| Abstrakt: |
International partnerships are critical to the success of international programs. This type of cooperative relationship can support faculty and students to mutually meet their own goals through support of common activities with shared outcomes. An international partnership between two universities illustrate opportunities for students, through high impact educational practices, for developing global awareness, citizenship, and intercultural competence. Data collected on short-term, faculty-led study abroad programs over several summers and a virtual international course project during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a high degree of positivity among all participants. Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory scores showed student readiness for study abroad. Additionally, learning about education, culture, and physical activity were themes that emerged from focus group interviews, written reflections and debriefings. In the virtual international course project, a student perspective emerged that was centered around learning through intercultural and comparative exchange and interaction with students abroad and was an important feature for the German students. Students were favorable to this virtual teaching and learning collaboration. The activities of a strong partnership can help two universities meet their strategic goals in inclusive excellence, which align with the development of global awareness, citizenship, and intercultural competence, particularly in their common field of teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
