Babson Selected for Prestigious New AAC&U Exchange Program

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Babson College has been chosen to participate in the new American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Institute on Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning (VE-COIL).

Babson is among 19 higher education institutions selected for the prestigious program, which is sponsored by Norway to strengthen higher ed ties with the United States and Japan.

A team of four Babson educators—Kristen Getchell, associate professor of business communication; Eric Palson, director of academic technologies; Amir Reza, dean of Babson Academy and global education; and Lorien Romito, senior director of international education—will travel to Norway in late June for a two-day intensive training provided by AAC&U trainers.

Since March, the Babson team has been engaged through virtual webinars and meetings with AAC&U and the team from Norway’s Nord University. They’re developing plans for a graduate-level course to be offered for Babson and Nord students—who will collaborate and work on projects together—beginning in the Spring 2024 semester.

The VE-COIL program is designed to provide professional development opportunities for educators. The program, which offers affordable opportunities to increase global competencies, also increases opportunities for interdisciplinary innovation and global collaboration between faculty and staff on digital teaching, research, and service learning.

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