Study abroad goes virtual, bringing the outside world closer to students

卡拉·埃斯特拉达·佩雷斯, a junior majoring in Hispanic linguistics and global studies with a minor in Portuguese, 今年夏天打算出国留学吗. 然后，她想，也许秋天就会发生.

When neither worked out due to travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic she found she still had an opportunity to experience global learning from the safety of her apartment in Chapel Hill.

今年秋天，艺术学院的一群学生 & 科学正在经历出国留学几乎与 厄瓜多尔的基多旧金山大学该公司于2006年开始与卡罗莱纳州合作. More than a dozen students are enrolled in the online classes with USFQ and three of them are participating in virtual re电子试玩 projects with the school.

他们正在上厄瓜多尔基丘亚语的课, a language not offered at Carolina; learning about climate change, ecology and conservation; and developing artistic skills in drawing and watercolor, 佩雷斯这学期选了哪门课. Her instructor provided a materials list and a collection of in-depth videos starting with basic watercolor techniques, 喜欢平洗和吹稻草. Perez has found the art class to be exactly what she needed – flexible and unexpectedly therapeutic.

A screenshot of 卡拉·埃斯特拉达·佩雷斯’s course through the 厄瓜多尔的基多旧金山大学.

“画几个小时肯定会让人放松. 这是一种完全不同的体验. 这个班级来自美国各地, 在世界各地, 不同年龄，不同年级的学生,”她说。. “It’s also an opportunity to connect with staff and students at USFQ before hopefully studying there in person in the future.”

Heather Ward, Carolina’s associate dean for study abroad and international exchanges, said that while the pandemic has so many activities feeling painfully limited, the affordability and prevalence of online technology combined with the strength of Carolina’s longtime partnerships with global universities can actually bring the outside world closer than ever before.

“We saw quickly that we needed to be creative and look for other ways to deliver a global education to our students,沃德说。. “A lot of the benefit you get from traditional study abroad is to learn from international faculty, scholars and students who you might not encounter on campus at Carolina. 通过我们强大的全球伙伴关系, we can still deliver that benefit through remote courses with faculty and students at those institutions.”

沃德说，通过虚拟留学的选择, 任何人都可以接受全球教育. 和, the University’s goal of providing a transformative global education to all undergraduate students – with more than half participating in study abroad – could be more possible than ever. 因家庭原因不能出国留学的学生, job or campus commitments could find an entire semester of study abroad curriculum an option, 如果他们能在虚拟世界中做到这一点. It also may allow students from global partner institutions into Carolina classrooms at a time when in-person exchange programs are suspended.

Students engaged in virtual study abroad this semester are supported by scholarships from the Office of the Vice Provost of 全球 Affairs to encourage participation in virtual cross-enrollment activities with UNC-Chapel Hill exchange partners, 他们的课程将被计入体验教育学分.

“The world shut down, but technology can give us all a portal into a different place. 在未来, this could mean we can all virtually visit places we’d never be able to travel to, 所以我们学生的地理知识实际上可以扩展, 在某种程度上,沃德说。.

除了USFQ项目, 10 students are taking Vietnamese language courses through SOAS University of London this fall, 由卡罗莱纳亚洲中心组成的伙伴关系. 卡罗来纳大学的学生 与新加坡国立大学合办学位课程 are taking classes virtually and can count this as one of their required semesters spent at NUS.

“Part of the magic of study abroad has always been matching the right academic opportunity with students’ interests,沃德说. “现在, we may be closer to doing this in larger ways for the students who wouldn’t be able to study abroad, 或者对于那些有特殊课程需求的学生. 即使是那些要出国留学的学生, this could enhance that experience with exposure to a country’s language, 人, 和高等教育系统在他们旅行之前, 以及在他们回来后保持这种联系的方法.”

尽管全球旅行的未来仍不确定, the Study Abroad Office is moving ahead with plans for spring 2021. 申请截止日期是9月11日. 虽然有些项目在10月10日之前接受申请. 1. Ward said Carolina will continue to follow 电子试玩大学系统 guidance and travel restrictions as they advise interested students. The office is also working now to offer entire semester study abroad programs virtually in the spring.