This document discusses virtual mobility as an alternative or complement to physical student mobility. It defines virtual mobility as technology-supported international collaborative learning experiences. Virtual mobility can support physical exchanges through online orientation, language learning, and alumni networks. It can also internationalize courses through virtual internships, joint projects, and blended learning. Successful implementation requires consideration of technology, pedagogy, and organization. Virtual mobility is not a replacement for physical mobility but offers new ways to experience international learning.

1. VIRTUAL MOBILITY: AN ALTERNATIVE FOR
OR A COMPLEMENT TO PHYSICAL
MOBILITY?
Ilse Op de Beeck
Leuven Institute for Media and Learning – KU Leuven
30 June 2014 | 14e Frans-Nederlandse Ontmoetingsdagen
Lille, France

2. Context and definitions
‘Student mobility is an
important aspect of
internationalization …
but it is impossible to realize
physical exchange for the
majority of students’

3. Context and definitions
‘‘Virtual mobility is
the 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”

4. Videoconferencing Webconferencing Weblectures Streaming Audio/Video
Social Media (Web2.0) Screencasting/screensharing Podcasting …
ICT supported activities

5. Context of teaching and learning
Virtual mobility is about
teaching and learning (pedagogical
aspect) and all the activities that support
it, e.g. administrative, organisational,
logistical issues.

6. International
Virtual mobility is specifically about
cross-border activities between
different educational institutions from
different countries. Such activities are
subsequently intercultural in nature.

7. Collaborative
Virtual mobility activities enable
collaborative learning, i.e. learning
from and with each other. This aspect of
virtual mobility is considered to be
essential in relation to developing
intercultural competences and/or
sensitivity.

8. Virtual mobility
• to facilitate or realise an international exchange
• to facilitate or realise international internships
• as a scenario to internationalise a (part of a)
course (chapter, exercise, task, project),
programme, workshop, seminar,…
scale from blended to fully virtual
student and teacher virtual mobility
Types of virtual mobility

9. Projects on virtual and blended mobility -
Lifelong Learning Programme - EC

10. VM-BASE: Virtual Mobility Before and After
Student Exchanges
Socrates – Minerva project, October 2006 - September 2008
Move-IT: Seminars promoting Virtual
Support for Mobile Students
LLP project, November 2009 – December 2010
• To raise the quality of student exchanges by offering
virtual support, both before, during and after the
physical mobility
• Supporting teachers in coaching exchange students
at a distance
ICT as a support for physical
mobility

11. Before the exchange
• Orientation modules
• Preparatory courses (language, culture, digital literacy)
• Pre-selection tools, student selection
During the exchange
• E-coaching
• Communication, support, social networks
After the exchange
• Virtual assessment and evaluation at a distance
• Virtual alumni
ICT as a support for physical
mobility

12. Online Testing and
Learning Platform for
international students
enrolled for the Master
- access to platform before
the students come to
Leuven
Master in Physiotherapy, KU Leuven
ICT as a support for physical
mobility

13. Aim: equalise the initial level of the knowledge of
statistics of the (international) students of the Master
• Successful pre-tests allow full participation
• Unsuccessful pre-tests give access to online learning
modules from the KU Leuven Bachelor degree,
followed by new pre-tests
• Expectations for students are more transparent
ICT as a support for physical
mobility

14. Master European Social Security (Faculteit
Rechten), KU Leuven
• One-year international study programme in
English
• Blends regular with distance learning
• Need for oral examination at a distance
• Set-up of e-assessment through webconferencing
ICT as a support for physical
mobility

15. Set up of pilot
• Webconferencing through FlashMeeting/Adobe Connect
• Laptop and webcam on both sides
• Support staff
- Booking of meeting + manual for students
- Students receive link to meeting through e-mail
- Online examination + recording
Reactions…
• Quality similar to face-to-face
• Recordings are added value
• Time consuming
• Connectivity, crucial for timing
ICT as a support for physical
mobility

