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This paper examines the perspectives of educators on whether internationalisation at a distance (IaD) democratises student mobility in higher education. Adopting a collaborative autoethnographic approach, the analysis focuses on the perspectives of educators involved in virtual mobility practices in relation to three prompts: (1) IaD's capacity for democratisation, (2) IaD practices and the achievement of more equitable, accessible and inclusive education and (3) tensions that emerge from implementing IaD practices in institutional contexts. Applying a three‐dimensional theory of justice that supports parity of participation in social life (Scales of Justice, 2009), this paper explores educators' perceptions of IaD's potential to democratise student mobility. The findings demonstrate beliefs that IaD can only democratise student mobility to a certain extent. As educators embrace IaD as a set of inclusive and equitable practices, they also question the unequal availability of material, social and cultural resources that could realise the potential of IaD for students. Situated within IaD discourses in the Asia‐Pacific region, which have received little attention in the broader research field of virtual mobility, this paper reinforces the emerging recognition of the fundamental yet often overlooked tensions between internationalisation and democratisation. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic Internationalisation at a distance (IaD) is a growing practice in higher education internationalisation where students learn in their ‘home country’ aided by digital technologies with curriculum and educators located in a different geographical location. IaD blurs the boundaries of internationalisation and brings into question binaries such as ‘international/domestic’, ‘home/abroad’ and ‘geographic/virtual’, while inviting researchers, educators and institutions to rethink how they can reframe their internationalisation efforts. What this paper adds This paper probes the extent to which IaD can be seen as a more democratic form of student mobility, particularly in relation to addressing unequal participation of students in geographic mobility experiences. It shows that the potential of IaD to be democratising can be conflated into inclusive and equitable discourses without necessarily addressing structural, cultural and social barriers to student mobility. The paper highlights that IaD is best placed to address issues of distribution when it comes to ensuring students full parity of participation in mobility experiences. In this sense, IaD supports more students from disadvantaged backgrounds or with a disability to be able to participate fully in the educational, cultural and social gains afforded by internationalisation. The paper demonstrates IaD is not equipped to address issues of recognition and representation when it comes to ensuring students full parity of participation in mobility experiences. There is very little change to the locus of decision‐making regarding which mobility experiences are available to which students in IaD. Implications for practice and/or policy The paper recognises the potential of IaD as an internationalisation practice that shifts the deficit discourses surrounding virtual mobility and can enable wider access to mobility experiences. Practitioners in internationalisation efforts should consider what other mechanisms and initiatives need to be established institutionally to complement the potential of IaD, particularly mechanisms and initiatives around material, cultural and social resources that are unequally distributed and negatively impact students when it comes to mobility experiences. There is a pressing need to rethink IaD not as a ‘saviour’ or ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ for all the injustices that are part of internationalisation practices in higher education institutions. IaD is a step in the right direction that still requires a significant shift in power dynamics to allow parity in decision‐making for institutions outside privileged Global North contexts. What is already known about this topic Internationalisation at a distance (IaD) is a growing practice in higher education internationalisation where students learn in their ‘home country’ aided by digital technologies with curriculum and educators located in a different geographical location. IaD blurs the boundaries of internationalisation and brings into question binaries such as ‘international/domestic’, ‘home/abroad’ and ‘geographic/virtual’, while inviting researchers, educators and institutions to rethink how they can reframe their internationalisation efforts. What this paper adds This paper probes the extent to which IaD can be seen as a more democratic form of student mobility, particularly in relation to addressing unequal participation of students in geographic mobility experiences. It shows that the potential of IaD to be democratising can be conflated into inclusive and equitable discourses without necessarily addressing structural, cultural and social barriers to student mobility. The paper highlights that IaD is best placed to address issues of distribution when it comes to ensuring students full parity of participation in mobility experiences. In this sense, IaD supports more students from disadvantaged backgrounds or with a disability to be able to participate fully in the educational, cultural and social gains afforded by internationalisation. The paper demonstrates IaD is not equipped to address issues of recognition and representation when it comes to ensuring students full parity of participation in mobility experiences. There is very little change to the locus of decision‐making regarding which mobility experiences are available to which students in IaD. Implications for practice and/or policy The paper recognises the potential of IaD as an internationalisation practice that shifts the deficit discourses surrounding virtual mobility