Institutional issues in the implementation of an international student exchange program

This article discusses institutional issues related to the development and implementation of an undergraduate student exchange program in nursing. A consortium of four universities in the United States and six nursing schools in three European countries developed an exchange program to teach a common community health module. Thirty-one students from the United States and 30 students from Europe participated in this program, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the European Union. The project commenced with a 3-week meeting of faculty and students to design the 8-week exchange program and cultural preparation module. This article describes institutional issues related to the project. Academic issues, nonacademic issues, and exchange procedures are presented. The extended meeting of faculty and students that occurred early in the funding period was critical to this program's success.