue Facilitation
Countering Hate Speech
Refugees in Europe
Gender In/Equality in Media and Journalism
Culture and Politics in Europe
Newcomers and Nationalism
Option: incorporate interactive
activities to existing MOOCs

14. Education
and Training
Recognition
• Open badges for each activity
and for trainers and facilitators
• Their value will depend on
endorsement by universities and
employers

15. Education
and Training
Stories of virtual exchanges
Syrine Ayachi, Tunisia, 22 years old: “We all know that young
people are the future leaders. So, if we help them through the virtual
exchange to become more open-minded and give them the
opportunity to see the world through new eyes away from the
propaganda, we can have a better, more peaceful world”.
• Skills : active listening, critical thinking, asking good questions, open-
mindedness
• Different cultures : their religion, traditional food, marriage, major festivals in
each country, values
• Global issues : poverty, women rights, educational system, the negative
effect of social media, immigration

16. Education
and Training
europa.eu/youth/
erasmusvirtual