Join a Program

The Stevens Initiative helps institutions in the United States and around the world connect with each other to expand virtual exchange programs. The programs listed here are interested in having new partners (educators along with schools, districts, postsecondary institutions, and nonprofit organizations) join their programs. Read the descriptions of their programs and what they are seeking, then fill out the form at the bottom of the page to indicate which program or programs you are interested in joining.

The Stevens Initiative will review each submission to determine whether there is an appropriate program for all individuals or institutions. Please note that the Initiative may not be able to identify a suitable program for all individuals or institutions.

The below programs are funded with support from the Bezos Family Foundation

AFS Intercultural Programs – Global Up Americas

AFS Intercultural Programs’ Global Up Americas connects young people and their educators in the Americas, developing them as active global citizens through a virtual, classroom-to-classroom learning experience with global competence curriculum and live facilitated dialogue sessions. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12 (14-17 years old)
Partners: High school educators who teach any subject relevant to the program’s core curriculum components: cultural diversity, language learning (Spanish and English), geography, social studies, intercultural communication, global affairs, among others.
Locations: United States, Colombia, Mexico
Time Frame: Two-three hours per week over five-six weeks; October–December, January–June 2024, September–December 2024

Educación para Compartir – Culture for Sharing

Educación para Compartir’s Culture for Sharing brings together elementary school aged youth for dialogue about global issues and interculturality, creating a space for participants to learn about and appreciate their own and other cultures using the power of play. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Elementary School/Grades PreK-6
Partners: Principals and teachers from Elementary public schools in Yucatán, Mexico and New York, United States.
Locations: United States (New York), Mexico (Yucatan)
Time Frame: One hour per week over seven weeks; February–June 2024, September–December 2024

Global Nomads Group – Overcoming Bias Through Language Learning

Global Nomads Group’s Overcoming Bias Through Language Learning is a virtual exchange that promotes empathy, awareness, and action-orientation among middle and high school aged youth in Mexico and the United States through language learning. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Middle School/Grades 6-8, High School/Grades 9-12
Partners: English and Spanish language educators in Mexico and the U.S. in middle and high schools. Program managers at organizations in Mexico and the U.S. in out-of-school language learning programs for middle and high school aged youth.
Locations: United States, Mexico
Time Frame: Two and a half hours per week over eight–12 weeks; February–May

iEARN-USA – Compañeros de Clase Globales

iEARN-USA’s Compañeros de Clase Globales connects classrooms in Guatemala and the United States (including Puerto Rico), engaging students in cross-cultural, collaborative learning while they examine compelling real-world issues and explore ways they can make a difference. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Elementary School/Grades 4-6, High School/Grades 11-12
Partners: Educators or community-based instructors who work with students in grades 4-6 or students in grades 11-12 in the classroom. For the first cohort beginning in January 2024, participants must have an intermediate or advanced level of Spanish language proficiency (bilingual English/Spanish classrooms and English learners are welcome). In later cohorts, all classrooms will be welcome.
Locations: United States, Guatemala
Time Frame: Two hours/week over six–12 weeks; January–April, October–December

Mexican Association for International Education – Program for the Internationalization of the Curricula for the Americas

AMPEI’s Program for the Internationalization of the Curricula for the Americas (PIC-AMERICAS) identifies, pairs, and trains faculty from across the Americas to catalyze the Collaborative Online International Learning Model (COIL) of virtual exchange through networking support, COIL design workshops, specialized mentoring, and training for COIL coordinators of higher education institutions, providing thousands of young people opportunities to learn alongside international peers. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate
Partners: Faculty and administrators at higher education institutions
Locations: United States, Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Perú
Time Frame: Five-six hours per week over five-eight weeks; fall 2024, spring 2025

