Virtual exchange: A viable reality in academia

Virtual Exchange (VE) has recently become a trend in higher education due to its practicality, efficiency and flexibility. Such an activity can connect students across countries to learn together and collaborate in an interactive, engaging and immersive virtual environment. It has also bridged the geographical divide among educators and researchers to exchange ideas and best practices. The purpose of this presentation is to identify the benefits of VE, address its challenges and suggest certain VE activities. In addition, the presenters will share their testimonies after participating in a virtual exchange program in a course on technology, ethics, and global society. This program, which was originally affiliated with an AMICAL initiative, allowed students from Lebanon and Morocco to collaborate across borders as they discussed normative ethics and problem-solving strategies through Socratic Dialogue. Discussing this success story would disseminate this experience to other AMICAL institutions, epsecially focusing on lessons learned and encouraging others to apply similar practices. Last, the audience will be invited to convey their interests in VE programs and to embark on a transformative educational journey.