Collapsing Borders, Bridging Minds through Window to the Borderless World 2.0 Project: Strengthening Global Competence via an Online Collaboration

Aptly reflecting the theme “Crossing Borders, Connecting Minds,” this international online project successfully brought together over 200 students from two academic institutions to promote collaboration, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding. Conducted over 10 weeks, the project involved students presenting on various topics highlighting their respective countries’ historical, social, and cultural contexts, effectively linking geographical and cultural divides. Interactive quiz sessions at the end of each presentation encouraged friendly competition, sustained active engagement, and reinforced participants’ learning experiences. Upon project completion, participant feedback collected through structured questionnaires was overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciated the opportunity to engage internationally, citing increased intercultural competence and greater awareness of global perspectives as the main benefits. Many suggested that similar future initiatives would further improve their global outlook and collaborative skills. This project strongly aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, specifically targeting SDG 4.7, which underscores education for sustainable development and global citizenship. The project promotes intercultural competence, mutual understanding, and global citizenship through structured international collaboration, ensuring learners develop the knowledge and skills needed to appreciate cultural diversity and global interconnectedness. Ultimately, this initiative exemplifies how structured online international collaboration can meaningfully connect students beyond borders, aligning closely with present-day educational goals of developing global citizens who are culturally conversant, socially aware, and enthusiastically engaged in meaningful cross-cultural discourse.

internationalisation; online collaboration; intercultural competence

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