DePaul University continues to solidify its reputation as a global leader in international education. This past October, with support from the Office of Curriculum Internationalization, six of our distinguished faculty members traveled to the 2025 International Virtual Exchange Conference (IVEC) in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, to showcase the transformative power of their Global Learning Experience (GLE) projects. DePaul faculty shared how they use technology to bridge geographical divides, allowing students to collaborate on high-impact projects without leaving their classrooms.
Meet the Faculty Innovators:
From film to environmental science, these educators are redefining what it means to be a "global classroom:"
- Interdisciplinary Innovation: Thiru Ramaraj (School of Computing) presented on "Bridging Computer Science & Biology Disciplines Across Borders," demonstrating how virtual exchange can break down silos between scientific fields.
- Global Storytelling: Anuradha Rana (School of Cinematic Arts) shared insights from documentary filmmaking in "Documentary Across Borders," while colleague Rob Steel explored "Synchronous and Asynchronous Storytelling" through a unique film collaboration between the U.S. and Brazil. Steel also tackled "Expanding Representation" by using virtual exchange to challenge media stereotypes.
- STEM Solutions: Margaret Workman (Environmental Science) detailed "Bridging Continents Through Wind Energy," a project that engaged students in an international engineering design competition.
- Curriculum & Impact: Sharon Guan (Modern Languages) discussed the essential "Why, How, and Must" of co-creating international language learning curricula with students, while GianMario Besana (School of Computing) presented a control group study measuring the impact of VE-COIL on the student learning experience through the use of generative AI tools.
Why It Matters
Since its launch in 2013, DePaul’s award-winning GLE program has reached thousands of students, fostering the intercultural communication and digital literacy skills essential for the 21st-century workforce, and DePaul faculty are at the forefront of the design and implementation of GLE projects. Hosted by the Hellenic Mediterranean University in 2025, IVEC is the largest and most prominent event on Virtual Exchange, providing a forum for instructors, administrators, instructional designers, and educational leaders from institutions around the world interested in technology, international education, and new pedagogies. Stay tuned for this year's IVEC in October 2026.
Inspired to bring the world to your classroom?
Explore how you can lead your own GLE project and join DePaul's growing community of global educators at
go.depaul.edu/gle