Partner: Gustave Eiffel University, France

Course: SOC 2320 – Contemporary Social Issues, Summer 2023 

School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Giving students the opportunity to complete a VE/COIL with counterparts from the host country for a study abroad program is known as COIL Plus or VE on Wings. That’s what students enrolled in Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham’s French Sociological Perspectives program did before traveling to Paris. Since the first part of the course was offered online, students began their VE/COIL assignment before leaving Dallas.

Working in transnational teams with students from ESIEE, an engineering school that is a founding member of Gustave Eiffel University, they were tasked with developing social media campaigns aimed at informing immigrants from both France and the United States about social issues in their respective countries.

Campaign themes were varied and included everything from challenging stereotypes to exploring the meaning of the French motto, “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.” Upon their arrival in Paris, the UT Dallas students traveled to the ESIEE campus where they attended class together and voted on the best campaigns. The visit concluded with a reception that further fostered cross-cultural connections.  

Partner: University of Monterrey, Mexico

Course: SOC 1301 – Introduction to Sociology, Spring 2023 

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are often the topic of VE/COIL projects since they cut across borders. Students enrolled in Lanham’s Introduction to Sociology course were tasked with exploring SDG Number 5 on gender equality in collaboration with students from the University of Mexico. The SDG notes that “providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.”

As part of the assignment, UT Dallas students participated in a Gender 101 workshop offered by the Galerstein Gender Center. They then were tasked with considering how the definition of gender has expanded since the SDGs were first drafted in 2015. The result was public awareness campaigns, produced by both the American and Mexican students, that highlighted the many ways that gender equality would benefit the world as a whole.

Partners:

University of Brescia

Course: Communication Studies Area 

Harry W. Bass, Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology 

During the Spring 2023 semester, UT Dallas students enrolled “Advanced Public Speaking” (COMM 3321) engaged virtually with “Business English” students at the University of Brescia (Italy) who were earning a badge for “Public Speaking.” Both groups of students video recorded their final persuasive speeches and posted those recordings on Padlet so that they could comment upon each other’s speeches. The experience gave both UT Dallas and Brescia students an opportunity to interact and learn from each other related to effective public speaking skills. 

Partners:

Monterrey Tec, Mexico

King’s College, USA

Course: SOC 4369 – Public Health and Society, Spring 2023

School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Students enrolled in Dr. Galen Dickey’s Public Health and Society course conducted field research with students across the nation and across the border.

All three sets of students were tasked with exploring the obesogenic environment around schools in their respective areas. The project was designed to explore the different influences on obesity in low and high socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods and their impact on food availability, accessibility, and marketing. Research areas included physical design and transportation systems, land use patterns and food advertising and marketing, food availability outside the school, and food accessibility outside the school.

Through this project, students were able to work collaboratively with peers from different universities and diverse backgrounds, enhancing their cross-cultural competencies and broadening their perspectives. 

Partner: University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin 

Class: PPOL 4396 – Public Policy Theory and Practice – Spring 2023

School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences 

Dr. Jessi Hanson-DeFusco, assistant professor of global health policy, received grant funding from the U.S. Embassy in Benin to carry out a two-semester collaborative online international learning project between students in the United States and the West African country.

Students from both countries were tasked with developing public service campaigns featuring popular American and/or Beninese artists, musicians, cultural figures and other influencers. These campaigns aimed to promote a deeper understanding of the United States’ longstanding support for improving health and prosperity in Benin, as well as habits that lead to healthier and more prosperous lives. The target audiences included youth and young adults who primarily use social media or radio/TV for information, as well as educated urban adults unaware of U.S. initiatives to support Benin’s development.

The project’s goals were twofold: first, to foster intercultural learning opportunities between American and Beninois university students to learn about each other’s countries, and, second, to improve understanding and awareness of U.S.-supported health initiatives using music and cultural expression.

In fall 2022, graduate and undergraduate students collaborated to create over 20 videos (5-10 minutes each) that showcased a “Day in My Life,” providing insights into American students’ daily lives. These videos aimed to give West Africans a better understanding of life in the U.S. as a student.

In spring 2023, undergraduate students dedicated approximately 50 hours to help edit the content, ensuring that nearly all video materials were translated into French and English, facilitating accessibility and comprehension for a broader audience. Faculty members from the university in Benin also traveled to UT Dallas where they hosted a university-wide presentation on the project.