Virtual Mobility 101

The video shows students from different European countries (from France to Slovenia, from Poland to Finland). They are excited about a new kind of course in which students can share experiences with people from other countries, and earn Ec-points.
The course is called Virtual Mobility 101. It prepares participants to taking (higher
education) courses abroad, without actually travelling. So, you might call this virtual mobility, or virtual travel.
In Europe, it makes more and more sense for students to start early with learning how to collaborate with Europeans from other countries.
The course offers exercises in intercultural communication and a wiki on national cultures and languages. It prepares for other courses which can be taken abroad, like those virtual mobility-courses listed in European course catalogues (such as Epics). Information on such international exchange programs, either physical or virtual, can be obtained by so-called Erasmus Coordinators, present at most higher education providers in the EU.
To an outsider, the idea may sound too simple:
Hasnt there always been one big catalogue of all higher education courses in Europe, letting customers decide which courses he/she wants to take? Nope! Afraid not.
The first steps towards this ideal are now being taken. It may take a while before we are there completely. For one, not all institutions recognize each others courses. And how to arrange the course payments? And of course, not all blends of courses are equally meaningful and useful.
More student freedom in choosing their courses throughout Europe seems possible though. The video producers believe in the ideal. EU speaks of the European Area of Higher Education. Does such an area exist? Well, its taking shape.
Every student (whatever his/her age) who takes a VM course helps to make it happen. A Europe in which the universities and schools are not locked up behind national borders. An open education area in which students can combine courses from different providers to a meaningful program. In which the Europe-wide competition encourages the institutions to provide the best quality.
If you are studying, or thinking about taking a course, consider choosing a course from abroad.
Like Virtual Mobility 101, or one of the many other courses.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• distance education
• higher education
• virtual mobility
• lifelong learning
• virtual travel
• Erasmus
• Erasmus coordinators
• course abroad
• student interviews
• ec-points
• ec-credits
• exchange program
• Erasmus coordinator
• European higher education area
• DG Culture and Education
• intercultural communication
• Hofstede
• Epics
• virtual mobility 101
• morevm
• morevm.org
• national cultures
• language
• wiki