The VMCOLAB project aims to promote virtual mobility in European higher education. It has developed support materials and run pilots integrating virtual exchange into courses on open educational resources, water management, and career services staff training. The document outlines the project partners and objectives, defines virtual mobility, and describes three pilot programs integrating virtual exchange into existing university courses and staff professional development.

1. vmcolab.eu
Presenter
Name Event Name
vmcolab.eu
Intercultural exchange while
staying in the classroom:
the VMCOLAB project
Bas Bergervoet, KU Leuven | 13/02/2014
Unicollaboration conference, Léon (Spain)

2. vmcolab.eu
VMCOLAB
‘European Co-Laboratory for the Integration of Virtual
Mobility in Higher Education Innovation and Modernisation
Strategies’
Duration: 1 October 2012 – 30 September 2014
Partners:
• KU Leuven (BE)
• SCIENTER (IT)
• EFQUEL (BE)
• Coimbra Group (BE)
• University of Porto (PT)
Vytautas Magnus University (LT)
University of Granada (ES)
University of Padova (IT)
United Nations University (DE)
University Politehnica of Bucharest (RO)
Funded by the European Commission
under the Lifelong Learning Programme

3. vmcolab.eu
Project aims
“contribute to the innovation and
internationalisation of European Higher
Education Institutions by exploiting the full
potential of ICT and Virtual Mobility and
broadening the access to an international
learning experience for all European students”
“develop support materials and services for
those wanting to engage in virtual mobility
experiences”

4. vmcolab.eu
Objectives/Results
• Quality Assurance handbook for Virtual
Mobility
• A Virtual Mobility Integration Kit
• Institutional Awareness Seminars
• A Students’ Guide to Virtual Mobility
• ‘Virtual4Me’ website: virtual4me.vmcolab.eu
• Policy recommendations & policy event
• And….. Pilots!

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Pilots
• Pilot on Open Educational Resources, led
by Vytautas Magnus University
• Pilot on Water Management, led by KU
Leuven
• Pilot on Career Service Staff Training, led
by University of Padova
--> Piloting guidelines & training course

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VM definition in VMCOLAB
“set of information and communications
technology supported activities, organized
at institutional level, that realize or
facilitate international, collaborative
experiences in a context of teaching
and/or learning”
European Commission Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
establishing "ERASMUS FOR ALL". The Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport (2011). Brussels.
Accessed on April 10, 2013 at http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus-for-all/doc/legal_en.pdf

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Different kinds of VM
• TVM = Teacher Virtual Mobility
• SVM = Student Virtual Mobility
• TVM + SVM

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OER Pilot
Online course with ECTS
(nov/dec 2013)

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Pilot participants
From the consortium
• Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania (coordination, 3 teachers + 1 moderator)
• University of Granada, Spain (3 teachers)
• EFQUEL, Belgium (2 teachers)
Co-organiser from outside the consortium
• University of Pavia, Italy (1 teacher)
• University of Jyvaskyla, Finland (1 teacher)
18 participants/learners
• University of Granada, Spain - 3
• University of Porto, Portugal - 3
• Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania - 6 (incl. 2 Erasmus students)
• University of Pavia, Italy - 3
• University of Florence, Italy - 2
• Trento University, Italy – 1 (Chinese exchange student)

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Methodology
• Focused topic/short time
• Trusted network
• International comparative approach
• Selected/motivated students
• Tools used for high engagement level
• Pedagogy: high level of interaction/action
• Learner centered
• No final exam

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Learning outcomes
After the pilot, participants will be able to:
1. define OER, list their categories and compare
types and models of OER
2. characterize the quality and explain the purpose of
use of selected OER
3. analyze issues of OER development and use in
education, and categorize issues and challenges
of OER development and use in education
4. design use or reuse of OER and construct next
steps in OER development

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Pilot scope and mode
Week 1 Introduction to pilot
– 1 hour
1 hour
theoretical
presentation
on LO1 by HEI1
(Adobe
Connect)
Task No1 given
for
international
learner groups
(Moodle)
International
collaborative
group work
upon a task
No1
(facilitation by
HEI1)
Week 2 International learner
group presentation of
collaborative results
– 1 hour
(Adobe Connect)
1 hour
theoretical
presentation
on LO2 by HEI2
(Adobe
Connect)
Task No2 given
for
international
learner groups
(Moodle)
International
collaborative
group work
upon a task N2
Week …4 International learner
group presentation of
collaborative results
– 1 hour
(Adobe Connect)
Feedback and
evaluation.

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Outcomes
• 3 ECTS for free credits
• @www.teacamp.eu/moodle2
• Learning outcomes
• Experience and lessons learnt
• Certificates (for participants and teachers)
• Feedback
• Testimonials (2 videos)

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VM in action

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VM in action

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Water Management Pilot
International exchange integrated in
existing MA-level courses
(planning phase)

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Pilot participants
• KU Leuven, Belgium (coordination):
– Prof. Patrick Willems
• University of Granada, Spain
– Prof. Elena Sánchez
– Prof. Francisco J. Rueda
• University of Porto, Portugal
– Prof. Francisco Taveira Pinto

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VM in action

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VM Integration
• Sustainable integration of VM in existing
courses
– Exchanging ‘modules’ and course materials
– International online group work (comparative
approach)
– MA Thesis creation/supervision
• Planning
– Preparation since January 2014
– Start in 1st semester of academic year 2014-15

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Career Service Pilot
Virtual staff exchange for university
career services staff
(planning phase)

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Pilot participants
From the consortium
• University of Padova, Italy (coordination)
• University of Granada, Spain
• University of Porto, Portugal
• Coimbra Group, Belgium
Co-organiser from outside the consortium
• University of Iasi, Romania
Participating career services
• Université de Genève, Switzerland
• University of Bologna, Italy
• Aarhus University, Denmark
• National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
• Jagiellonian University, Poland

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Virtual staff exchange
• Exchanging good practices from all over Europe
– Career services policies in times of financial/economic crisis
– Required career skills
– Employability
• Developing intercultural awareness/competences
• Improving English language skills
• Format:
– Prior consultation of online learning materials (reading, multimedia)
– Expert introduction to a theme
– Faciliator-led discussion (Prof. Francesca Helm)
• 8 x 1,5h sessions via video conferencing
• Asynchronous communication via Moodle/e-mail
• Planning: spring/summer 2014

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More information?
VMCOLAB project website
www.vmcolab.eu
Virtual4Me website (for students)
virtual4me.vmcolab.eu
or send an e-mail
bas.bergervoet@kuleuven.be