Global Engagement and Learning in Advertising Education: Review of AAA Special Topic Session on Study Abroad and Virtual Exchange Programs

Speaker 1: Tao Deng, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Public Relations and Advertising Program, DePaul University

Dr Tao Deng focused his presentation on virtual global engagement initiatives. He argued that well-designed online exchanges can broaden access to intercultural learning and build the competences practitioners demand, including remote collaboration, cultural insight, and digital fluency. The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us that “global” is no longer a place one flies to, but a space one can log into with technology. When international borders closed, students still wanted to see how media, brands, and consumers behave around the world. At DePaul University, two scalable models emerged: the 90-min Global Conversations series and the term-long Global Learning Experience virtual exchange program. Together, these initiatives enabled thousands of students who might never leave Chicago to brainstorm ideas with international peers, critique ad campaigns sourced from cross-cultural insights, and co-create branded content for global clients.

Global Conversations sessions are live Zoom dialogues in which DePaul faculty co-facilitate topical discussions with international counterparts. Since 2020, the university has organized 125 conversations involving more than 3,600 students and 230 international faculty and industry professionals. A recent advertising-focused session, “Post-pandemic Societal Changes and Consumption Trends in Greater China,” paired faculty from Chicago and mainland China to examine e-commerce growth, digitally resilient industries, and online learning across the United States, mainland China, and Taiwan. The discussion yielded concrete cases of public-service ads, livestream retail tactics, and supply-chain pivots. Data showed that over 90% of Global Conversations participants left more confident discussing global issues and keener to work in multicultural teams, while faculty valued the sessions for sparking collaborations and research partnerships.

While Global Conversations delivers a taste of intercultural dialogue, Global Learning Experience provides an extended sandbox in which domestic and foreign students can build campaigns together. The program links two courses offered in the same academic term by universities in different countries. Faculty at both institutions co-design the learning outcomes and shared deliverables, connect the two classes using common technologies (mostly free to use, e.g., Google Docs and Zoom), and run the virtual exchange for six to eight weeks. Since 2013, the program has enrolled more than 3,000 students and placed DePaul in the global top ten for online international learning. In a past program comparing entrepreneurial ecosystems, students in Chicago and at the University of Hong Kong mapped start-up culture in both cities and advised a Chicago tech-incubator client over a seven-week sprint, using Zoom, Google Docs, and Flipgrid. In another program on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) campaigns, DePaul teams joined classmates at the University of Ljubljana to craft a cross-cultural CSR communication plan for Sephora’s beauty-recycling program, targeting Gen Zs and presenting the strategy to agency client Golin. Student work is typically assessed with a joint rubric that blends peer teamwork evaluations and faculty feedback. Time-zone fatigue and patchy internet are mitigated by rotating meeting times and weekly check-ins that identify issues early. Additional examples of recent virtual exchanges, including technologies, partner institutions, and learning outcomes, can be found in DePaul University’s Global Learning Experience Showcase (see Supplemental Appendix).

Speaker 2: Juan Mundel, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Michigan State University

Dr Juan Mundel delivered a rich and engaging presentation, drawing on over 15 years of experience leading global advertising education programs across multiple continents. Based on experiences in Argentina, Cuba, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK, and virtual settings, Dr Mundel outlined a portfolio of programs built around social marketing, international advertising, and advertising and society. In Argentina, he led both a short-term service-learning course and a longer 11-week internship program. The social marketing course emphasized campaigns for the public good, such as student-led efforts to reduce generational bias and promote inclusion among older adults. The internship program, designed to be accessible with low costs and options for English or Spanish placement, allowed students to work part-time while earning academic credit. Many students created business plans and marketing content for Argentinian companies, offering meaningful contributions to local businesses.

In contrast, the Cuba program presented both educational opportunity and logistical complexity. Although the fully funded program allowed 25 students to explore marketing practices in a highly restricted economy, the experience was impacted by food safety concerns, limited healthcare, homesickness, and constant surveillance by the Cuban government. Despite these challenges, students gained insights into grassroots marketing and informal communication strategies, such as using WhatsApp to navigate internet blackouts and product shortages. The Spain program offered a more structured and culturally accessible setting for the advertising and society course. With the University of Barcelona as a cost-effective and reliable partner, students explored how cultural values shaped advertising practices through agency visits and hands-on weekly creative challenges.

