Over the past three years, the EU co-funded project CliVEx – Enhancing Climate Awareness in Europe and the Southern Mediterranean Area has created a space for higher education students and young academics to engage in structured, inclusive and intercultural dialogue on one of the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change.
This was possible thanks to the work of the CliVEx Consortium, made of partners (Sharing Perspectives Fountation, NL- leading the VE design, development and testing; Solyia, TN leading the training of online dialogue facilitators, the Lebanese International University, LB leading Dissemination activities, An Najah National University, PS engaging students in CliVEx VE and contributing to the development of the project, the University of Padova, IT leading impact evaluation of the learning activities and Lifecycle assessment) UNIMED, IT coordinating the whole project) and Associate Partners who engaged their students in the VE and online dialogue facilitation training activities offered by the project.
By connecting participants from Europe and the Southern Mediterranean, CliVEx has fostered meaningful exchanges across cultures, disciplines and perspectives, supporting young people in developing the skills, awareness and confidence needed to become active contributors to climate justice and sustainability.
Throughout the project 2,600 participants benefited from CliVEx activities. Among them, 1,460 learners actively took part in moderated virtual exchanges, while 1,140 students and young academics were trained as online facilitators. This contributed to building long-term capacity within higher education institutions and empowered a new generation of intercultural dialogue practitioners and professionals.
The CliVEx virtual learning offer was developed through two main paths.
Virtual Exchanges: “Climate Justice: from inequality to inclusion” course
The first path consisted of intercultural online dialogues on climate change involving students from European and Southern Mediterranean higher education institutions.
Between 2024 and 2026, five editions of the Virtual Exchange were organised. Each edition lasted 10 weeks, for a total of 90 hours, corresponding to 3 ECTS. The learning journey combined weekly online dialogue sessions, interactive activities, collaborative work and individual reflection.
The course offered innovative learning elements and thought-provoking audiovisual materials, helping participants strengthen both their intercultural and transversal skills. Upon successful completion, learners received a badge and certificate recognising the skills and knowledge acquired.
The impact of the Virtual Exchange was significant. A total of 1,460 students from universities in 13 European and Southern Mediterranean countries took part: Algeria, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Tunisia and Spain.
Through their participation, learners developed key competencies such as global awareness and systems thinking, digital literacy, effective communication, leadership and collaboration, intercultural competence and sensitivity, creativity and innovation, civic engagement, social responsibility and sustainability awareness.
Beyond upskilling, the CliVEx experience was highly appreciated by participants:
“I really appreciated the opportunity to express our thoughts, which is not something I have often encountered during my university years. I also liked that we could speak without fear of judgment. I valued the diverse backgrounds that enriched our discussions.” Italian, female
“What I liked most about the Virtual Exchange was the opportunity it provided to connect with peers from around the world without the constraints of physical distance. The platform facilitated rich cultural exchanges and meaningful interactions, allowing me to gain insights into diverse perspectives and worldviews. Overall, the experience fostered a sense of global community and collaboration, which I found incredibly valuable and enriching.” Portuguese, Gender variant,
“CliVEx was about more than sustainability and climate justice. It gave me useful abilities that went beyond those themes. My communication skills developed through impactful storytelling and clarity. I learned how to assess material critically and work well with others on projects. Interacting with peers widened my perspective and strengthened my sense of shared responsibility.” Palestinian, female
“By the end of each encounter, I used to tell my family about all the new things I had learned and how we could integrate new habits in order to make a significant impact on climate change.” French, female
“I was able to learn a lot from people from all around the world. Its not often you can hear directly how people are being effected by climate change and how different their living situations are in comparison to mine. I also liked that everyone in the group was open to speak about certain topics and learn together”. Polish (based in NL), male
Training on online dialogue facilitation
The second stream focused on building a pool of trained online dialogue facilitators.
Between 2024 and 2025, CliVEx delivered several training opportunities in online dialogue facilitation, including both basic and advanced courses, addressed to students and young academics.
This training was designed with a clear capacity-building and sustainability-oriented approach. By supporting the development of certified online dialogue facilitators from higher education institutions across the two regions, CliVEx aimed to make it easier for universities to continue investing in Virtual Exchanges as a powerful tool to develop students’ transversal competencies.
At the same time, the training empowered students and young academics under 30 with a professional certification and encouraged them to share and multiply their positive Virtual Exchange experience beyond the lifetime of the project.
The training reached 1,140 students and young academics from universities in the same 13 countries involved in the project. The majority of learners came from Southern Mediterranean countries, particularly Morocco, Egypt, Palestine and Tunisia.
Participants expressed very positive feedback, with more than 90% reporting high satisfaction with the training experience.
In their own words:
“For me, the training was simply extraordinary. I learned a lot about dialogue, but also about myself, as I was able to practice self-reflection at all times and become a better version of myself. I loved the way we were allowed to make mistakes and sometimes even encouraged to do so, so that I and the other participants could learn from them and so that, when the real facilitation comes, we’ve already encountered every possible problem and difficult situation.” – Tunisia, female
“The learnings are not limited to the facilitation process only but changed my complete way to communicate.” – Germany, female
“This training has provided me with techniques and tools that I will use in my future. I plan to utilize the conflict management to address any disputes in an online/ in-person dialogue. I will try to manage the dynamics to ensure that all voices are heard and understood. Also, I aim to enhance communication and foster a more inclusive environment, where everyone is able to share personal experiences and express feelings without fear.” – Morocco, female
“One of the strengths of the course is how it emphasizes practical skills, like active listening and asking critical thinking questions, which are essential for facilitating meaningful online conversations. Another strength is the focus on self-reflection, which encourages continuous personal and professional growth as a facilitator. The use of real-world scenarios and examples throughout the course makes the learning more relatable and applicable. Lastly, the course effectively highlights the importance of neutrality and multipartiality in fostering inclusive, respectful dialogues.” – Portugal, female
“Active listening: this part kept me searching for what it really means and I kept trying to apply it any time I got the chance. It was mind blowing for me”. Tunisia, male
A lasting impact beyond the project: the Final Online Workshop
The Final Online Workshop of the CliVEx project, held on 18 June 2026, brought together participating higher education institutions to reflect on the project’s approach, tools and results.
During the event, institutions showed strong interest in continuing to build on CliVEx outcomes. In particular, they highlighted the value of the CliVEx Handbook, which provides guidelines on how to design and implement a Virtual Exchange based on the project experience, and of the network of trained online dialogue facilitators developed throughout the project.
Both resources are expected to support future Virtual Exchange experiences beyond CliVEx, helping universities continue to promote intercultural dialogue, climate awareness and transversal skills among their students.
The workshop also gave voice to students and facilitators who shared how CliVEx had influenced their learning journey, personal development and understanding of climate justice.
For more information and personalised advice on the organisation and implementation of Virtual Exchanges at your institution, please contact us at: info@clivex.eu