This Spring, twenty-six UF undergraduate students from across the university participated in the Global Solutions Conversations program. This virtual exchange project connected students from UF with students at the University of Halabja in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

During the six-week collaboration, students worked together to develop solutions to global issues based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Upon completion, students earned badges for Empathy and Cross Cultural Communication to be added to their resumes and LinkedIn profiles.Virtual exchange programs like this one offer students the opportunity to collaborate with people from around the world, gaining international experience without leaving Gainesville!

Global Solutions Conversations is implemented by IREX, and it 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.

For more information, contact Taylor Simpson, Coordinator, International Scholars Program & Peace Corps Prep Program at tsimpson@ufic.ufl.edu.