Xiaohongshu
International Mobility Opportunities through the Students' Union UCL
International Mobility is all about opening doors to the world. Discover international mobility programmes organised by Students’ Union UCL, experience new cultures and learning environments, and find out what funding is available to support you.
Explore our Programmes
Fonact Theatre Collaboration
A partnership with the Fontainebleau School of Acting in France, an international conservatoire in the performing arts. Students take part in a workshop on ensemble-based theatre making, working closely with Fonact students to explore creativity, connection, and collaborative storytelling. Participants form a temporary theatre ensemble to create work together, experience new approaches to creative learning, and deepen their cultural competence through meaningful cross-cultural exchange.
LPI & UCL Hackathon
This exchange, delivered in partnership with the Learning Planet Institute (LPI) in Paris, sends a group of UCL students to France to work directly on research with real-world applications. Teams work together to address a real social problem set by a non-profit organisation, which provides the brief, expected outputs, and success criteria. Students collaborate with peers from LPI during a Paris-based hackathon, applying their academic knowledge to tangible challenges. Through this experience, participants gain practical research skills, strengthen their intercultural competence, and contribute to meaningful social impact.
WP Summer Programme
Delivered in partnership with UCL Study Abroad, this fully funded programme gives 30 eligible UCL students the opportunity to attend a summer programme at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Applications are particularly encouraged from students who are care experienced, estranged, or have caring responsibilities.
SJTU & UCL Hackathon
A one-day collaborative challenge that brings together students from UCL and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Participants work in mixed teams to address a real social problem related to climate issues. The experience offers hands-on learning in creative problem-solving, cross-cultural collaboration, and rapid idea development, while contributing to meaningful social impact.
What you will gain from these opportunities:
- Developing Intercultural Skills
- Building Independence and Confidence
- Creating Global Friendships
- Gaining Practical Experience that Strengthens Your CV
Experiencing another country challenges the assumptions we take for granted at home and reveals alternative ways of thinking, working and building community. By collaborating across borders, students gain skills that can’t be taught in a classroom such as negotiating cultural differences, adapting to unfamiliar systems, and building partnerships that extend beyond a single campus or country.
Student Testimonies
“Forming an ensemble with the Fonact students was really special! They were all so kind, open, and supportive, and together we created a safe space where we could all learn and work without fear of judgement.” -student from Fonact exchange
“I loved the quality of teaching; the instructors were so kind, nurturing and confident in where they were taking us as students.” -student from Fonact exchange
“What a wonderful way to end my time at UCL. The trip allowed me to strengthen friendships and create new ones and has given me a greater appreciation for hard work and dedicating time to your craft.”-student from Fonact exchange
“Knowing that our solutions could actually help shape their future messaging made the whole process feel useful and grounded. It reminded me that as students, we're not just here to learn in theory, we can make a real difference when we get to work with communities”.-student from LPI exchange
“This opened my mind to seeing how different solutions exist based on varying local contexts.”-student from SJTU exchange
Student Vlog from WP Summer School
Funding
Funding opportunities are available at various points throughout the year. Check our Intercultural Engagement Funding page for more information.
