Developing an online community and intercultural competence: travelling virtually to China

In this chapter we will illustrate and analyse the outcomes of an online exchange programme that took place in 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 between the University of Kent and the KeDaGaoXin University of Xi’an in Western China. British student participants were learners of Mandarin at different levels, while Chinese participants were advanced learners of English and aspiring English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. The student participants of Mandarin were taking the language module as an elective: this fact is important insofar as, besides their three hours of weekly language classes, they had no further opportunities to actively engage with Chinese culture during lockdowns. The programme was developed on different fronts, incorporating online teacher training, a series of cultural workshops (Travelling Virtually in Xi’an), a summer camp in China for British students, and agreements for two visiting teachers.

The aim of the project was to facilitate intercultural communication and acquisition of new language skills competences through a virtual exchange that would mitigate the impact of restrictions imposed on travelling and social life. We evaluated the success of the programme via a short survey comprising Likert-scale, multiple-choice, and open questions.