Erasmus+ virtual exchange : intercultural learning experiences : 2018 achievements

In today's world, technology is revolutionising our capacity to communicate with one another, and we are globally connected in unprecedented ways. At the same time, our diverse societies and communities continue to trigger polarisation and divisions, pointing to the need to invest in dialogue between the young people at the heart of our future. In this context, Virtual Exchange is a concrete demonstration of modern technologies' power to bridge divides and build intercultural understanding. By launching the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange project in 2018 as a means to expand and enrich its Erasmus+ programme, the European Union is piloting and testing the most effective approaches to Virtual Exchange to complement physical exchange actions. Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange offers an accessible, ground-breaking tool for young people to engage in intercultural learning, through online people-to- people interactions moderated by facilitators. These meaningful cross-cultural experiences have a profound impact on the way in which young people engage one another across lines of perceived or actual difference. In doing so, participants in the exchanges gain 21st century skills that allow them to succeed in a globalising world, and also improve cross-cultural understanding for more positive interactions with their peers from different countries.