This opinion piece explores the transformative impact of virtual exchange programs on the author’s journey of self-acceptance as a queer individual. They highlight the supportive and inclusive spaces created through virtual exchange, enabling them to freely express themselves, discuss diversity and inclusion topics, and connect with queer communities and allies. However, the author acknowledges the language barrier and limited accessibility to these programs, suggesting the need for language-inclusive frameworks and regional programs to reach a wider audience and foster lasting impact in marginalized communities.

The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racialized trauma in 2020-2021 have had profound impacts on U.S. Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) students, manifesting as racial battle fatigue. Critical Race Theory (CRT) provides a vital framework to understand how racism affects BIPOC students in higher education, particularly in the context of international education.

This article describes Georgia State University’s (GSU) effective strategies for expanding virtual exchange (VE), an initiative that provides global education for a large group of students and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

This article provides personal narratives from two global educators from Ukraine and the UnitedStates on facilitating equity and inclusion (EI) in business education.

The article discusses Critical Virtual Exchange (CVE) as a framework for inclusive and equitable student exchanges in higher education. CVE combines low-bandwidth technologies, focuses on underrepresented students, integrates Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and promotes translanguaging approaches.

The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racialized trauma in 2020-2021 have had profound impacts on U.S. Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) students, manifesting as racial battle fatigue. Critical Race Theory (CRT) provides a vital framework to understand how racism affects BIPOC students in higher education, particularly in the context of international education.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted critical reflection on health and safety practices in international education, highlighting inequities in healthcare access among study abroad students. At the University of Miami, this led to the development of a university-funded, comprehensive international health insurance policy aimed at enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by removing financial barriers to healthcare abroad.

This article will explore a focused case study regarding one university’s efforts to incorporate anti-racism and anti-extremism learning outcomes into its global education efforts.

Supporting students of color (SOC) in education abroad requires differentiating between mental resilience and mental health, while recognizing the unique cultural wealth they bring to cross-cultural environments. Strategies that validate SOC’s existing navigational skills and proactively address cultural barriers to mental health care are critical for fostering wellbeing abroad. As the experience of Sam illustrates, tailored support grounded in cultural strengths and early intervention can significantly impact the success of diverse students in international programs.

Higher education must prioritize holistic student wellbeing, recognizing that mental and physical health are deeply interconnected with learning and equity. Current education abroad practices, however, often overlook systemic harms such as racism, sexism, and ableism, focusing instead on crisis management and compliance. To foster student growth and minimize harm, institutions must realign resources toward proactive practices that support individual and community wellbeing.