Developing the open virtual mobility learning hub

Abstract

Today’s globalization affects the higher education at its core system, policies, and new models of education delivery but also for students’ mobility. In the era of online and mobile learning, of massive open online courses (MOOCs), adding virtual components to students and/or teacher mobility has become a requirement. Virtual Mobility (VM) has a great potential to contribute to the internationalization, innovation and inclusion in higher education. This paper presents the design and the development of the Open Virtual mobility Learning Hub (OpenVM) as a collaborative online and mobile environment for promoting VM Skills of educators and students in the European Higher Education Area. The OpenVM Learning Hub assists to enhance the Virtual Mobility readiness of higher education institutions, educators and students through achievement, assessment and recognition of VM skills. The OpenVM Learning Hub includes interactive, multiple levels MOOCs in VM Skills, the VM Skills assessment, VM Skills, Open Badges and open virtual mobilities collaboration for different stakeholders. This paper analyses different scenarios for the OpenVM Learning hub, its development based on open education principles and the inclusion of the first Open VM MOOC.