Dr Mundel also reflected on programs in the Netherlands, noting a strong collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, where students engaged with leading agencies like WPP. The experience highlighted both the global reach of multicultural campaigns and the need for faculty to anticipate issues like fatigue, substance use, and student conduct when traveling. The programs in the UK were his personal favorites, combining international advertising with a staggered cohort model in which two student groups overlapped for 1 week. During this period, students from the earlier cohort mentored the incoming group, helping them navigate the program and campus life. This structure facilitated peer mentoring, enhanced social interaction, and provided a smoother onboarding experience for new students. However, he acknowledged London’s high cost of living as a significant planning concern. Across all destinations, Dr Mundel emphasized safety and accountability through strategies such as pairing students with accountability partners beyond their roommates and holding morning check-ins to ensure wellness and attendance.

Beyond physical travel, Dr Mundel advocated for virtual global exchanges as a democratizing alternative. Through a collaboration with Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, students in the U.S. and the Netherlands co-developed marketing campaigns over 7 weeks, working in multinational teams using tools like Google Docs, WhatsApp, and Snapchat. Despite time zone challenges and cultural missteps, the program fostered meaningful cross-cultural collaboration. Notably, 40% of participants later expressed interest in studying abroad, suggesting that virtual exchange can serve as a springboard for deeper global engagement.

Speaker 3: Shu-Chuan (Kelly) Chu, PhD. Professor and Program Chair in the Public Relations and Advertising Program, DePaul University

Dr Chu has a long-standing commitment to internationalization and innovation in advertising education. Over the past decades, she has been actively advancing global engagement through teaching, research, service, and international partnerships. During her presentation, she focused on internationalizing the advertising curriculum in today’s interconnected world and discussed the challenges and opportunities of leading study-abroad programs. She especially emphasized how to develop a successful study-abroad program for advertising and non-advertising majors. Drawing on her experiences in leading three study-abroad programs, she first gave an overview of the structure and focus of these three programs. Next, she discussed challenges such as differences in communication styles, cross-cultural competence, and group dynamics. Finally, she provided tips for developing a study-abroad program and recruiting diverse students from various academic disciplines. Ideas for course structure, assignments, and evaluations were discussed as well.

As global engagement has become increasingly crucial in advertising education, Dr Chu has led three different study-abroad programs to facilitate transformative global learning. These programs are “Advertising and Social Media in China” (2016 Shanghai), “Advertising and Branding in Asia” (2019 Taipei and Tokyo), and “Global Branding, Youth Culture Through Anime” (2024 Taipei and Tokyo). Each of these programs not only offered students an opportunity to explore the roles of culture in shaping Asian consumers’ attitudes toward advertising and brands but also promoted intercultural competence.

Dr Chu’s first study-abroad program, Advertising and Social Media in China, was offered by the College of Communication and in partnership with the Chinese Studies Program at DePaul University. Students participated in a 6-week summer language program at Fudan University in Shanghai while taking Dr Chu’s course focusing on advertising and social media. The program was structured with pre-departure classes in spring and the travel component in summer. The program included site visits, guest speaking sessions, cultural activities, and two-day excursions in Nanjing. For example, students visited Leo Burnett, one of the largest global advertising agencies, and received an overview of advertising in China, particularly how advertisers in China segment the population into tiers based on city, and compared this market segmenting strategy to American practices. This program is a good example of cross-college collaboration (Communication and Modern Languages) and different communication styles (using emails in the US and WeChat in China). It also offered the opportunity to discuss small-group dynamics during study-abroad trips.

The second program that Dr Chu developed and implemented was her Advertising and Branding in Asia program. To help American students gain a better understanding of the motivation of consumers in Asia, this short-term, faculty-led study-abroad program explored advertising and marketing communications in Taiwan and Japan. The program began with in-person and online sessions during the spring quarter, followed by a two-week visit to Taipei and Tokyo. This class successfully combined hands-on work in transcultural teams, visits to local and international agencies, and cultural immersion activities. Students joined a design-centric business model workshop in Taiwan, hosted by Ming Chi University of Technology (MCUT, Taiwan), that included students from a variety of programs and backgrounds such as Taiwanese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian. The teams also had design students from Robert Morris University (RMU, USA) and information technology students from Berufliche Schule ITECH Elbinsel Wilhelmsburg (ITECH, Germany). The DePaul students contributed to the advertising and marketing expertise for the project. Teams were tasked with designing a new product line or application for a local coffee company and developing a marketing program for the brand. This project provided students with the opportunity to develop intercultural competencies and cultivate new advertising strategy and creativity skills for working in interdisciplinary and intercultural teams. In addition, this multi-country program allowed students to compare and contrast markets in the U.S., Taiwan, and Japan.

