The e-Tandem Global the Language Exchange for International Students – University of Edinburgh students

Edinburgh Global, a community of students and staff who lead the University of Edinburgh’s international engagement in terms of partnership, community and exchange, offers many services to students.

As during the pandemic the physical mobility was disrupted, Study and Work Away Service within Edinburgh Global, introduced an opportunity for Edinburgh students to partner with students from other institutions around the world in a programme called eTandem Global.

Tandem language exchange has been run by a committee of University of Edinburgh students who work to organise and run language cafes and themed events that help students meet and engage in language exchange. The eTandem Global started in 2020 and it takes the exchange further as the students can partner with students from 50 other universities from around the world who were invited to participate.

The students who sign up will get the opportunity to improve their language skills and connect with someone from another country and learn more about their daily life and culture.

French, Spanish, Chinese are the most popular languages being improved by the participants but Arabic, Japanese and Norwegian are practised too.

The programme starts by a welcome event (online) and when every student is paired, they can get to know each other and agree how they will meet and what and when will works for them best in terms of the exchange. The students get support from the Study and Work Away team with tips and academic guidance, rules of engagement and online safety, but the theme and ideas of the exchange are choices of each pair according to their own interests.

Students are encouraged to agree on topics and prepare before the agreed meeting and keep a record reflecting the sessions. If they complete 8 or more sessions in total, they will receive a certificate for their participation.

The students will benefit not only from the improvement of their language skills, but they also learn about other cultures, different backgrounds cultural and educational and they will also make friends. Especially when the connection to others is challenged, it is important to keep the student community alive.