{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T11:00:47Z","timestamp":1785150047240,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785110400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nurs. Rep.","Nursing Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: We conducted a virtual exchange program (VEP) to facilitate discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among nursing students in Belgium, Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand and to assess the improvements in international competencies. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study with a pre- and post-test design, students who voluntarily participated in the VEP were compared with a matched group of non-participants. International competencies were assessed using the STRENCO (Strengthening multi-professional competencies in mental health) Competency Assessment Tool, a self-assessment tool. Hence, this analysis is based on self-reported data, which were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. Results: The analysis included 29 and 34 students in the intervention and control groups, respectively. A significant interaction effect between group and time was observed for intercultural competence (p = 0.004, 95% confidence interval (CI): [0.18, 0.87]), personal growth (p = 0.013, 95%CI: [0.10, 0.79]), and digital competence (p = 0.020, 95%CI: [0.09, 1.05]). In contrast, the interaction was not significant for language skills (p = 0.168, 95%CI: [\u22120.10, 0.58]), global engagement (p = 0.716, 95%CI: [\u22120.28, 0.40]), and international discipline learning (p = 0.058, 95%CI: [\u22120.02, 0.87]). Conclusions: This SDG-focused VEP involving nursing students from four countries across Europe and Asia provided a structured approach to international exchange education and may have enhanced intercultural competence, personal growth, and digital competence as components of international competencies. This study is expected to explore future VEP-based practices and international exchanges.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep16080258","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T09:47:41Z","timestamp":1785145661000},"page":"258","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Enhancing Nursing Students\u2019 International Competencies Through a Virtual Exchange Program: A Quasi-Experimental Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6447-1296","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tomomi","family":"Suda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Akita University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Akita 010-8543, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-1331-3332","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Piyaorn","family":"Wajanatinapart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Nursing, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6985-7158","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ni Luh Putu Dewi","family":"Puspawati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Wira Medika Bali Health College, Denpasar 80239, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3356-5396","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lisa","family":"Kerckhof","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Healthcare, VIVES University of Applied Sciences, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1147-5346","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sachiko","family":"Makabe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Akita University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Akita 010-8543, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-8217-6382","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anak Agung Istri Dalem","family":"Hana Yundari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Wira Medika Bali Health College, Denpasar 80239, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8380-3850","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Suparpit Maneesakorn","family":"von Bormann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Nursing, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"3","article-title":"What is global competence, and what might it look like in Chinese schools?","volume":"19","author":"Mansilla","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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