MUBS Receives Stevens Initiative and Aspen Institute Grant to Lead Research on Virtual Exchange
By MUBS Communications Dept., 2000-2021.
A research team
from the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS) was awarded one-year
research funding from Stevens Initiative and Aspen Institute to study “Marginalization
and Underrepresentation in Virtual Exchange”, leading an alliance of scholars from University of Arizona,
Newcastle University,
Open
University, HBCU Africa Education
Consortium, and Class2Class to critically assess
Virtual Exchange as a vehicle for action, public engagement, and
socio-political change. Virtual Exchange (VE) is an
innovative approach that uses technology to connect students and scholars
across continents and cultures, allowing them access to educational resources,
hands-on collaborative training, international exposure, and unique learning opportunities
abroad, without having to leave their communities.
Despite the
documented advantages of VE, it is prone to suffer from Western hegemony and
limited access, as any other form of online education. The researchers, thus,
will seek to understand the challenges
and pitfalls in VE for educators
and administrators from marginalized and/or underrepresented regions, which
will enable the researchers to identify practices and formulate policies that can contribute to
mitigating the impact of these challenges on under-served populations. The
urgency of the project was amplified as educators around the world recognized
the importance of developing virtual learning environments that engage learners
and educators during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Stevens grant will support the work of an international team
that includes Dr. Mirjam Hauck (Open University,
UK), Dr. Liudmila Klimanova (University of Arizona, USA), Dr. Müge Satar
(Newcastle University, UK), Dr. Loye Ashton
(Class2Class, USA), Mr. Kwabena Boateng (African Diaspora Nation, South Africa).
The team is led by Dr. Nael Alami, supported by Dr. Joanne Karam, Mrs. Ramona
Nasr, and Mrs. Mariam Fadel.
The Stevens Initiative is committed to helping expand the virtual exchange
field through three pillars of work: investing in promising programs, sharing
knowledge and resources, and advocating for virtual exchange adoption. The
Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a
free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change
through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important
challenges facing the world.
For further information: research@mubs.edu.lb