Stay in the loop! Subscribe to our mailing list
Will virtual education become the new paradigm of internationalisation? Will it succeed and replace the traditional modes of international cooperation and internationalization, such as the mobility of students and faculty, international curricula, etc?
What will be the implication of “virtual onslaught” on the work of internationalisation agencies?
These were questions raised in one of the books in the ACA Papers series The Virtual Challenge to International Cooperation in Higher Education, published back in 2002. Back then, ACA already explored the implications of virtual reality on the internationalisation of higher education. We have talked about the redefinition of mobility or academic exchange in light of virtual reality, the possibilities and limits of virtual mobility, the virtual learning cultures, the imagination of a “Global U” or “European University” initiative as an incentive for advancing international virtual education, etc. (see Wächter, B. (Ed.) (2002) The Virtual Challenge to International Cooperation in Higher Education). Many of these topics remain relevant today.
On November 22 (Friday), ACA will revisit the same theme From physical to virtual? Internationalising higher education in the digital age in the 61st ACA European Policy Seminar. In the one-day programme, we have packed in policy updates on the digitalisation of higher education in Europe, with a particular attention paid to the new Erasmus programme 2021-2027, and an overview of the latest developments of digital infrastructure and digital tools that are at the disposal of universities for advancing their internationalisation ambitions. A panel discussion drawing together representatives of old and new university consortia and developers of digital solutions will go through administrative challenges for the creation of a “European Campus” and explore the potential and limitations of digital solutions in overcoming obstacles lying in front of the newly selected European University Alliances or other forms of cross-border university consortia. Following that, the seminar will also discuss the use of micro-credentials for online learning, and the critical use of digital data for strategic marketing and recruitment of international students.
To complete the programme, ACA Director Bernd Waechter will compare notes of the new developments discussed in the seminar and those he summarised from the Fjaerland Conference in 2001, and tell us what he thinks will change or not in the next 20 years.
Who should attend?
The one-day intensive programme is to tie together all cross-cutting issues related to internationalisation and digitalisation, and bring together policy makers and practitioners for an all-round discussion on policies and practices.
Our traditional target participants are policy makers and staff members working on internationalisation matters:
Particularly for this seminar, universities that are newly selected or preparing for the upcoming rounds of the European Universities Initiative or other global university alliances may find inspirations on the potential use of digital tools to overcome challenges in arranging seamless mobility on a European Campus.
Of course, the mainstreaming of internationalisation and digitalisation means that our programme will not only benefit our traditional target groups, the friends of ACA, but any higher education professionals or academics actively involved in both internationalisation and digitalisation activities.
All are welcome. We believe that diversity and inclusion will only benefit the entire discussion in this one-day seminar.
Registration is open now. Sign up to reserve yourself a good spot for the show.
To register now, please click here.