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Teaching faculty at Sussex have a unique opportunity to enhance international collaboration and drive global change through the US-UK Fulbright Commission’s Global Challenges Teaching Awards (GCTA). Applications are now open for this prestigious initiative, which aims to connect faculty members in the UK and US to co-deliver virtual exchange programs addressing pressing global issues.

The GCTA seeks educators who are passionate about tackling critical challenges, including climate action, misinformation and disinformation, health inequality, and peace and justice. By integrating Virtual Exchange (VE) and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methods, the program fosters accessible, innovative, and impactful education while promoting institutional internationalisation.

This year, the awards specifically target faculty whose teaching aligns with the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on:

• UN SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing)
• UN SDG 13 (Climate Action)
• UN SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions)

The initiative is open to faculty across UK and US higher education institutions, supporting year-long virtual exchange partnerships. Awardees will receive tailored professional development and mentoring from experts at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Virtual Exchange/COIL Institute.

Benefits for Selected Grantees:

• Honorarium: $7000/£5510 per faculty member, paid in two instalments.
• Institutional Support Fee: $3000/£2360, payable upon completion of the professional development programme.
• Travel Funding: Up to $7500/£5900 for the awardee and a member of administrative staff to visit their partner institution.
• Professional Development and Mentoring: Comprehensive training in the COIL model, designed for faculty, instructional designers, and academic administrators.

This award presents an exceptional chance for Sussex faculty to develop international teaching partnerships, expand the accessibility of global education, and contribute to solutions for some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Sussex's Global Programmes team is available to support the development of COIL/Global Classroom projects and would be able to help and provide advice on any successful proposals.

Applications for this cycle close on 10^th March 2025. 

For more information and application details, visit the Fulbright Commission website or contact Dr Jessica McIvor, Head of Special Projects, at jessica@fulbright.org.uk .

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