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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Müge SatarORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Virtual Exchange (VE) refers to structured online collaborative learning between geographically and/or culturally diverse groups of students, aimed at fostering intercultural dialogue through digitally-mediated project work. VE is a research-informed practice and serves as a valuable tool in advancing Internationalisation at Home (IaH) in Higher Education (HE), integrating intercultural dimensions into curricula, and expanding opportunities for global learning beyond physical mobility. Despite its potential, VE is not inherently inclusive or equitable, as it is influenced by Western hegemonies and inequalities in access to technology, socio-economic and socio-political factors, and often also institutional constraints. Critical Virtual Exchange (CVE) has emerged in response to these concerns, focusing on addressing epistemic injustices, promoting inclusive participation, and aligning educational practices with global challenges, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CVE emphasises equitable access to technology, prioritises the needs of underrepresented students, and encourages the systematic integration of local contexts into global learning projects. CVE also advocates for translanguaging, promoting multilingualism and multimodal communication as essential components of intercultural exchange. As VE grows in prominence as a pedagogical approach, its integration into HE curricula necessitates careful examination in terms of its impact on social justice, inclusion, and equity. This contribution draws on Hauck’s CVE framework (2023, in press) and presents and interrogates the tenets of CVE. We use VE project examples from the Global South that “gesture” towards” CVE to illustrate challenges and opportunities associated with more equitable exchange projects. Our work highlights the importance of focusing on VE project design that prioritises social justice, addresses power imbalances, and fosters meaningful intercultural dialogue that can contribute to the decolonisation of HE framed as critical IaH.
Author(s): Hauck M, Biondo Salomão AC, Satar M, Primo G
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: AILA Review
Year: 2025
Volume: 38
Issue: 2
Pages: 262–293
Print publication date: 01/12/2025
Online publication date: 11/12/2025
Acceptance date: 25/01/2025
Date deposited: 16/02/2025
ISSN (print): 1461-0213
ISSN (electronic): 1570-5595
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Co.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1075/aila.24044.hau
DOI: 10.1075/aila.24044.hau
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