16. EU-VIP: Enterprise-University Virtual Placements
LLP project, October 2009 – September 2011
PROVIP: Promoting Virtual Mobility in Placements
LLP project, October 2012 – September 2014
• Virtual mobility to enhance international work
placements
• Development of framework, implement, test,
evaluate and improve via 19 pilot projects
• Identification of critical success factors
• Development platform
Virtual internships

17. Virtual internships

18. • University of Turku (FI)
• October 2010 – February 2011
• Master in Political Sciences
• Turku and Southwest Finland European office (BE)
• Student selection via Skype
• Tasks: following EU news, compiling news for
Finnish region, following online meetings of
EC,…
• Communication, cooperation and feedback via
Skype and Adobe Connect
• Academic mentor @ home
Virtual internships

19. • Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven (BE)
• February-June 2010
• Bachelor in Business Management
• Compulsory internship
• 11 students in foreign companies
• Participation in seminars via
videoconferencing
• Share/exchange experiences with peers at
home
• Self reflection and mentoring via e-portfolio
• Internationalisation @ home
Virtual internships

20. A tool for supporting and
facilitating international internships
at-a-distance
Virtual internships: Pathway
http://pathway.sekoialearn.com

21. Virtual internships: Pathway
• Supports matchmaking between students and
companies
• Supports the creation of an internship charter
• Enables a close follow-up of interns from a distance
• Supports online communication and collaboration
• Provides guidelines and advice about the organization
of virtual internships
Demo: http://www.provip.eu

22. VMCOLAB: European Co-Laboratory for the Integration of
Virtual Mobility in Higher Education Innovation and
Modernisation Strategies
LLP project, October 2012 – September 2014
• “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”
Internationalisation of curricula

23. Internationalisation of curricula
Objectives VMCOLAB project
• Develop a Quality Assurance approach for VM
• Develop institutional awareness of VM potential
• Develop students’ awareness on opportunities to use ICT
for intercultural study
• Develop mutual support services for HEIs willing to pilot
VM programmes
• Test a set of mutual support services for HEIs
• Integrate VM in institutional academic contexts

24. Internationalisation of curricula
Results
For higher education institutions
• A Quality Assurance handbook for Virtual Mobility
• A Virtual Mobility Integration Kit
• Institutional Awareness Seminars
For students
• A Students’ Guide to Virtual Mobility
• ‘Virtual4Me’ website: http://virtual4me.vmcolab.eu
Testimonials students: http://virtual4me.vmcolab.eu/vm-alumni-
testimonials
For policy makers
• Policy recommendations &
• Policy event

25. Internationalisation of curricula
Pilot project Water Management
• KU Leuven, universities of Granada and Porto
• Integrated in the curriculum
• Sharing of expertise of the different partner institutions –
exchange of modules and materials
• International online group work - Master thesis
• Intercultural aspects
• Preparation since January 2014

26. Technology
• Use the benefits of tools & technologies BUT no technology
without philosophy, vision, strategy
• Technology should be an aid, not a barrier
Pedagogy
• Choose the right scenario’s & models: student-centred,
collaborative learning,…
• Intercultural skills development: make goals explicit and
stimulate reflection (e.g. through peer feedback)
• Explicit attention for the human factor (face-to-face contact,
choice of technology, procedure in case of problems, room for
virtual ‘chitchat’)
Organisation
• Virtual mobility requires good organisation, planning, timing:
roles of those involved need to be clear, draw up a
communication protocol,…
Lessons learnt & recommendations

27. Virtual mobility: an alternative for or a
complement to physical mobility?
• No substitution for physical mobility but a
different way of being mobile!
• Blended approach!

28. VM-BASE project: vm-base.europace.org
Move-IT project: move-it.europace.org
VMCOLAB project: www.vmcolab.eu
Virtual4Me website (for students): virtual4me.vmcolab.eu
EU-VIP project: www.euvip.eu
PROVIP project: www.provip.eu
Pathway platform: pathway.sekoialearn.com
Projects funded by the European Commission
under the Lifelong Learning Programme
More information?

29. Contact
Ilse Op de Beeck
Leuven Institute for Media and Learning, KU Leuven
ilse.opdebeeck@kuleuven.be
More information?