This Session shows two dynamic approaches to blended learning from Stuttgart University (Germany) for interculturality: online transnational projects (France, Germany, Spain, Turkey) followed by student and professor travel to the countries involved, and globally open courses with international students--current pilot course has students from 10 different countries.

Virtual Exchange's empirical basis shows its potential to college students' increasing their global citizenship competencies (Hernandez-Nanclares, et. al., 2019). This fascinating presentation covers two innovations as case studies with research to what we traditionally think about with "blended learning." The first innovation is students from different countries engaged in a digital project online and then traveled to one country to further their studies and develop friendships and professional networks. Our research showed students felt their intercultural attitudes, knowledge and skills increased The second innovation is students from different countries take the same 16-week college course via an online learning management system and teleconferencing, meeting each other and working/studying in transnational groups as they develop intercultural competencies and earn college credit. Our research showed students were more engaged in an online course when students from other countries were in the same course and collaborative activities were used. The dynamic presentation looks at these two successful innovations from Stuttgart University in Germany: the first, an eTwinning and Erasmus+ Project, "Water Flows and Is Always There," which focused on United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, "Clean Water and Sanitation." 40 college students from Spain, France, Germany and Turkey worked first in transnational groups online for six weeks using the European Union's (EU) eTwining TwinSpace (part of the EU's European School Education Platform)and then traveled to Amiens, France, for one week to present their projects, meet each other and share ideas about national and international water sustainability education and awareness. The second project, a blended learning Stuttgart University open course titled "Project-Based Learning with eTwinning and Erasmus+ for Interculturality," taught via Moodle and Zoom, was opened up to students from all over Europe and beyond, resulting in 52 students from 10 countries (North Macedonia, Romania, Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Turkey, and Nepal) participating in the course and working together on eight different projects focused on various SDGs to improve the world. Earlier research promoted such courses (Isgi-Onbasili et al, 2022). The successes from both these innovations change the way we think of "blended learning" with global citizenship foundations and are blueprints for now and the future for transformative education outside the classroom. The projects bring global society into the microcosm of a shared online space to work together on issues affecting all of us. Through student testimonials, videos, and audience participation via live voting and short group activities (participants suggest ways they could bring the innovations to their institutes, the session intends to inspire other online educators and university leadership to open their borders, particularly for countries without good online education programs. The session will also show ways for professors and student teachers in the United States to participate in the winter 2024 and spring 2025 classes at Stuttgart University. We are excited to share our research and results with colleagues at OLC Accelerate 2024. References Hernández-Nanclares, N., Javier Mato Díaz, F. & Kóris, R. (2019). Expanding higher education classrooms beyond their walls: Virtual exchange and challenges for professors. Journal of international Mobility, 7, 139-155. https://doi.org/10.3917/jim.007.0139 Izgı-onbasılı, U., Sezginsoy Şeker, B., Claeys, H., Mancel, C., et al. (2022). Experiences of Qualified Teachers of the Future in the Scope of an International eTwinning Project. International Online Journal of Primary Education, 11(2), 293-311. https://doi.org/10.55020/iojpe.1182120