Abstract
Introduction: This study evaluated a Virtual Exchange (VE) project based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) to connect students and faculty across five universities from the USA, Brazil, Honduras, and Algeria.
Methods: A four-week program combined synchronous and asynchronous activities, allowing for flexible, self-selected participation. This paper presents a description of this VE project as well as its outcomes.
Results: The project successfully fostered global awareness and collaborative dialogue, filling a gap in participants’ regular studies. Participants valued the global connections through the program.
Discussion: The VE project demonstrated the potential of self-determined participation in promoting global connections and collaborative learning. The SDGs created a productive space for authentic dialogue framed within a sense of community.
Limitations: This project is limited to the scope of exploring selected relevant SDGs and does not include data from the participants´ interactions for analysis and discussion.
Conclusions: The VE proved valuable for international educational exchange, particularly benefiting students with limited access to traditional international programs. Future research should include quantitative analysis and explore adding practical action components linked to SDG implementation to enhance impact.