The below programs are funded with support from the U.S. Department of State

Amideast – Qisasna

Amideast’s Qisasna facilitates cross-cultural exchange between young people in the United States and Yemen by providing them with the skills they need to produce podcasts on shared challenges and opportunities between youth. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12 (Yemen), Undergraduate (Yemen and U.S.), Young adult (Yemen: Gap year students in particular)
Partners: Faculty and administrators at higher education institutions, as well as program managers at organizations that engage with youth and young adults.
Locations: United States, Yemen
Time Frame: At least three hours/week over 12 weeks; February-May, September-December

iEARN-USA – Storytelling for Social Change

iEARN-USA’s Storytelling for Social Change builds global leaders by engaging Algerian, Tunisian, and American youth in global collaboration to tell stories about real world issues in their local communities. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12
Partners: Educators who work with high school-aged youth in schools or out-of-school programs.
Locations: Algeria, Tunisia, United States (States located in U.S. Eastern Time and Central Time only)
Time Frame: At least two hours/week over seven weeks; September-November, March-May

Institute of International Education – Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange for Enhanced Results (HIVER)

IIE’s HIVER develops intercultural communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills among a diverse group of students at participating universities in the United States and Middle East and North Africa. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate
Partners: Faculty at higher education institutions from any disciplines.
Locations: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, United States
Time Frame: Three-four hours/week over 12 weeks; fall 2023, spring 2024, fall 2024, spring 2025

IREX – Global Solutions

IREX’s Global Solutions places college students from the United States with peers in Iraq or Jordan in binational teams to collaborate on innovative solutions related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals through virtual exchange. Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge is an eight-week virtual business competition where participants develop and pitch an innovative business concept that addresses a UN SDG while building essential workforce and global citizenship skills. Global Solutions Conversations connects young people over six weeks for live discussions about their culture and global issues, which culminates in a joint session engaging all participants to celebrate their innovative ideas and share lessons learned. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate
Partners: Faculty and administrators at higher education institutions from any disciplines.
Locations: Iraq, Jordan, United States
Time Frame: At least three hours/week over eight weeks; October-December, February- April (Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge), at least one and a half hours/week over six weeks; October-November, March-April (Global Solutions Conversations)

PATHWAYS Institute for Negotiation Education – Game Changers: Creative Negotiation Skills

PATHWAYS Institute for Negotiation Education’s Game Changers: Creative Negotiation Skills builds confidence and skills for creative negotiation, problem-solving, and leadership among university students coming together from Israel and the United States. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Undergraduate
Partners: Faculty and administrators at higher education institutions, particularly from education, social sciences, and humanities.
Locations: Israel, United States
Time Frame: Two and a half hours a week, in two weekly sessions, over six to seven weeks. October-December; February-April

Plugged in Band Program – Peace Tracks

Plugged In Band Program’s Peace Tracks is a cross-cultural, music-focused online youth exchange that provides high school students with an unforgettable opportunity to connect with peers in other countries to get to know them, learn about their cultures, and collaborate over the course of a semester on an original song. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: High School/Grades 9-12
Partners: Educators who work with high-school students in schools; community-based organizations with instructors who work with high-school students in after- or out-of-school programs during weekday; or community-based organization specializing in virtual exchange.
Locations: Jordan, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, United States
Time Frame: Two hours/week over 14 weeks; February-April, September-January

Soliya – Connect Global

Soliya’s Connect Program, in partnership with colleges and universities in the United States and in the Middle East and North Africa, brings together students for four-to-eight weeks to discuss potentially divisive current global events and issues in the presence of facilitators trained in dialogue and conflict resolution. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate, Young adult
Partners: Faculty and administrators at higher education institutions; and program managers at organizations that engage with youth and young adults for education. Learn about Soliya’s partners in the United States and Middle East and North Africa here.
Locations: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, United States
Time Frame: Four-, five-, and eight-week program options, with two hours face time allocated over each week; March-May, October-December.

Soliya – Global Circles

Soliya’s Global Circles bring together young adults and professionals for two-week discussions by facilitators trained in dialogue and conflict resolution, with a particular focus on the impact of globalized technologies on society, and is open to direct enrollment. Learn more.

Participant Age Group: Undergraduate, Graduate, Young Adult
Partners: Faculty and administrators at higher education institutions, as well as program managers at organizations that engage with youth and young professionals. Individuals also qualify to participate through open enrollment.
Locations: Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States, Yemen
Time Frame: Two and a half-hour live exchanges/week over two weeks; February, March, April, June, September, October, November