As the pandemic sent far-flung students around the world world back to their home institutions or their hometowns in March 2020, study abroad offices grappled with an uncertain future.

Scores of student trips were canceled. And more than a year into the pandemic, it’s still uncertain when international travel will be ready to ramp up to its pre-COVID levels—and when students will feel safe traveling abroad again.

As the pandemic bore down, some higher education institutions looked digitally for alternatives, offering virtual study abroad and global exchange programs that aimed to help students build connections with other cultures.