From Coaching to Co-Researching: Rethinking Communication, Clarity and Confidence in a Virtual Exchange Between the Global North and South

This paper examines intercultural role negotiation and communication clarity within a Virtual Exchange module co-delivered by universities in the UK and Indonesia. During its second iteration, the programme introduced a new element: Indonesian doctoral students were invited to act as academic coaches for undergraduates, offering support in research skill development and confidence-building. The 12-week module, grounded in a community of inquiry model, combined synchronous online seminars with asynchronous collaboration. Prior to the module, doctoral students participated in a preparatory coaching workshop led by UK-based staff. At the module’s conclusion, they submitted reflective essays as a credit-bearing component. Drawing on these reflections and our practitioner observations, we conducted a qualitative thematic inquiry to examine how the coaching role was interpreted and enacted. Unexpectedly, many doctoral students reflected less on coaching practices and more on the shared experience of researching alongside undergraduates. This shift led staff to question whether assumptions about role comprehension, confidence to clarify expectations, and the affective dimensions of intercultural communication had been underestimated. Although no doctoral students explicitly reported discomfort, staff reflections considered whether cultural norms and perceived epistemic hierarchies may have influenced students’ reluctance to seek clarification. Findings highlight the importance of not only technical and pedagogical scaffolding in Virtual Exchange, but also affective and cultural dimensions of communication across Global North–South partnerships. We recommend pre-module confidence-building activities, opportunities for relational development, and iterative clarification points throughout the exchange. This study contributes to inclusive international education by underscoring the need for dialogic reflexivity in task design and communication. It calls for greater attentiveness to cultural expectations and linguistic positioning, ensuring that Virtual Exchange environments promote mutual understanding and equitable participation at all levels of learning.