TeamUp 2018 Hybrid Exchange Program
The 2018 TeamUp Hybrid Exchange Program is an innovative new 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 11-15, 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, partner institutions will implement their virtual exchanges, with a minimum of 6 virtual interactions. An in-person exchange opportunity consisting 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.
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.
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.
About TeamUp
TeamUp is a project of the U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation (USJBF) and funded through a grant from the U.S. Embassy Tokyo. The Bridging Foundation aims to expand the opportunities for student mobility between Japan and the United States to help prepare the next generation of global leaders and strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship.
For more information, visit the Bridging Foundation website, or follow @USJBF on Twitter.
For more information about TeamUp’s efforts to encourage and build connections between American and Japanese institutions, visit TeamUp’s website on building strategic U.S.-Japan partnerships.
Recent Initiatives
In summer of 2018, Cultural Vistas will bring representatives of the following U.S. institutions to Japan for a weeklong TeamUp Familiarization Tour of Japan to encourage strategic educational partnerships between the two nations:
- Flathead Valley Community College
- Miami Dade College
- Xavier University of Louisiana
- The University of Hawai’i – West Oahu
- Harrisburg Area Community College
In 2016-2017 Cultural Vistas facilitated the TeamUp Micro-Grants Program with USJBF to award the following ten institutions with micro-grants of up to $7,000 each to help establish partnerships with Japanese institutions:
- Monroe Community College
- University of New Hampshire
- Spelman College
- Texas Tech University
- Mid Michigan Community College
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Community College of Philadelphia
- Claflin University
- University of Rhode Island
- University of Texas at San Antonio
In summer of 2016, Cultural Vistas brought representatives of the following U.S. institutions to Japan for a weeklong TeamUp Familiarization Tour of Japan to encourage strategic educational partnerships between the two nations:
- University of Hawaiʻi Maui
- College University of Houston-Downtown
- IES Abroad
- LaGuardia Community College
- Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
- Spelman College
In 2015, Cultural Vistas supported the U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation as it brought 65 senior-level higher education professionals together at a forum in Tokyo to advance strategic educational partnerships between the two nations. In addition to this event, TeamUp sponsored several events and sessions at international education conferences, including AIEA, APAIE, and NAFSA.