Student Exchanges are an invaluable way not only to meet other students in other cultures around the world, but as a way of meeting oneself through such an encounter! They typically happen on an individual basis, or on an institutional level.
If you are interested as an individual student, you may find that you can participate in an already developed program involving at least a one way exchange, through Service Learning. CUAC works with the International Partnership for Service Learning and Leadership to promote exchange programmes and international education. Learning Exchanges between institutions, as they are fairly complex to arrange, but the idea of trying to do one almost always comes through students or faculty who are interested in trying to arrange one.
In order to see whether such an exchange would be feasible, the basic questions are: what would the students from one country or culture want to experience?
- what would the students from one or other culture want to learn?
- what kind of preparation might a visiting group need? (e.g. language)
- would your college or university support such a program? (e.g. for academic credit)
- would your church or diocese support such a program? (e.g. bursary support)
- You may not have answers to all these questions, but to get an idea going amongst other institutions and students, you will have to have some of these. CUAC can help you with some of the rest, or at least communicate the idea to the appropriate institution.
To make an inquiry or launch a proposal, write the General Secretary of CUAC with a short summary of your idea, and a few answers to the above questions. That will start the ball rolling.
