Building upon their longstanding strategic partnership, Ajman University and Temple University recently embarked on an innovative new phase of their collaboration. Ajman, a prestigious institution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), approached Temple in Spring 2024 with a collaborative proposition – implementing a virtual exchange program.
This opportunity came with funding from the Stevens Initiative, which is backed by the U.S. Department of State, Government of UAE, and Bezos Family Foundation. The grant is administered by the Aspen Institute. Since 2015, the Stevens Initiative has been breaking new ground in virtual learning and preparing students worldwide to prosper in an increasingly interconnected world.
Virtual exchange, or Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), has emerged as a powerful force in international education, dismantling traditional barriers of geography, finances and physical limitation.
Providing context, Martyn J. Miller, assistant vice president, Global Engagement, explained, “This digital bridge between cultures represents more than just a technological advancement — it’s a fundamental shift in how universities approach global education, making cross-cultural experiences accessible to students who might otherwise never have had the opportunity…”
The Stevens Initiative grant, aptly titled “Actualizing Youth Mobility to Lead and Innovate in the 21st Century,” serves as a catalyst for connecting young minds across continents. Its mission extends beyond simple academic exchange and empowers students from both the UAE and USA to tackle pressing challenges affecting their local and global communities.
“This program offers a unique opportunity to internationalize curriculum while providing students with valuable global competencies essential for today’s interconnected world.”
-Erika Clemons, assistant vice president, Global Engagement
Fall 2024 saw this vision come to life when over 100 Temple University students engaged with their counterparts at Ajman University. The program’s interdisciplinary approach was evident in its diverse participation, spanning four distinct disciplines led by distinguished faculty at both institutions.
At Temple, faculty included Cory Budischak, associate professor, College of Engineering; Bertrand Guillotin, associate professor, the Fox School of Business; Dominic Letarte, associate professor, College of Science and Technology; and Robert Yusef Rabiee, associate professor, College of Liberal Arts.
To grow this collaboration, Erika Clemons, assistant vice president, Global Engagement, elaborated, “We encouraged interested faculty members to consider incorporating a virtual exchange component into their future courses. This program offers a unique opportunity to internationalize curriculum while providing students with valuable global competencies essential for today’s interconnected world.”
Looking ahead to fall 2025, Ajman University is exploring building on this success to launch a second phase of COIL with Temple University. The continued virtual exchange program would further strengthen the bonds between these two institutions while offering a new cohort of students at both Ajman and Temple the chance to engage in meaningful international collaboration.
By Samantha Kelley, associate director, Global Programs
Photos provided by Samantha Kelley
Header Photo Caption: Dominic Letarte, associate professor, College of Science and Technology, with Temple Computer and Information Science student Abhudaya Shrivastava during the final COIL class with Ajman University.