How can virtual mobility contribute to internationalization of Higher Education and to grow in intercultural competence?

1. Virtual Mobility
in Higher Education
Wim Van Petegem
KU Leuven

2. Background projects

3. Virtual Mobility: definition
“Virtual Mobility stands for the use of information and communication
technologies (ICT) to obtain the same benefits as one would have
with physical mobility but without the need to travel”
elearningeuropa.info
“ Virtual Mobility is a form of learning which consists of virtual
components through an ICT supported learning environment
that includes cross-border collaboration with people from different
backgrounds and cultures working and studying together, having, as
its main purpose, the enhancement of intercultural
understanding and the exchange of knowledge. ”
Being Mobile Manual

4. Virtual Mobility: definition (II)
a set of ICT supported activities,
organized at institutional level,
that realize or facilitate international,
collaborative experiences in a context of
teaching and/or learning.

5. Virtual mobility
Inter-
national
dimension
Inter-
cultural
competence

6. International dimension
Internationalisation is about the integration of an international
dimension into the research, teaching and services function of
Higher Education:
• Credit mobility: Students are sent (mostly physically, sometimes virtually)
to another university and take a few courses, which are recognised in the home
university according to the ECTS, and which are formally mentioned in a diploma
supplement.
• Degree mobility: One step further is the level of a complete program or
curriculum, jointly organised by two or more institutions, with an international touch
in content and in format, well or not including physical mobility of students and/or
teachers, and leading to a double or joint degree.
• …

7. International dimension (II)
• …
• Global mobility: Instead of just a few institutions setting up bilateral
agreements for students in a specific program, the next step is going really global
and making strategic institutional networks for cross-border collaboration at all
levels.
• System mobility: If those alliances are touching the whole institutional
structure and infrastructure, a more systemic approach is necessary, changing in a
fundamental way all core processes within the institution, even beyond teaching
and learning.
• Excellence mobility: The ultimate goal for many HEIs is to become
world-class leaders on a global scale and this will probably end up in high-level
leagues of institutions with similar ambitions for excellence in international
academic teaching and learning.
(cf ACA Handbook on Internationalisation of HE)

8. Intercultural competence
Intercultural competence is about
the ability to understand and respond
to cultural difference in increasingly
sophisticated ways.
This ability shows itself in three aspects: it is about the
changes of an individual’s knowledge (cognition),
attitudes (emotions) and skills (behaviour) in order to
enable a positive and effective interaction with members
of other cultures, both abroad and at home.

9. Types of Virtual Mobility
• Related to international student or staff exchanges
o Virtual mobility to facilitate a physical international
exchange (blended)
o Virtual mobility to realise an international exchange, i.e.
the student follows substantial parts of a programme at a
distance, supported via ICT (virtual)
• Related to international internships
o Virtual mobility to facilitate physical international
internships (blended)
o Virtual mobility to realise international internships (virtual)
• Related to an internationalised curriculum
o Virtual mobility as a scenario to internationalise a (part of
a) course (chapter, exercise, task, project), programme,
workshop, seminar, … This can be either fully virtual or
blended.

10. Virtual Mobility Activities
• Orientation modules
• Course information
• Preparatory courses
(language, culture, digital
literacy)
• Pre-selection tools
• …
• Virtual assessment and
evaluation at a distance
• Virtual alumni
• …
• E-coaching
• Permanent evaluation/assessment
BEFORE DURING AFTER

11. Virtual buddy system (KU Leuven)

12. Contents of the course: During the exchange
Go Abroad!, Laurea (Finland)
- Assignments online
(e.g. what special
knowledge can your
practice place offer you in
the point of view of your
studies?)
- Writing the Go Abroad diary
regularly
- Participation in discussions
with the International
Coordinators and other
students abroad

13. Virtual Alumni
Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association
www.erasmusmundus-alumni.eu
Erasmus Student Network Alumni Society
www.alumni.esn.org
Students organize themselves in a
Facebook (or other social media) environment

14. Three phases of a virtual internship
BEFORE

15. Three phases of a virtual internship
DURING

16. Three phases of a virtual internship
AFTER

17. Projects background
• Dissemination→ difficult to reach companies
• Exploitation → need for a structural collaboration
between companies and higher education
• www.euvip.eu
• develop and implement a specific
dissemination strategy for companies
• create an international network, supported
through an online platform
• www.provip.info

18. VMCOLAB
‘European Co-Laboratory for the Integration of Virtual Mobility in
Higher Education Innovation and Modernisation Strategies’
Duration: 1 October 2012 – 31 January 2015
Partners:
• KU Leuven (BE)
• EFQUEL (BE)
• Coimbra Group (BE)
• University of Padova (IT)
• University of Porto (PT)
• Vytautas Magnus University (LT)
• University of Granada (ES)
• United Nations University (DE)
• University Politehnica of Bucharest (RO)
Funded by the European Commission under the
Lifelong Learning Programme

19. VMCOLAB – the project
“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”

20. VMCOLAB – the results
For higher education institutions
• A Quality Assurance handbook for Virtual Mobility
• A Virtual Mobility Integration Kit
• Institutional Awareness Seminars
• VMCOLAB Co-Laboratory on LinkedIn
For students
• A Students’ Guide to Virtual Mobility
• ‘Virtual4Me’ website
For policy makers
• Policy recommendations
• Policy event

21. VMCOLAB - websites
VMCOLAB project website
www.vmcolab.eu
Virtual4Me website (for students)
virtual4me.vmcolab.eu
On LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Virtual-Mobility-
CoLaboratory-6934729/about

22. iLearning
Higher education
is international,
intercultural,
intergenerational,
interdisciplinary,
…
thanks to
(or despite?)
new educational technologies

23. Questions? Suggestions?

24. Info
Prof.dr.ir. Wim Van Petegem
KU Leuven
W. De Croylaan 56, B-3001 Heverlee (Belgium)
T: +32-16-32.78.13
F: +32-16-32.82.70
M: +32-477-77.22.86
S: wvanpetegem
E: wim.vanpetegem@kuleuven.be
L: http://be.linkedin.com/in/wimvanpetegem