• Undergraduate
• Graduate

The Institute of International Education’s Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange for Enhanced Results (HIVER) program develops intercultural communication and problem-solving skills among diverse students at participating U.S. and MENA universities.

Bi-national teams of students from participating classes at MENA and U.S. universities present their projects during a virtual competition at the end of each semester of the program, with the winning teams competing in an in-person final round. HIVER engages students with limited exchange opportunities, including first-generation students, refugee students, and female and minority student groups. Through collaboration on projects and facilitated classroom dialogues, participants build mutual understanding of their counterparts in the U.S. and MENA region.

Activities

Bi-national teams of students in participating courses in a variety of fields such as computing and technology, business and entrepreneurship, and world affairs at MENA and U.S. partner universities complete collaborative projects that require the practical application of course material. Participants engage in synchronous (live) classroom-to-classroom dialogues, project team meetings, and tandem work to collaborate on projects and complete assignments prior to class-wide discussions. Teams present their projects to an expert panel at a virtual competition at the end of each semester. Winning teams from each year of the program compete in an in-person final round.

Program Details

• Number of Participants: 2,730
• Participant Age Group: Undergraduate; Graduate
• Partners in the United States: California – University of California, Davis; Connecticut – University of Connecticut; Illinois – Northeastern Illinois University; Montana – Montana State University; New Jersey – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; New York – State University of New York at Fredonia; South Dakota – University of South Dakota; Texas – University of Houston; Virginia – Shenandoah University, Virginia State University
• Partners in the Middle East and North Africa: Egypt – Ain Shams University, Mansoura University; Jordan – University of Jordan, Yarmouk University; Palestinian Territories – Al Quds Open University, An-Najah National University, Arab American University, Bethlehem University, Birzeit University, Hebron University, Palestine Polytechnic University
• Project Duration: April 2021– June 2023

Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange for Enhanced Results is implemented by the Institute of International Education and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.