Global Solutions Programs and their Impact on Cross-Cultural and Job Marketable Skills for Students Over Five Years Of Programming

• In Event: Youth Essential Workforce Skills and Engagement in Climate Action Locally and Globally through Virtual Exchange Programs

Proposal

Is virtual exchange an effective tool for increasing global competencies that effectively prepare youth for the continuously globalized job market? Can virtual exchange promote inclusion and equity by increasing access to enriching cultural experiences for youth who are traditionally excluded from studying abroad?

Through studies by IREX of the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge and Global Solutions Conversations programs, it was found that virtual change is an effective tool that allows faculty members to globalize their curriculum and provide their students with meaningful and authentic experiences alongside traditional studies in a low-cost manner. Seeing gains over five years is an indication that the design of the Global Solutions program is impacting youth. The programs allow students from community colleges and higher education institutions that are traditionally underserved in international education and excluded from in-person study abroad programs the opportunity to develop cross-cultural skills alongside job marketable skills, while also providing a platform for students to ideate over climate action in their communities.

The program has engaged 4,495 students and 252 faculty members between the US, Jordan, and Iraq since 2017 and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute. During the Conversations program, facilitators from the U.S., Jordan, and Iraq form binational teams and collaborate virtually to find sustainable solutions in their home communities, focusing on climate action and the 17 United Nations SDGS.
During the Sustainability Challenge, binational teams collaborate virtually to develop a sustainable business concept through the design thinking process while focusing specifically on climate action and waste reduction based on the UN SDGs chosen for students each cohort.
In Iraq, Global Solutions alumni engaged a small group of other college students were inspired to continue making a difference in their local community after the program. They further developed their business concept and were selected to join Orange Corners, a start-up six-month incubator program that supports entrepreneurs in Kurdistan with launching small businesses. The virtual exchange experience offered a window into design thinking, cross-cultural collaboration, entrepreneurship, and became a steppingstone of professional growth for these young changemakers.

To understand the impact of Global Solutions, IREX gathered information from each cohort through diverse measurement and evaluation methods. We learned that virtual exchange is not a replacement for study abroad, but rather a unique tool that can be used to supplement curricula, bridge youth employment gaps, and provide valuable experiences that support global competencies and workforce readiness. Participants consistently responded that they ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ on questions about their skills in critical thinking, creative problem-solving, empathy, and adaptability. 88% expressed the program was beneficial for their future career, and 68% applied the Youth Essential Skills (YES) badges to their LinkedIn resumes or CVs to highlight skills gained. Global Solutions programs not only improve global citizenship awareness for youth while also developing workforce readiness skills, but also increase students’ awareness that personal responsibility and humanity transcend borders.

Author

• Nia Kapitanova, International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX)