US-UK Fulbright Global Challenges Teaching Awards

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 impactful 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.