17
Jun
2020
Autumn iteration of ‘Cultural Encounters’ now accepting partners
Join a network of innovative educators and youth workers pioneering Virtual Exchange in institutions and organisations. The flagship interactive online course ‘Cultural Encounters’ offers participants an international 9-week learning experience where they engage with challenging topics. This ready-made Virtual Exchange, therefore, offers a great opportunity to enhance internationalisation policies or to enrich your organisation’s online mobility offer.
‘Cultural Encounters: The Big Climate Movement’
This autumn (October 12-December 11), participants will address one of the biggest questions of our time: the impact of climate change on politics, the planet and on migration movements of people. Stimulated by an original multimedia lecture series, participants will explore key debates around sustainability, migration, policy and youth mobilisation.
Intercultural exchange
As the focus of our methodology lies in people-to people-interaction, participants connect with their peers in weekly online group sessions. These small intercultural group meetings are where the actual exchange and dialogue takes place, with the guidance of certified facilitators. The learning that takes place is experiential and the facilitators are trained to foster group ownership.
"I’ve learned things by doing it, without books or slides but just with talking to others and with trying to find new solutions together. Personally I believe it’s the best way for learning things, I had to watch some videos before the lessons about other people stories the way I could attend the course with a solid background, I think this really help you to create your own opinion". (Alumni, Male, 21, Italian)
Skill building through dialogue
In addition to conversations about the provided materials, the online sessions involve skill-building activities aimed at: enhancing critical thinking, intercultural awareness, teamwork or digital literacy. In order to allow participants to bring their online experience to their offline realities, a community dialogue assignment is included in this course. In-session activities and assignments are designed to inspire and activate participants.
The group I facilitate is made of a group of highly committed, highly motivated change-makers that already were willing to change things: they only needed an occasion to meet up with like-minded individuals in order to start making great things together, and this course gave them the chance to do so. Their collaboration will likely go beyond this course. Valentina, Facilitator
More on the specific weekly topics, learning outcomes and assessment method can be found in the Course Outline.
How to integrate into existing programming?
Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange offers support and consultation to partnering organisations that would like eligible students, volunteers or affiliates to take part in this interactive online course. Different approaches are interesting for different organisational needs and youth. ‘Cultural Encounters’ can be offered as a ready-made Virtual Exchange by simply inviting eligible youth to apply online.
As a partner organisation, you can rest assured that your students or youth members will have a meaningful intercultural experience and their progress and final results can be shared with you. Another option is to integrate this Virtual Exchange into existing curriculum and as a way of blended learning. This offers coordinators more oversight of how participants are progressing and keeping their taught elements. Workload for this interactive online course is estimated to be similar to 6 ECTS.
Don’t hesitate to contact us as our team is ready to help you find out what approach suits you and your institution the best.
