About IVEC
Virtual Exchange (also known as Collaborative Online International Learning – COIL, Globally Networked Learning, or Telecollaboration) extends authentic opportunities for intercultural and transnational learning to students within the curriculum of college and university classrooms. Through co-developed and co-taught modules, Virtual Exchange supports the development of 21st-century workforce skills and provides opportunities for applied learning experiences.
A bit of history
IVEC builds on the successful track records of two other well-established events. The State University of New York (SUNY) COIL Center hosted their COIL Conference from 2007 – 2018, attracting a growing number of participants from around the world. UniCollaboration, the European telecollaboration consortium, hosted a bi-annual conference since 2014, bringing together practitioners from across the continent.
As the field of Virtual Exchange grows, a small group of institutional representatives began talking about the possibility of a single, annual international conference that would become the premiere gathering for the field. The first such attempt was the Global Learning conference in 2017, hosted by DePaul University in Chicago, in partnership with the SUNY COIL Center. IVEC builds on the Chicago conference with an expanded group of organizing institutions and a new name and identity.
As we move forward, we aim to host the International Virtual Exchange Conference in a different world region each year. Are you interested in hosting IVEC in your institution? Read the information below and keep an eye on future news and deadlines!
Mission
Vision
The International Virtual Exchange Consortium (IVEC) is a global, inclusive community of virtual exchange practitioners, researchers, and professionals that provides a forum for dialogue and growth. The community aims to advance pedagogy and research in virtual exchange through networking, hosting an annual conference, sharing best practices and supporting professional development. IVEC is shaped by a range of stakeholders engaged in virtual exchange from thought leaders to emerging voices.
To drive and shape the field of virtual exchange with a deep commitment to equity and inclusion globally.
The officers and members of the IVEC board of directors share the pain and sadness of the virtual exchange community for the loss of our dear friend and colleague Sarah Guth.
Sarah was one of the IVEC founders, as a representative of Unicollaboration, and brought to our organization her expertise and enthusiasm as an accomplished scholar and practitioner of virtual exchange.
To many of us she was more than a respected colleague, she was a dear friend, with whom we shared a passion for pedagogies that provide intentional intercultural experiences and foster authentic dialogue. Her constant attention to equity and fairness in virtual exchange, always speaking up for the least privileged and resourced members of our global community, will stay in our hearts and will continue to inspire us.
The COIL-VE community lost a brave, smart, and warm pioneer. Through her important role at SUNY COIL, her leadership role in Unicollaboration, her work as ESL teacher in Padova, her scholarly and grant work, her seminal book written with Jon Rubin, Sarah made essential contributions to the development of our field and will be acutely missed.
Our deepest condolences to Sarah’s family. Our heart goes out to her beloved boys, Antonio and Tobia; may they find solace in knowing how much Sarah was loved and respected across the world.
The IVEC board invites all COIL-VE colleagues who knew, worked with, and learned from Sarah to follow her family’s wishes to honor her memory with donations to Emergency.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors has many decades of combined experience in the international education field and all have applied their knowledge and expertise to building and supporting robust virtual exchange programs at their own higher education institutions and those of their varied international partners.
- GianMario Besana
- Lavern Samuels
- Jami Leibowitz
- Nael Alami
- Brenda García Portillo
- Natalia Dyba
- Harshita Tripathi
- Ana Cristina Salomão
- Eithne Knappitsch