Cross-cultural Collaboration Inspired by a Sustainable Building Course in Costa Rica.

Developing successful study abroad programs challenges many higher education institutions. One particular aspect is the development of strong partnerships with institutions hosting the students. This paper provides a discussion of some of the main challenges and lessons learned from a successful partnership between two international universities that have created a study abroad program focusing on sustainable building practices with the aim to prepare students for global sustainability challenges. The program incorporates lectures, guest speakers, field trips, students' presentations, as well as individual and group activities. Also, students have a 2-nightstay with local families and participate in a service-learning project, all of which impact student thinking, cultural awareness, and social connectivity. Having these multiple learning activities posed challenges in the organization and execution of the program. However, students have developed critical skills to communicate with others from different backgrounds. The significance of this paper is to provide lessons learned to help others better understand the challenges of developing a successful partnership among international universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]