Although the Advertising and Branding in Asia program was highly successful and Dr Chu received recognition for her innovation and advancement in global advertising education, she had to pause the program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To boost enrollment and recruit more diverse students to join the program after the pandemic, she has repositioned the program as Global Branding, Youth Culture Through Anime, to attract students from programs such as computer science, animation, Japanese Studies, psychology, and marketing. As expected, this newly repositioned program attracted more than fifty applications from a variety of programs around the campus. The program also began with pre-departure classes in spring and a trip to Taipei and Tokyo in summer. These two major Asian cities gave students a great opportunity to learn about youth culture and the anime industry through the lens of advertising. In addition to learning from traditional advertising agencies such as Ogilvy Taiwan, students visited Cyber Connect 2, a Japanese video game developer that developed a series of Naruto fighting games. While in Tokyo, students also visited anime-themed restaurants and stores such as the Nintendo Store and the Pokémon Store, where they got an idea of the contrast between how anime advertising and promotion are practiced in the U.S. At the end of the program, students applied their experience through reflection papers and individual assignments in which they reflected on their global learning while analyzing the practices they were observing. Logistical support for Dr Chu’s study-abroad program is provided by WorldStrides, an educational travel partner. In terms of funding opportunities, DePaul and non-DePaul students can apply for a range of scholarships to support in-person study abroad programs (see Appendix).

Speaker 4: Kasey Windels, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising, University of Florida

Dr Windels delivered an insightful presentation on the Cannes Lions Study Abroad course, which she co-led with Kim Fowler. This unique program was designed to provide advertising students with a rich combination of academic instruction, cultural immersion, and professional development by integrating coursework with participation in the renowned Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. The course exemplified how international experiences could be thoughtfully embedded into advertising education to cultivate global awareness, creative thinking, and industry engagement.

The structure of the program is divided into two phases to ensure students are well-prepared for the international component. It begins with three and a half weeks of online synchronous instruction that introduces students to core concepts such as creativity, storytelling, branding, and the global advertising landscape. This academic foundation sets the stage for the second phase: an 18-day immersive experience in France. During this time, students travel to Cannes, Nice, and Antibes, engaging in various cultural activities and professional site visits. Central to this phase is their active participation in the Cannes Lions Festival, where students are exposed to leading creatives, emerging trends, and innovative work from around the world.

The six-credit-hour curriculum is anchored in project-based learning. Key assignments include visual storytelling projects, group storyboard presentations, personal branding exercises, and a campaign adaptation tailored to a French audience. This series of assignments is designed to prepare them for both the creative and networking aspects of the Festival. During the synchronous online component, students developed a campaign for the French brand Bonne Maman, first for an American audience and then, following their cultural immersion, for a French audience. This exercise highlighted how brands adapt campaigns across cultural contexts. In addition, students honed their personal brand to prepare for the intensive networking at Cannes. They crafted personal statements that defined their values and strengths, envisioned their career trajectories through a vision board, and developed a 30-s elevator pitch. These activities encouraged students to reflect on their professional identity and practice communicating it succinctly, skills that proved vital during the week of deep professional engagement at the festival. Throughout the festival, students are encouraged to reflect daily via short video entries, fostering continuous personal and professional introspection. These reflections culminate in a final comprehensive project that captures their evolving understanding of cultural nuance, creative growth, and career aspirations. Dr Windels highlighted the transformative potential of the program, particularly its ability to deepen students’ perspectives on the global advertising ecosystem and help them situate themselves within it.

