About EVOLVE

Objectives and activities

EVOLVE (Evidence-Validated Online Learning through Virtual Exchange) aims to mainstream Virtual Exchange (VE) as an innovative form of collaborative international learning across disciplines in Higher Education (HE) institutions in Europe and beyond.

VE is a form of computer-mediated learning whereby students from geographically remote classes work together online (in pairs or small groups) on learning tasks developed by teachers or educational facilitators (for a full description, see What is Virtual Exchange).

There is an increasing interest in implementing VE for innovating and internationalising HE programmes, but the feasibility and effectiveness of this form of collaborative online learning at institutional level have yet to be demonstrated to university leaders and policy makers in Europe. The EVOLVE project is set to achieve just that.

EVOLVE will promote the awareness and implementation of VE by:

• Implementing online collaborative training and accreditation for educators to support their continuous professional development;
• Conducting state-of-the art research to measure impact at student, educator and institution level to educators,  policy and decision makers in HE;
• Engaging with policy and decision makers at institutional, national and European level to demonstrate good practices of VE and present research results demonstrating its impact at student, educator and institution level.