Future Potentials for International Virtual Exchange in Higher Education Post COVID-19: A Scoping Review

Abstract

(1) Background: International virtual exchanges (IVEs) are here to stay. The coronavirus pandemic of 2019 (COVID-19) necessitated global virtual interactions to solve wicked problems. Within industry during the pandemic, the use of online technologies expanded at a never-before-seen rate to form global partnerships At the same time, higher-education institutions lessened traditional international offerings, reimagining “campus” education using “just in time online education”. Still others leveraged international partnerships to fully embrace IVEs. Adopting virtual learning technologies to support global exchange in this way develops the knowledge and skills required in a post-pandemic world. To continue to shape knowledge that supports international collaboration toward addressing increasingly complex societal issues, higher education must learn to leverage IVEs, addressing issues of access, equity, and cost. (2) Methods: This research was conducted according to the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews” (PRISMA-Scr) guidelines. It systematically analyzed the literature published since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring methods, models, and the outcomes of IVE in higher education. (3) Results: The findings demonstrate the potential for IVE to be scaled across higher education to promote the knowledge and skills required by a global ecology.

Keywords

• virtual exchange
• scoping review
• online learning
• higher education
• internationalization
• intercultural education