Design Thinking, social entrepreneurship and cross-cultural dialogue: A case study of a trinational virtual exchange

This practice report explores the integration of Design Thinking (DT) into virtual exchange (VE) projects to enhance students’ engagement with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite increasing interest in VE and SDGs, there is a lack of research on effective DT practices in VE contexts. This paper fills this gap by identifying best practices: integrating intercultural dialogue principles, fostering multicultural collaboration, and assigning coaches to student teams. These strategies were implemented in a VE involving three institutions across the Middle East, North Africa, and the U.S. Results from both a quantitative survey and qualitative reflections indicate that the combination of DT, intercultural dialogue, and effective coaching not only facilitated students’ understanding and engagement with global issues related to SDGs but also enhanced their professional skills such as creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. This paper contributes best practices for educators aiming to leverage DT for SDGs in VE settings. Corrigendum (published on 2025/07/08): Authorship Correction.