Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning
US-UK Fulbright Global Challenges Teaching Awards

Applications Now Open for the 2025–26 Cycle
Faculty teaching undergraduate students at accredited higher education institutions in the United States or the United Kingdom are invited to apply for the 2025–26 cycle of the US-UK Fulbright Global Challenges Teaching Awards (GCTA).
This year’s cycle awards focus on addressing critical global challenges through interdisciplinary virtual exchange courses, with themes including:
- Climate Action
- Health Inequality
- Disinformation and Misinformation
- Peace and Justice
Applications close on March 10, 2025.
The Global Challenges Teaching Awards (GCTA), established in 2022 by the US-UK Fulbright Commission, are delivered in partnership with AAC&U’s Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning (VE/COIL) Initiative. The program fosters international collaboration and innovation in higher education, providing transformative cross-cultural learning experiences for students in the United States and the United Kingdom.
GCTA supports teaching faculty from the US and UK in co-delivering interdisciplinary VE/COIL courses that address critical global challenges. The program emphasizes institutional collaboration, advancing VE/COIL pedagogy, and expanding global partnerships.
AAC&U’s Role and Institute on VE/COIL
AAC&U plays a pivotal role in the GCTA by providing awardees with the tools, resources, and professional development needed to design and implement high-quality VE/COIL courses. At the core of this effort is AAC&U’s Institute on Virtual Exchange/COIL, a yearlong initiative that empowers participants to develop impactful VE/COIL programs while strengthening institutional capacity for international collaboration.
Through participation in the Institute, faculty grantees and their institutional teams will:
- Co-create an undergraduate VE/COIL course addressing one of the program’s global challenge themes.
- Engage in tailored professional development and mentoring sessions designed to enhance VE/COIL pedagogy and project design.
- Collaborate with their institutional counterparts across the Atlantic to deepen partnerships and identify strategies for integrating VE/COIL into broader institutional frameworks.
- Explore opportunities to expand VE/COIL programs to reach more students and disciplines.
Program Highlights
The Global Challenges Teaching Awards and AAC&U’s Institute on Virtual Exchange/COIL provide awardees with:
- A robust yearlong program combining professional development, online collaboration, and optional in-person exchanges with their partner institutions.
- Expert-led clinics and workshops focused on advancing VE/COIL programs at the course and institutional levels.
- Access to open educational resources and networking events designed to foster innovation and strengthen partnerships.
- Guidance in building scalable models for integrating VE/COIL into institutional curricula.
- Dedicated support to facilitate transatlantic collaboration and strengthen partnerships.
Grantees will also receive from the US-UK Fulbright Commission:
- Honorarium: $7000/£5510 for each faculty awardee, paid in two installments.
- Institutional Support Fee: $3000/£2360 for the awardee’s higher education institution, payable upon completion of the professional development program.
- Travel Funding: for the awardee and a member of administrative staff to the US/UK to visit their partner institution, up to a value of $7500/£5900.

On-Demand Webinar
Information Session for Faculty Instructors and Instructional Designers: US-UK Fulbright Global Challenges Teaching Awards
Learn about the Awards, including the application process and how to co-create transformative virtual exchange courses tackling critical global challenges.

On-Demand Webinar
Information Session for International Education and Academic Administrators: US-UK Fulbright Global Challenges Teaching Awards
Learn about the Awards, including the application process and how to co-create transformative virtual exchange courses tackling critical global challenges.

Learn More
Discover how the Global Challenges Teaching Awards and AAC&U’s Institute on VE/COIL are transforming higher education and empowering faculty and institutions to collaborate across borders.