An important component of the program’s success is the partnership with a professional third-party provider, which offers extensive logistical support. Before departure, the provider assists with schedule development, hotel reservations, transportation coordination, event planning, and budgeting. During the trip, their on-the-ground support ensures that the group stays on track each day, handling transportation, guiding the itinerary, purchasing entry tickets, providing tips for local interactions, and even arranging medical appointments when needed. This comprehensive support system enables faculty to focus on teaching and mentoring while ensuring students have a smooth and enriching travel experience.

Speaker 5: Sydney Chinchanachokchai, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing, University of Akron

Dr Sydney Chinchanachokchai discussed the faculty-led study abroad program in Thailand that exemplified experiential learning, global collaboration, and applied marketing education. Drawing from her academic expertise in cross-cultural consumer behavior and sustainable marketing, Dr Chinchanachokchai designed the program to give students the opportunity to work on a real-world business project in a culturally immersive setting.

The theme of the program was about sustainable business and tourism. The signature feature was the cross-cultural group project between students from The University of Akron and Walailak University. The program was structured into two parts. The first part was the preparation phase. The American students learned about the local culture and language as well as went through preparation for international travel while the Thai students, who were considered the host, went through language preparation and a lecture on how to work and communicate with people from a different culture, in particular Americans. The second part included a 2-week trip to Thailand where each American student was assigned a local Thai friend whom they could ask questions related to the Thai culture, language, or other topics. This was to maximize the learning experience and cultural exposure for both parties. For 2 weeks, the students attended lectures, group discussions, and a guest-speaking session about international business and sustainable tourism in Thailand. The students also participated in net-zero carbon tourism activities such as a tie-dye workshop where the dye was made from a natural ingredient, eco kayaking, a Thai dessert class, and an eco-print workshop. In addition, the students were grouped into teams where each team consisted of three American students and three Thai students. These mixed teams were tasked with creating integrated marketing communication plans to promote the city (NST) as a competitive tourism destination. The students presented their recommendations to the NST Chamber of Commerce and the faculty members and received positive feedback and potential consideration for implementation.

The success of the program was largely due to the strong institutional partnership she had cultivated with Walailak University (WU), the partner university located in Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST), Thailand. This long-standing collaboration—rooted in joint research and shared academic values—allowed for an integrated study abroad program. Faculty at WU also assisted in logistical coordination and co-developed learning modules, as well as served as cultural liaisons. This program started with WU’s connection with the local community and sensed the need for students’ help in creating promotional campaigns for their businesses.

While the collaboration led to innovative ideas and connections, it also surfaced a common challenge faced by many cross-cultural teams in global organizations: communication barriers and different working styles. Students from both countries encountered difficulties related to language, differing communication and working styles as well as cultural expectations. Dr Chinchanachokchai used these factors as key teaching points. Rather than viewing the barriers as setbacks, she emphasized their role in fostering growth, resilience, and cultural competence, which are skills that are important for success in the global advertising and marketing industry. The American students reported an increase in cultural intelligence, global competency, and openness to diversity after the program completion (Chinchanachokchai et al., 2025). Additional details of the program, including the description, syllabus, and itinerary, can be found on the Study Abroad and Cultural Exchange Program in Thailand website (see Appendix).

Implications for Advertising Educators

For advertising educators who are considering incorporating global engagement into their curricula, the insights from this session offer several guidelines. First, virtual exchange programs (e.g., short-term dialogues or longer-term collaborative projects) offer an accessible and affordable way to global engagement in advertising education. These initiatives allow students to engage with diverse perspectives and develop intercultural competencies without the financial or logistical constraints of international travel. Second, intentional cultural preparation is critical to student success in global learning environments. Educators could provide structured pre-program activities that help students understand cultural differences, navigate unfamiliar/uncomfortable situations, and reflect on their own cultural assumptions. These efforts can increase students’ adaptability during the program and the depth of their intercultural learning. Third, building strong partnerships with international institutions, faculty, and/or third-party providers is essential for the effective delivery of the programs. These collaborations support logistical planning, enrich cultural experiences, and contribute to the academic and professional rigor of the program. Lastly, incorporating real-world applications into global engagement courses is important (e.g., assignments that involve campaign development, client interaction, or cross-cultural teamwork). These activities allow students to apply their knowledge in meaningful, culturally relevant contexts. Such experiential learning not only reinforces academic concepts but also helps students build practical skills necessary for careers in a globalized advertising industry.