Skip to main contentSussex homepage Staff

Student Hub
  1. Student Hub
  2. Global opportunities
  3. Current location: Internationalisation at Home

Internationalisation at Home

Gain international experience through online global learning opportunities.

About the programme

Internationalisation at Home (IAH) is an opportunity to expand your international experience in a sustainable way through a Global Classroom. All Sussex students can take part in these multi-national, intercultural programmes which are delivered online and accessible from anywhere.

Taking part in globally networked learning is a great opportunity to develop your skills and add an international dimension to your degree. It can help you to grow as a person and as a global citizen. The benefits include:

  • experiencing international teaching
  • meeting and working with students from all over the world
  • understanding others and the world better
  • enhancing your professional skill set and building transferable skills
  • gaining international connections and recognition of intercultural studies
  • enhancing your CV with international experience, helping your future job prospects.

You may already be engaged with globally networked learning or Global Classroom as part of your degree or wider experience at Sussex.

How to get involved

We work closely with schools and partners to provide international experiences so our students can develop intercultural competencies and become successful global citizens.

You can sign up to receive emails about new learning opportunities when they arise.

See examples and find out how to get involved below:

Online learning through the Global Classroom Series

This online module series is open to all Sussex students and usually runs towards either the beginning or end of the academic year. It enables you to learn intercultural concepts and perspectives and collaborate with students from overseas universities. You will work to develop your intercultural skills and knowledge, enhancing your future studies and employment opportunities.

You will typically attend online seminar sessions each week and watch recorded lectures in preparation for discussions. The online delivery is intended to provide flexibility whilst also offering a valuable opportunity to gain new skills and experiences as part of your student experience. You do not need any knowledge of intercultural competency in advance.

Benefits include:

  • gaining global perspectives on intercultural competencies
  • experience in global team collaboration
  • professional skills development
  • developing your own global ideas and perspectives
  • a certificate of completion in intercultural competency at end of course.

To find out more about the Global Classroom Series and how to apply, email globalopportunities@sussex.ac.uk.

Available modules in 2024

Sustainability: UK and Ghana in context – 16 September-11 October 2024 (4 weeks)

A free four-week online module led and delivered by University of Sussex in partnership with University of Ghana. Designed for students who are interested in learning more about developing intercultural competencies and the efficacy of sustainability efforts around water and energy across the globe. During the module you will learn about the concept of sustainability and unpack the social and economic challenges faced by different countries, with particular emphasis on the UK and Ghana.

Applications are now closed.

Imagining China – 1 July-12 July 2024 (2 weeks)

A free two-week online module in collaboration between University of Sussex and Chinese university partners, including the Joint Institute of Artificial Intelligence at Zhejiang Gongshang University.

Designed for students who are interested in learning more about developing intercultural competencies and exploring how technology can be used to address the challenges of creating meaningful intercultural engagement.

During the module you will reflect on the cultural influences of China that went into the creation of the Brighton Pavilion and how this can be seen as an example of historical British intercultural incompetence.

Applications are now closed.

Design Thinking: cultural sensitivity in intercultural projects: 3 June-14 June 2024 (2 weeks)

A free two-week online module focusing on intercultural skills and knowledge and apply this to real world challenges.

Designed for students who are interested in learning more about developing intercultural competencies and thinking about the importance of cultural sensitivity and environmental sustainability when solving real world problems.During the module you will analyse intercultural models and reflect on what they reveal about your own cultural practices and group dynamics. You will learn about sustainability and the circular economy, and come up with a design to address a real-world challenge affecting the lives of people in Pu Ngaol, Cambodia.

Applications are now closed.

Connect with international students through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

Learning how to work well with people from different cultures is more important than ever. A COIL allows you to connect with students from different countries and be exposed to a new and different culture, without having to travel.

One or more partner universities in different locations will co-deliver a module or part of a module online. The module will also be assessed by both institutions and usually forms part of your degree.

Examples of COIL opportunities include:

  • a partnership between the University of Sussex Business School and UNAM Facultad De Contaduría y Administración, forming part of the International Business Strategy module. Working in mixed groups, it gives students the chance to work together in overcoming challenges and making strategic decisions in response to changing market environments

  • a partnership with the University of ESCO-IGES in Burkina Faso, where students from both institutions work together on a project that promotes language skills development and global citizenship.

COILs are not possible on all our degrees, but you can ask your lecturers how you can add a Global Classroom to your course.

One World Sussex

One World Sussex is run by the University of Sussex and the Students’ Union. It celebrates the diversity of cultures in our community.

As part of this we host One World Week every year in March. You can get involved by attending events, or bidding to put on your own events.

Guest lectures from international academics

Some of your lectures may be delivered by an academic or field expert from another international institution or organisation.

This can offer you deeper knowledge and understanding of your subject through different perspectives.

In the past guest speakers have included:

  • Dr Ana Paula Mundim, a sustainability expert at Accenture Strategy, who studied a PhD in electronic engineering at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil
  • Professor Michael Dunford, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who delivered a guest lecture on the global economic and political implications of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Virtual exchanges with international institutions

Virtual exchanges can involve working with another university, business or non-governmental organisation (NGO) on an extra-curricular online exchange. During the exchange you might work on a particular problem or task online, set up by the organisation.

This allows you to gain experience outside of your degree and enhance your professional skill set.

Previous examples include:

  • the Sussex Writes Global Writing Café, a creative writing event that aims to bring together a global community of emerging and experienced youth writers (including a conversaton with author Su’eddie Agema, writer of Memory and the Call of Waters and creator of Benue Book and Arts Festival in Nigeria)
  • another Sussex Writes event, joining with the Youth Café to host Lockdown Live. This series of international webinars addressed the challenges young people faced during Covid-19 and aimed to increase awareness of the global situation following the pandemic
  • our students partnering with students from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Victoria University of Wellington to create a video on the student perspective as part of the Global Sustainability Challenge.

Opportunities elsewhere for globally networked learning

  • Sharing Perspectives Foundation – a not-for-profit foundation which offers contemporary online learning experiences. Their mission is to create equal opportunities for everyone to develop skills that students and employees need to thrive in today’s connected world.
  • Global Circles – a series of programmes and opportunities to meet online, with participants from various countries and cultures, on topics that matter locally and globally.