IVEC‘s Henry Shepherd has been telling UNICollaboration all about this year’s event and why he’s so excited to be involved.
“We’re thrilled to be hosted this year by the Modern University for Business and Science, which is based in Lebanon’, he says. “Our dear board member, Nael Alami, is a senior leader at that institution and has stepped forward with his colleagues to host an excellent online conference this year.”
Work on the conference began months ago and has resulted in about 60 sessions that will cover a huge range of subjects within virtual exchange.
What’s on the agenda
“Everything from the tried and true questions about how we practice virtual exchange and COIL, and how we help to build professional capacity. Together with how we help organisations develop their strategies for online internationalisation, and internationalisation at home – all the way to the things that are front of mind for many of us. For example, how are we dealing with a world awash in artificial intelligence?”
Henry says there are a growing number of session descriptions that touch on AI or engage with AI, and he is heartened by the degree to which there’s a variety of approaches to the subject.
“Some take a more sociological approach and don’t seem to be headed in any particular direction, either embracing AI in virtual exchange or resisting it. Others talk about how we’re going to have to learn how to bring value to our institutions and to young people and students in an age that seems to be increasingly defined by AI. So, it is a prominent topic, and probably a bit more than recent conferences.”
Henry says there will be other subjects to spotlight especially in view of what virtual exchange is doing in the area of intercultural communication and global competence. It will also highlight how VE is helping develop future educators and how conferences like these are helping develop future VE/COIL practitioners.
Advantages of an online event
“I think what we do by making this a fully online event is we are taking on a lot of challenges that come with trying to accommodate people in their lives where they’re located all over the world. People will be conducting sessions in the time zones ranging from Tokyo to Seattle and all the places in between.
We’re saying that we want to try to make it work, and that means there are going to be some early morning times, some late evening times for some. I think overall we’ve done the best we can to strike a balance that’s going to work for as many people as possible, and we’re practicing our values here. And I embrace all the challenges that come with that.”
Another important element at IVEC will be recognising three relatively new members of the community who have a particular focus on intercultural competence and developing language learning skills as Sarah Guth scholars, in memory of our dear colleague Sarah Guth, a pillar of the UNICollaboration community, and also from the IVEC community. Sarah was someone who became part of the lives of many in the field and was a dear colleague of ours who passed away shortly after last year’s IVEC conference.
“I know that UNICollaboration has recognised Sarah as part of your ongoing work as well, and we’re trying to do the same, so we have named a few of our scholarship recipients, or scholarships in her memory.”