What is Virtual Mobility?

Virtual mobility entails students taking one or more online course units at a foreign partner institution, without physical travel. An internationally recognisable term for this principle is online distance courses. The co-ordinating institution awards the credits (ECTS), which are then recognised in the student’s home curriculum.

There are two ways to implement blended mobility: Ghent University students can take online course units at a foreign partner institution, and vice versa.

Virtual mobility allows students to acquire valuable international experiences without the need to travel abroad according to the principles of internationalisation@home. It fosters the inclusion, diversity, sustainability and accessibility of higher education.

 

Online course units eligible for virtual mobility are different from MOOCs (massive online open courses): while the former are officially credited course units, the latter are typically not, at least not at Ghent University. The co-ordinating institution draws up a course sheet. 

 

How to (Re)Design a Course Unit for Virtual Mobility?

 

An online course unit can take various forms and requires a thorough (re)design of your course unit. Look at the figure below and click on the elements for more information.

How can Ghent University students take an online course unit at a partner institution as virtual mobility?

 

Agreements can be made with existing partners (e.g. ENLIGHT) on admitting each other’s students to their online course offer.

Students can then add an online course unit as an exchange course unit to their curriculum (subject to approval by the Curriculum Committee).  This procedure is similar to taking electives from outside the Ghent University course offer (e.g. from another Flemish university): students have to follow the instructions of their faculty and state their intentions when they submit their draft curriculum. Course units from exchanges are listed on the diploma supplement, including the name of the partner institution. Virtual mobility does not require an exchange application. The student must register at the partner institution and follow its guidelines. 

Need Help?

Lecturers and study programmes can contact the University Services for Education and Research. We will help you explore the possibilities, find partners and funding opportunities for designing your course units, and navigate the red tape. We can help you with the following topics: 

• orientation: does blended mobility suit our context?
• administration: <hat does the admission procedure for students look like? 
• teaching: how to teach effectively in an online international classroom? How to keep students motivated during the synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities?  
• assessment: what are the options and points to consider for online assessment? 

Get in touch with our colleagues at onderwijsondersteuning@ugent.be, and they will assist you.

Download a PDF copy of this Education Tip here.

Want to Know More?

 

• Online Learning in an International Context: What and Why?
• Virtual Exchange
• Blended Mobility