Check out this great opportunity for university teachers interested in a hybrid exchange program between institutions in the US and institutions in Japan. Application is due Thursday, June 21st so don’t miss out!

TeamUp and Cultural Vistas are excited to announce an opportunity for U.S. institutions to enhance their partnerships with Japanese institutions through the TeamUp 2018 Hybrid Exchange Program.

The TeamUp 2018 Hybrid Exchange Program (https://culturalvistas.org/programs/specialty/teamup/) is an innovative opportunity to increase higher education exchange opportunities between the U.S. and Japan. The Hybrid Exchange Program integrates virtual and in-person exchange models for paired institutions to increase accessibility of student exchange.

One U.S. faculty member along with one Japanese faculty member of a partner institution will be trained in virtual exchange programming through an intensive visit to Osaka, Japan, July 11th-15th, 2018. The visit will consist of a day of local meetings, followed by a two-day, in-depth workshop led by Dr. Keiko Ikeda of Kansai University. Dr. Ikeda will train participants on technology, methodologies, best practices for developing a semester-long course, and synchronous vs. asynchronous exchange models. Partner institutions will leave the workshop with an action plan to implement their virtual exchange course. All accommodations and travel for U.S. and Japanese institutions will be provided.

In the Fall of 2018, if feasible (2019 is OK as well), partner institutions will implement their virtual exchanges, with a minimum of 6 virtual interactions. An in-person exchange opportunity of at least 5 participants in each direction will be expected within a year of the workshop. Kansai University will provide follow-up consultations as needed to assist with implementation of the co-taught curriculum.

The application is open until Thursday, June 21st and can be accessed through this link: https://fs2.formsite.com/AIPT10400/form143/index.html.

Eligibility

• • Demonstrated interest in enhancing current U.S.-Japan institutional partnerships.
  • Faculty of U.S. institution will apply as a pair on behalf of the partner Japanese institution.
  • Preferable academic fields include social sciences and humanities.
  • Applicants must be able to participate in all program activities, including pre-departure virtual programming and post-program debriefing(s).
  • Special consideration will be given to applicants from women’s colleges, community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and other types of institutions that have faced challenges in internationalization.

What’s Included

• • Roundtrip economy-class international airfare from the participant’s city of origin in the United States to Japan
  • All lodging and transportation in Japan for U.S. faculty member and Japanese faculty member
  • Health and accident insurance abroad
  • A moderate daily stipend to cover incidentals and some meals (most meals included) for U.S. faculty member and Japanese faculty member
  • Orientation and pre-departure activities to prepare participants for the trip to Japan
  • Post-workshop support in implementing the virtual exchange

Administered by Cultural Vistas, TeamUp is a campaign funded by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and facilitated by the United States-Japan Bridging Foundation (USJBF) to increase the number of U.S. and Japanese undergraduate and graduate students studying in each other’s country by expanding relevant, active, mutually beneficial and innovative agreements among U.S. and Japanese institutions of higher education.