This article explores the use of virtual exchange (VE) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses to develop more humanity-driven pre-professional undergraduate students. It emphasizes the importance of incorporating arts and humanities-based aspects into STEM education to enhance students’ interpersonal skills and global perspectives.

This opinion piece explores the potential of virtual exchanges (VE) to foster equity and inclusion in virtual classrooms. It emphasizes the need to challenge power asymmetries, including imperialism and linguistic domination, within initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Drawing on experiences from co-taught courses between universities in Argentina and the United States, the authors highlight two key aspects of VE for promoting equity and inclusion: centering voices from the Global South in course materials and encouraging transnational collaborations through project-based assignments and co-teaching teams

TOCA Online, a virtual language learning and cultural exchange program, aims to bridge the racial gap in language access for U.S. high school students of color. Partnered with NaTakallam, TOCA connects students with refugee conversation partners to study Arabic, Spanish, or French, fostering global competency skills and cultural awareness. The program supplements school-based language learning, enhancing classroom participation and knowledge of global landscapes.

This article explores the potential of virtual exchange (VE) in undergraduate teacher education to develop global competencies and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It presents the IGlobal model, an extracurricular club focusing on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, where preservice teachers collaborate virtually with international students to lead cross-cultural STEAM activities for middle school students.

While many undergraduate students—like teacher candidates—would like to study abroad, the costs associated with study abroad programs can be a significant barrier. This can be especially true for first-generation university students who may not even consider studying abroad because of the high costs. International virtual exchange programs—like Globally Networked Learning (GNL)—provide affordable and equitable access to international experiences. In this article we described a GNL experience between students in Germany and the United States.

This opinion piece challenges the perception of international virtual exchange (IVE) as a secondary option to traditional study abroad for marginalized students. It argues that IVE and study abroad should be seen as distinct approaches, each with unique strengths and weaknesses in terms of equity and inclusion.

This article investigates the significance of virtual exchanges for students in the Global South by analyzing a 3-year partnership between universities in the United States and Liberia. The study explores the benefits and distinct experiences of students from both regions, emphasizing the need for culturally responsive and equitable virtual exchange programs.

This article presents a 6-week virtual exchange project that connected undergraduate students from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the United States and Taylor’s University in Malaysia. The project aimed to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion while enhancing students’ cultural awareness and intercultural understanding. Emphasizing access, inclusion, diversity, and equity (AIDE), the project was designed with mutual benefit, using Flipgrid as the online video recording tool and open-ended discussion topics.

While many undergraduate students—like teacher candidates—would like to study abroad, the costs associated with study abroad programs can be a significant barrier. This can be especially true for first-generation university students who may not even consider studying abroad because of the high costs. International virtual exchange programs—like Globally Networked Learning (GNL)—provide affordable and equitable access to international experiences. In this article we described a GNL experience between students in Germany and the United States.

Virtual exchange holds promise in providing international education access to marginalized student populations, including community college students. However, equitable access faces challenges related to technology, linguistic power dynamics, time zones, and faculty/administrator resistance. A study examined access patterns at two U.S. Southeast community colleges, revealing racial/ethnic and disciplinary disparities.

This article examines practices for engaging diverse participants in a virtual exchange (VE) program. Facilitators underwent comprehensive cross-cultural training to lead VE sessions between Moroccan, Iraqi, and American students. The VE focused on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and bi-national teams addressed local issues related to responsible consumption, climate action, and more.

This article delves into best practices for effectively engaging diverse participants in virtual exchange programming. While global learning experiences are essential for student development, in-person exchanges often face barriers limiting access for underrepresented minority students. Drawing from Soliya’s extensive 20-year experience in impactful program design, this article highlights strategies to expand access and foster inclusion for youth in underserved communities.

Adult learners bring years of experience—professional and personal—that influence how they learn and engage with others. Virtual exchanges hold potential for adult learners to challenge and reexamine their ways of knowing, and promote and expand the inclusion of diverse and underrepresented learners.

The Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation (GCDI) exemplifies a shift toward inclusionary, co-created pedagogy in virtual exchange contexts by embedding students as facilitators and co-designers in the educational process. This approach challenges extractive models of knowledge transfer and aligns with design justice principles to foster equitable, cross-cultural collaboration (Constanza-Chock, 2020; Baran & Correia, 2009).

This opinion piece discusses the benefits and barriers of virtual exchange programs (VEPs) in Libya. The Business & Culture (B&C) VEP, facilitated by the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, has provided improved educational access and cross-cultural competencies for students in Libya. However, barriers such as limited access to technology and challenges in cross-cultural collaboration exist. The program has addressed these barriers by providing meeting spaces and partnering with co-working spaces in different regions of Libya. The article emphasizes the need to continue expanding VEPs to ensure accessibility for students from diverse backgrounds in Libya and beyond

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.