The VaCIE-VCCS program is a faculty exchange between the Virginia community colleges and the further education systems of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Its name comes from its sponsorship by the Virginia Council on International Education (VaCIE, pronounced "Vay-cee") and the Virginia Community College System, and was formerly named the VaCIE-CEMP exchange (CEMP was the Cheshire Education Management Programme in England). Within the United Kingdom colleges participate from England and Wales (plus Scotland this year!). The purpose of the exchange is to learn new educational techniques, to study the approaches taken by different educational systems, and to learn something of the history and culture of another nation. This broadens one's intellectual perspective and better prepares faculty for an increasingly multicultural and international classroom. This is true here in the United States as the Latino population has now reached the size of the African-American population and certain Virginia jurisdictions, such as Arlington and Norfolk, have students from more than 50 nations. It is also relevant in Western Europe, as London has become a world-wide melting pot, Manchester has many Indians and Pakistanis, and Amsterdam absorbs people from Turkey and Morocco.

    The structure of the exchange is that every Virginia delegate is matched with a Dutch or British faculty member, preferably from the same discipline. The European delegates come to the United States for a two-week visit in October. Virginia delegates make their return visit in May after commencement. Participants observe classes, interview administrators, visit libraries, and pursue other academic activities in line with their interests. Each delegate, as part of the application process, creates a proposal regarding what is to be accomplished. A library administrator, for example, may wish to study database systems, Internet usage, and on-line catalog systems. A French professor could see how e-mail pen pals and class trips can be used to make language learning more active. A math instructor may wish to study how group projects are used to acquire and present quantitative concepts. 

    This exchange uses the home visit concept in which each delegate stays with his or her partner. This is a wonderful  introduction to everyday life in another country and provides numerous opportunities to discuss educational techniques, aspects of culture, or national trends in higher education. The home visit approach also keeps the exchange inexpensive for the sponsoring colleges. However, it does require delegates to be flexible, tolerant, and adaptable. 

    While the exchange has academic purposes, during evenings and weekends delegates have a chance to explore the cultural offerings of the country they're visiting, and the websites below are designed to give delegates an introduction to the history and culture of the participating countries. 

Britain

Netherlands

Virginia

      If you are interested in participating in this exchange you should get more information by reading the VaCIE-VCCS booklet, which is attached in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat to read this, which most college computers have pre-installed. If yours does not, you can download it for free. This booklet contains many details about how the exchange works and gives you a list of your college contact person as well as previous VaCIE-VCCS delegates. It also contains delegate comments and sample excerpts from proposals. The 2004 - 2005 application is available for download or printing as a Word document. Pairings are usually made in May or June, European delegates visit in October, and Virginia delegates go overseas the following May.

     A good general introduction to the exchange can be found in an article by Becky Thomas, the program's original coordinator, written when the program began. There is also an article in the Fall 2000 issue of the journal Inquiry which describes three delegates' experiences in Britain and the Netherlands. David Barrish wrote of his experience as a hospitality management delegate to Ireland in the Fall 2001 issue of Inquiry. Beth Wentworth is the current statewide Exchange Coordinator and English Professor at John Tyler Community College.

February 07, 2004. Comments to ccowden@nvcc.edu.