Elon University
In 2025, the University of Bath received its first US-UK Fulbright's Global Challenges Teaching Award. The award paired Bath with Elon University, North Carolina to develop a Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online Interactive Learning (VE/COIL) bringing together students from both institutions on the theme of Peace and Justice.
The pairing was extremely well matched – we share core objectives of student success and graduate outcomes, delivered through dedicated student experience, experiential learning and global engagement. The latest USA rankings place Elon University as #1 for undergraduate teaching for the sixth consecutive year, and in the top 15 across all eight categories for 'Programs that Enhance Student Experience'. There's much that we can learn from their clearly defined and delivered experiential learning program, the Elon Experience, which is embedded across all learning.
The award included funding for the core teams from each institution to visit one another. Following a visit by Dr Pete Manning’s visit last year, and the Elon team’s visit to Bath in March, Marie Salter and I travelled to the University in September and saw the Elon Experience come to life.Our first engagement took place in community centre for the launch of the Power + Place Collaborative project . Each year this brings together faculty, students, the African American Cultural Arts & History Museum, and diverse civic and faith-based institutions to create 'a community-based oral history and storytelling initiative to record, preserve, present and celebrate stories from and about Alamance County's diverse communities'. Since 2020 this community engagement has delivered multiple benefits for all, in particular the civic-university relationship, often marginalised community groups, and for the individual storytellers and students who have participated. The tour of the region by our wonderful host Dr. Sandy Marshall highlighted the complex history and the need for all voices to be heard through these types of initiatives.
During the visit we were inspired by other examples of community practice, such as the innovative HOPE Clinic, run by Physical Therapy students for local people who are un- or under-insured, and inclusive education, including the launch of their neuro-affirming library spaces.
In meetings with senior leaders, we discussed potential progression opportunities for students underlining the importance of VE/COIL, not only in terms of developing student skills, experience and cultural understanding, but also as a component of Transnational Education and for initial partnership development.
Our thoughtful schedule included additional meetings with their learning technologies team, the launch of an art exhibition, a volleyball match in their impressive sports arena and attendance at their College Coffee – an informal weekly event open to all staff and students which enhances the strong sense of community at Elon.
University of North Carolina Greensboro
We took advantage of our proximity to North Carolina's research triangle by visiting Study Exchange partner University of North Carolina Greensboro, and received a warm welcome and a tour of their beautiful campus (home to the Norwegian football team during World Cup 2026). We met with a Chemistry student from Bath who was enjoying her exchange experience - making global connections in her accommodation at the International House, taking diverse academic units, and exploring the Southern states during the holiday periods.
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Our final stop was University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, our partner on the Contemporary European Studies MA with Transatlantic Track (Euromasters). The tour highlighted their history as being one of the oldest public universities in the USA (chartered in 1789), with beautiful buildings and a vibrant community. We enjoyed lunch at their impressive campus hotel, The Carolina Inn, with the academic team and students who will soon be studying at Bath.
Throughout our trip we were shown Southern hospitality and a genuine enthusiasm to deepen our partnerships, and we're looking forward to building on these in the new academic year.
For details on the VE/COIL or any of the other initiatives, please contact Dr Pete Manning (SPS), Emily Richards (HSS) or Marie Salter (TEL).
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