The virtual exchange projects will be implemented during the years 2023-2024. Traditional concept of on-site education is chancing. Alongside traditional teaching, distance education is increasingly becoming available. Virtual exchange is a tool with which students' interest in distance education can be increased and the element of interaction can be added. The virtual exchanges are organized as interactive workshops on the challenges of climate change and sustainable development. The projects are aimed to bring a total of 5,000 university students to the virtual exchange within three years.
The projects support the continuation of studies in the subject area through existing MOOCs. The CLUVEX project is based on the Climate University MOOCs (climateuniversity.fi/), while UnaVEx is based on the sustainable development MOOC of the UnaEuropa network (www.una-europa.eu/).
The University of Helsinki, together with project partners, for the CLUVEX, coming from Europe, Europe’s Neighbourhood East, from Ukraine and Armenia, and for the UnaVEx from Europe and Africa, from South Africa, Kenya and Democratic Republic of the Congo, are developing, concepting and researching the virtual exchange concept as part of distance learning.