International Exchanges Beyond COVID-19

​The first section introduces the volume.  Brad Farnsworth, lead author for the series, lays out the themes that are explored throughout the remaining chapters, including the impact of technology, the need for more rigorous evaluation, and the need to align the goals of exchange programs with the broader institutional mission of ACE institutions.

​The first chapter focuses on scholarly exchanges, with a focus on the Fulbright Program, the government-funded exchange program with the strongest name recognition and public support in the United States.  Ray Mitic notes that the program is at a critical inflection point after a successful 75-year history.  He proposes a number of changes in order to strengthen the program and specifically discusses the contribution of exchanges to the overall US-EU relationship.

​Chapter 2 moves to the area of professional exchanges, taking a close look at exchanges in the field of journalism.  Birgit Rieck describes the key elements of successful programs for mid-career professionals while raising some important questions about the benefits to sending and hosting organizations.  She concludes with case studies of how exchanges have led to ongoing collaboration among journalists worldwide.

​Chapter 4 begins the discussion of student exchanges.  Co-authors Amelia Dietrich and Melissa Torres cover a broad range of issues while focusing on technology as a means to improve the exchange experience--including interventions before, during, and after the travel stage.  They discuss evaluation and impact in detail, making some important recommendations for improving measurement and accountability.

​The final chapter continues the discussion on student exchanges, focusing on the exchanges at the graduate level and MBA programs specifically.  Lisa Miller describes the challenges of designing travel programs for students in professional schools, and especially the challenge of increasing interest in the European Union as a destination.  She concludes with several recommendations for designing programs that would increase student interest.