How can youth build intercultural skills without leaving home?
The answer is being shaped by a new generation of Armenian youth.
Between July 2025 and March 2026, 22 students from the British International School of Armenia (BISA) successfully completed the AFS Global You Adventurer Virtual Exchange program. This milestone highlights the ability of digital education to transcend borders and bring high-quality learning opportunities to new audiences, equipping youth with essential 21st-century skills such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving.
Moreover, Virtual Exchange models such as this one allow BISA and AFS to collaborate in innovative ways to create high-quality educational experiences that benefit youth in Armenia and beyond.
Adventurers in Action: A Framework for Globally Competent Teenagers
AFS Global You Adventurer is a rigorous, five-week virtual exchange experience designed for learners aged 14 to 17. Delivered through a digital learning platform, the program offers a structured pedagogical journey toward developing Global Competence.
It features a two-layer approach: 20 interactive, self-paced modules featuring animated videos and reflective assignments, plus four live, facilitated dialogue sessions led by AFS experts.
What makes this initiative uniquely transformative is its multilateral approach. Students transcend geographical boundaries, forming genuine connections and engaging in culturally rich exchanges with peers from around the world across different cohorts throughout the year.
Originally launched in 2020, the program has reached more than 1,200 students from 65 countries over the last six years, with participation and geographic reach growing with each new cohort.
The AFS Framework for Active Global Citizenship is at the heart of this initiative. This educational framework defines active global citizens as people who use an ethical and compassionate internal compass to guide their choices, ultimately working toward a world that is more just, peaceful, and sustainable. By emphasizing critical inquiry and the ability to connect with others across diverse backgrounds, we equip young people to address the defining challenges of our era through meaningful action.
Image from the final live session of the November 2025 cohort, with BISA students participating.
Building “Empathy Muscles”
The AFS Global You Adventurer curriculum cultivates global competencies through a rigorous, integrated four-phase model: Discover, Deliver, Deepen, and Debrief. Learners embark on a journey to better understand how they and their peers make meaning of the world, deepening their emotional awareness and mastering strategies to navigate cultural complexities while building intercultural bridges.
Throughout this journey, students cultivate the essential 21st-century skills of practicing empathy and suspending judgment—both fundamental to success in a globalized world.
For BISA participants, the program marked an important milestone in their development and a valuable addition to their personal portfolios. One of them noted the lasting impact of this virtual exchange:
“The tools I gained from this wonderful program
are going to be the tools I build my future with,
and trust me, these tools could build one sturdy future.”
Celebrating BISA student achievements
BISA places a strong emphasis on recognizing and celebrating its students’ achievements. Participation in the AFS Global You Adventurer program has been a valuable experience, helping students develop new skills while also giving them the opportunity to demonstrate initiative and a global outlook.
After completing the program, students’ achievements are shared within the school community through internal platforms and events. Participants receive certificates, and their experiences are also shared to give others a clearer sense of what the program entails and to encourage interest in similar international opportunities. In this way, their experiences have a broader impact within the school community.
BISA STUDENTS RECEIVE THEIR GLOBAL YOU ADVENTURER CERTIFICATES
A Collaboration to Benefit the Youth of the Future
This success is the result of a growing collaboration between BISA and AFS. The joint efforts of the BISA operations and administrative team—Kristine Martirosyan and Anna Tadevosyan—and the AFS team, including Pablo Cornejo and Carolina Cortés Jiménez, helped ensure a high-quality student experience.
As these first 22 Armenian Adventurers look toward their futures, they do so not just as virtual exchange participants, but as Active Global Citizens ready to make a meaningful difference on the world stage, fully equipped to navigate diverse environments with self-awareness and open-mindedness.
AFS’s History in Armenia & the BISA Chapter
While AFS does not currently maintain a physical office in Armenia, the organization’s reach is grounded in a long-standing tradition of programming involving Armenian youth.
This legacy is built upon foundational mobility initiatives such as FLEX and the European Solidarity Corps, alongside a network of strategic institutional alliances. AFS’s commitment to the region is further realized through collaborations on special projects with the Youth Initiative Centre (YIC) in Gyumri, the AFS Youth Assembly, and Teach for Armenia, among others, helping to ensure a sustained and meaningful impact.
We are excited that the recent collaboration between AFS and BISA marks a new chapter in this history.
About the British International School of Armenia
The British International School of Armenia (BISA) is an international school in Yerevan offering a high-quality British-based education to students from diverse backgrounds. As the first Pearson Edexcel-accredited international school in Armenia, established in 2017, BISA provides a structured yet flexible academic pathway across both middle and high school. In middle school, students follow the Key Stage 3 (KS3) and IGCSE programs, building a strong academic foundation alongside critical thinking and independent learning skills. In high school, BISA offers two pathways: the Pearson Edexcel International A Level program and the Armenian national curriculum, allowing students to choose a route aligned with their academic goals. A Level graduates gain access to over 14,000 universities worldwide. BISA fosters a diverse and collaborative community, supporting students in developing responsibility and a strong academic and personal foundation. To learn more, visit bis.am
About AFS
AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. To learn more, visit afs.org
About AFS Global You Adventurer
AFS Global You Adventurer is a 5-week interactive virtual exchange program, open to teens aged 14–17 anywhere in the world, designed to develop key 21st-century global skills and build bridges across cultures. This is a one-of-a-kind virtual program in which teens develop their intercultural communication skills and become part of a truly global community. Explore this program at afs.org/adventurer
More on AFS Virtual Exchanges
AFS Virtual Exchange programs are high-impact, educational, fun, and truly global experiences, built on decades of expertise in the field. Our virtual programs build global mindsets and skills for personal and professional growth, shaping the next generation of Active Global Citizens. Learn more at afs.org/virtual-exchange