UNICollaboration
About us
In today’s networked and globalised world, the ability to collaborate and communicate online across cultural, national and regional divides is an increasingly important aspect of the global workplace.
Today’s graduates need to be able to operate in culturally diverse, digitally mediated environments, working both face-to-face and online with members of other cultures.
In this light, it’s important that educational institutions offer students online, intercultural collaborative experiences as part of their education.
This will enable them to develop 21st century attitudes and skills – such as empathy and tolerance, critical thinking, intercultural awareness and foreign language competences as well as digital literacy.
Through this site, we want to keep practitioners, researchers, policy makers and management informed of conferences, training opportunities, documents and policy developments relevant to our field of virtual exchange.
Our Goals
Our two main objectives are:
Promote the development and integration of research and practice
To promote the development and integration of research and practice in telecollaboration and virtual exchange. We aim to enable integration across all disciplines in higher education, in formal and non-formal contexts.
To engage in awareness raising of telecollaboration and virtual exchange
To actively engage in awareness raising of telecollaboration and virtual exchange at institutional and policy making level.
The mission of UNICollaboration is to promote the development and integration of virtual exchange across all disciplines and interest areas. The aim is to enable this both in formal and non-formal educational contexts through advocacy and outreach, opportunities for professional development and personal growth, research, and dissemination.
UNICollaboration pursues this mission by:
- (co-)organising conferences on virtual exchange in formal and non-formal educational contexts;
- a leveraging social media to promote virtual exchange and the Organisation’s activities;
- providing training and support for doctoral and post-doctoral research in virtual exchange;
- publishing a journal on virtual exchange research and practice;
- offering training and professional development in virtual exchange practice and research;
- maintaining and promoting the Organisation’s online platform as a central hub for virtual exchange practice and research.
Professional Development in Virtual Exchange (VE)
UNICollaboration offers customised professional training in Virtual Exchange and Internationalisation at Home for institutions, organisations and individuals.
Special Interest Groups (SIG)
Our SIGs organise events and community-building activities related to specific topics in VE/COIL .
Membership benefits
Constant Updates on Professional Development Opportunities and Research
Members will automatically be added to our mailing list to receive updates on trends, tools and best practices in VE. This includes research papers, case studies and more.
Access to Resources and Journal of VE
The Journal of Virtual Exchange regularly publishes the latest research in the field. Please get in touch with us about your latest research so we can help promote it on our website.
Discounts, Incentives and Initiatives
We provide discounts for certain events, such as registering for IVEC. Institutional staff members can participate in all our initiatives for free.
Global Networking and Community Engagement
The fora, discussion groups and networking events organised will foster a sense of community among members. Furthermore, the website will be a platform for sharing experiences, challenges, and success stories related to virtual exchange.
Become a member
Join our organisation as an individual or institutional member to help us promote telecollaboration and virtual exchange practice and research. Help us promote further constructive policy development in this area.