Their project V-LEAD-X – Virtual Learning Engagement and Academic Development through Exchange and Collaboration won second place in the teaching internationalization category. The V-LEAD-X project is one of 286 examples of teaching excellence published in the publicly available Profformance database.
V-LEAD-X Project – A Model of Global Collaboration and Educational Excellence
The V-LEAD-X project presents an innovative educational model that has, for years, brought together students and educators from different countries and continents through virtual mobility. The project is based on international cooperation, knowledge exchange, intercultural learning, and the development of negotiation and communication skills in international contexts.
Students participating in these virtual learning activities come from higher education institutions such as the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands, Prof. Andria Carita), the University of Cincinnati (Ohio, USA, Prof. Emeritus Larry Gales and Associate Prof. Whitney Westrich, PhD), and the University of Pretoria (South Africa, Prof. Machdel Matthee, PhD).
These collaborations are carried out through courses such as Negotiation in an International Environment (coordinated by Prof. Violeta Vidaček Hainš, PhD) and Strategic Human Resource Management (coordinated by Prof. Marina Klačmer Čalopa, PhD, and Prof. Violeta Vidaček Hainš, PhD), providing students with first-hand experience working in multicultural teams and equipping them with competencies essential for success in the global labor market.
A Longstanding Tradition of International Student Engagement
Beyond courses, the V-LEAD-X project includes additional activities that extend the impact of virtual mobility and internationalization. These include the International Student Research Symposium on Intercultural Learning, launched in 2010, which brings together students and mentors in interdisciplinary and multicultural dialogue, and the Student Section of the International CECIIS Conference, active since 2011, offering a platform for presenting student research and networking with peers worldwide. Both events have been held annually ever since.
Over the years, FOI student symposia have included participants not only from FOI but also from various U.S. universities: the University of Cincinnati (OH), University of Central Florida (FL), DePaul University (Chicago, IL), University of Illinois (Chicago, IL), Penn State University (PA), Carlow University (Pittsburgh, PA), University of South Carolina (SC), and Indiana State University (IN). Additionally, the CECIIS Student Section hosts students and faculty from universities across Europe and around the world, further expanding FOI’s international reach and influence.
Support from Institutions and the Local Community
A significant contribution to the success of these initiatives also comes from the support of the University of Zagreb, local authorities, and many partner institutions who recognize the value of international networking and actively contribute to the sustainability and continued development of these activities.
Profformance Award – A Testament to FOI’s Excellence in International Education
The Profformance Award, granted by an international consortium for improving quality in higher education teaching, represents a major recognition of FOI’s long-standing commitment to internationalization, teaching excellence, and the development of innovative educational models.
This award reinforces FOI’s position as a reliable and forward-thinking partner in the global academic community. As a constituent of the University of Zagreb, FOI has, for many years, been recognized as an institution that systematically opens its doors to the international academic world, fosters knowledge and experience exchange, and actively prepares its students for global labor markets.
This international recognition is not only a tribute to the V-LEAD-X project team but also a confirmation of FOI’s institutional dedication to building an inclusive, multicultural, and contemporary educational environment—one where students gain not only knowledge, but also the skills necessary to live and work in a globalized world.
