This year’s Focus India seminars are already over. Although the pandemic is nothing new anymore, we had to overcome several challenges and difficulties in creative ways. How do we build an exciting seminar program and keep the delegation’s attention? How can we have a journey to India without being on site? How do we visit and exchange with our partners in India? We had to answer all these questions and many more to arrange successful seminars by adapting to the current situations and measures during Covid-19.
Swissnex about international exchange on higher education
In February 2021, Swissnex and Movetia published the paper “Rethinking International Exchange with Digital”, providing valuable information, insights and best practice examples about digital international exchange. The Swissnex Network is a Swiss global network connecting in education, research and innovation. While Movetia is the Swiss National Agency for exchange and mobility. The key message of the published paper is to use agile and innovative methods to overcome the challenges of the pandemic. Implementing the exchange digitally, maintaining high motivation and including effective storytelling are required to embrace the value of international online exchange. The most common obstacles of a virtual exchange are the lack of motivation of students and schools as well as the overload of systems with their technical difficulties. The path to digital transformation is demonstrated by four key factors: accessibility, effectiveness, resilience and sustainability. While intercultural interactions through digital exchange help withstand future disruptions, less travel reduces the carbon footprint. Moreover, according to the swissnex paper, the interactions are as deep and inclusive as physical exchange.
Virtual journey of Focus India 2021
Overall, Focus India 2021 is looking back at a successful example of international online exchange. Forced by the pandemic, the team adapted to the current situation and demonstrated an enriching virtual exchange with our partners in India and Switzerland. One of our activities was an international online exchange with the Athena School of Management, University in Mumbai, through which we had the chance to travel virtually to India. While we were showing Zurich, Basel and Bern to our Indian counterparts, we were allowed to travel to Mumbai, Chandanagar and Kolkata. In addition, the students supported our delegation by solving the case studies of our partner companies. They provided them with valuable input, which added another dimension to the case studies.
Virtual exchange with the Athena School of Management Students
Dancing Lesson
#learningtomorrow
Our goal was to organize the seminars in a way that we could offer our delegation a varied program in which the planning and technical requirements were crucial. We also focused on actively involving the delegation to keep their attention high and on bringing the culture of India to Switzerland. Through language courses, dancing lessons, education about Sikhism and virtual temple visits, we had unforgettable experiences and insights into the rich cultural diversity of India.
Digitally, Flexibly & Sustainably
The Focus India 2021 seminars required a strong degree of flexibility. We had to react to the ongoing changes of the Corona measures and foster agility as a core competence. Furthermore, we used digital technologies and promoted our digital skills to overcome the challenges in a sustainable way of learning.
Nevertheless, a virtual travel is no substitute for an on-site trip. We look forward to traveling to India again with the experiences and knowledge we have gained through the pandemic. Challenges are about learning and implementing new things, leaving the comfort zone and growing through unpredictable situations that lead to new opportunities. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people involved who supported us to successfully implement this year’s Focus India seminars.
More information about the full paper from Swissnex and Movetia you can find here:
https://swissnex.org/india/news/rethinking-international-exchange-with-digital/
– Written by Caroline Binder