If you are new to Venice International University…
VIU is a consortium of 20 universities from around the world with a common campus on an island in Venice, Italy.
Today's globalized world needs flexible minds, able to move across disciplines, capable of tackling challenges with innovative humanistic approaches while recognizing the importance of environmental and economic sustainability and natural and cultural heritage and understanding, while communicating and working with people from other cultures.
VIU programs bring together talented, motivated students from the member universities in a truly multicultural, international, and interdisciplinary environment. Students enjoy a powerful learning experience in which they develop their capacity for critical thinking, working across disciplines, creatively embracing new ideas.
Global Virtual Exchange is an innovative and enriching initiative by VIU: an online peer-to-peer, facilitated education program promoting intercultural communication through discussion on topical themes relevant to our lives in the present day.
This opportunity is open to all students from any area of study in our member universities. As a participant of the Global Virtual Exchange, you will be part of a diverse group of students from all around the world, sharing multifaceted backgrounds and experiences in a truly cross-cultural and interdisciplinary learning experience.
Topics:
- Communication and media:
The challenges of interpersonal communication and how social media shapes the way we represent ourselves.
- Culture(s) and identities:
Stereotypes and cultural identity: how much do we allow these elements to shape the image and expectation we have of other cultures?
- Discrimination (e.g. gender, race, religion):
Explore how gender and identity have evolved over the last few decades and how this has impacted existing divisions in our society. What do you understand about 'cancel culture' and should everything be up for discussion?
- Topic of choice chosen by the group:
Each group will agree on a topic from a suggested list for the last session.
A facilitator take part to the discussion to support the live sessions. The facilitator has a neutral role: s/he helps with the progress of the discussion and creates a safe space where participants are free to express their thoughts and feelings.
How does it work?
Over the course of four weeks, students will engage in discussion on topics that are relevant to their lives in the present day.
Supporting materials – readings, videos, exercise – will be posted weekly on the VIU Moodle eLearning platform. The materials have been selected to support the participants’ reflections on the topics.
Structure
- Resources (documents, articles, videos) available on the VIU e-learning platform
- Asynchronous discussion forum
- Real-time facilitated sessions to discuss a variety of themes among peers
_Week 1 | January 23-27: Communication and media
_Week 2 | January 30 - February 3: Culture(s) and identities
_Week 3 | February 6-10: Discrimination (e.g. gender, race, religion)
_Week 4 | February 13-17: Topic of choice of the group
Participants will choose one of the following timeslots and meet their group at the same time each week:
Tuesday 3.00 - 4.30 pm (CET)
Wednesday 10.00 -11.30 am (CET)
Thursdays 3.00 - 4.30 pm (CET)
Fridays 10.00 - 11.30 am (CET)
The deadline for application is now extended to January 15, 2023 at 12 pm (CET).
For further information please write to: student-services@univiu.org
