25-08-2020

Codifying Values and Enabling Scale

Our code of conduct for facilitators

In 2018, Sharing Perspectives Foundation started implementing activities under the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange initiative. Alongside our consortium partners, one of the first joint actions we took was to develop a code of conduct as we established a shared community of facilitators. Why? Because how we define Virtual Exchange relies on it being facilitated, we knew that a community of facilitators was key to the success and sustainability of Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange programming and that a community should be built on a strong foundation of ethics, commitments, and professional standards.

Now, with 363 active facilitators that have guided 16,210 participants through Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange activities in 2018-2019 (and now even more through 2020), this code has been a valuable and reliable staple in our partnerships and programming. As frontline implementers, facilitators are relied on to manifest the design, methodologies, values, and objectives of virtual programmes. Maintaining a well-trained and committed community of facilitators has been crucial to achieving the desired impact with the ability to continue to do Virtual Exchange at-scale.

So, what is the code of conduct, and why are we sharing it?

Our code of conduct lays out what we believe the path to success is, how to know if we’ve arrived, and the rules of the road along the way. It is an essential map that has had both process value, i.e. benefits that come from the act of developing it, and output value, where the code itself can be used in training, quality control, harmonization, and community building.

In short, we want to share it because we believe that a collaboratively developed facilitators code of conduct has value both as an internal guideline, for us and as a template for others, and an external statement of professional values and commitments as Virtual Exchange practitioners.

We invite you to view our code of conduct here >

This code of conduct represents our commitment to the professional standards and ethics that guide our involvement in the implementation of virtual exchanges. In recognition of the importance of our commitment to constructive exchange, and in accepting a personal obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, we use it to commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional conduct.

Finally, as Virtual Exchange networks continue to increase in number and scale, we think this is relevant for everyone doing Virtual Exchange programming. Whether you are designing an exchange for 20 participants or 2000, codifying and institutionalizing standards will enable integrity, alignment, and trust.

How could you use one in your organization? What would you include in your code of conduct?

Share on

Drie keer nieuw met ‘The Digital Us’

Drie keer nieuw: Met de lancering van ‘The Digital Us: Allies en Actie Tegen Online Racisme’, start Stichting Sharing Perspectives niet alleen een nieuw project, maar gaan we ook een nieuwe samenwerking aan en verleggen we onze focus naar de Nederlandse context.

FRAMES conference

After two years of working on the integration and accreditation of blended mobility and Virtual Exchange (VE) in Higher Education with the FRAMES consortium, it is time to present our outcomes at a closing conference. On 30 March 2023, FRAMES is organizing its final event on-site at the University of Siena in Italy. The theme of the event is “Framing Virtual Exchange and Blended Mobility in Higher Education”.

Stimulating virtual international collaboration in education, ‘the Dutch way’

Since last year, the Dutch Ministry of Science, Culture and Education is offering subsidy for Dutch higher education institutions to develop innovative virtual projects that foster collaboration amongst Dutch and international students. Any institution that has been granted this specific subsidy is also offered a range of activities to build capacity for designing effective and successful virtual projects. Let us tell you why this is such an exciting initiative.

Toolkit for Integrating Virtual Exchange in Higher Education

The FRAMES Toolkit provides key information, inspiration, tools and case examples of the approaches that HEIs can take to integrate and accredit Virtual Exchange. The Toolkit is a usefull one-stop-shop for educational professionals working in higher education.

5 Fundamental Tenets Of Virtual Exchange

Virtual Exchange (VE) is a great way to allow for genuine interaction, learning and relationship development between people in geographically distant locations. Through VE, spaces for effective collaboration are created and cultivated. Using sustained dialogue as a pedagogical tool during the virtual exchanges, helps to foster healthy group formation processes, even between physically remote people. In order to sustainably enhance these outcomes and impact, there are 5 fundamental tenets of Virtual Exchange that support this process.

Your different virtual personas

Being in front of someone ‘in real life’ obviously assists in clear communication, as it allows us to pick up on small social cues, to establish eye contact, and to have a clearer sense of prosody, tone, and body language. The truth is that we can still pick up on most or all of these in online dialogue, but this requires those involved to make an effort and use the digital tools at hand deliberately.

"Take care of yourselves and the planet"

Towards the end of the 9-week virtual exchange 'Climate Movements', participants reflect and express their gratitude towards the group for the experience and the learning that happened. Facilitators invite participants to bring a ‘(virtual) parting gift’ to their last online session as a way of saying goodbye and celebrating their achievements. Over the years our facilitators have seen this exercise lead to wonderful expressions from participants, like digital cards and even musical performances. This spring iteration, one virtual gift stood out in particular for its relevance to the subject matter of ‘Climate Movements’.