and can enable wider access to mobility experiences. Practitioners in internationalisation efforts should consider what other mechanisms and initiatives need to be established institutionally to complement the potential of IaD, particularly mechanisms and initiatives around material, cultural and social resources that are unequally distributed and negatively impact students when it comes to mobility experiences. There is a pressing need to rethink IaD not as a ‘saviour’ or ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ for all the injustices that are part of internationalisation practices in higher education institutions. IaD is a step in the right direction that still requires a significant shift in power dynamics to allow parity in decision‐making for institutions outside privileged Global North contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blended Mobility refers to the strategic combination of phases of online learning with periods of short physical mobility. This approach to international learning has gained considerable interest in European university education in recent years due to the introduction of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) in the new Erasmus + programme. BIPs are defined as a form of Blended Mobility which involve short, intensive programmes that use innovative ways of learning and teaching, including online cooperation. This article reports on the results of a survey of BIP academic coordinators which was carried out to establish an overview of current practices in the area. The study provides an overview of the perceived benefits of Blended Mobility and also identifies the main challenges which practitioners encounter when running such programmes. A series of good practices which are recommended by organisers are presented and this is followed by a discussion of the survey's major conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are two women international students from the Global South, situated in Turkey and the U.S. respectively. In this article, we utilize autoethnography to critically reflect on our intellectual, emotional, linguistic, and cultural growth during a virtual exchange program that we participated in during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this co-exploration, we re-reflect on and analyze our experiences as participants in a COIL program to consider, more broadly, the evolution and trajectory of virtual mobility in an uneven knowledge landscape. Collectively, we improved our English language skills through our exchange, while simultaneously resisting a deficit orientation of English language learning. We also expanded our epistemic and discursive horizons, learning about the vibrant and thriving cultural traditions, thought traditions, and religious/spiritual traditions of Turkmenistan and India, our home countries. Through technologies such as Zoom and WhatsApp, we discovered each other's personalities and backgrounds, centering sisterhood along the way. We framed our analysis through a critical internationalization perspective, delineating the challenges and limitations of virtual exchanges and arguing for equitable, transformative exchanges that honor southern epistemologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic-induced shift to online learning has increased the relevance of Online Intercultural Exchanges (OIE) as a means to navigate student mobility challenges. Our study investigates the role of OIE in the internationalisation of higher education, focusing on how students' perceptions of the benefits of internationalisation through OIE have shifted from the pre-pandemic to the pandemic period. We analysed an English-Japanese OIE programme conducted by an Australian and a Japanese university from 2018 to 2022, noting students self-reported higher gains in learning engagement and outcomes during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Our research, guided by the frameworks of 'Internationalisation at Home' (IaH) and 'Internationalisation at a Distance' (IaD), highlights the potential of OIE as an effective model that addresses the diverse needs of a student body transcending the traditional dichotomy of 'home' and 'abroad'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN locates education at the heart of the process to achieve a more sustainable future and deliver the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) by 2030. Within this context, this paper outlines the experience of designing and delivering an international virtual mobility workshop which brought together university students from the UK and Ghana. It offers a critical evaluation of the extent to which the workshop's objectives were achieved, through comparison of pre- and post-workshop survey results, with a particular emphasis on changing levels of understanding of the UN-SDGs and the development of key intercultural competencies. The discussion highlights positive trajectories of change in student learning, and the challenges of delivering workshops of this nature. It is concluded that such challenges can be embraced as learning opportunities and that the associated discomfort and uncertainty is important to facilitate impactful learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unexpected cancelation of in-person academic activities – produced by the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 disease – resulted in a detriment to the immersive nature of students’ mobility experiences. The objective of this research was to conduct an exploratory and descriptive analysis of the outbound mobility experience of students at Universidad Nacional del Sur, in Argentina, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A proposal for a solution to the impossibility of students moving to other countries or universities was to continue mobility virtually. The methodology applied in this research was qualitative: students who participated in a student mobility program during 2020 and 2021 were surveyed and interviewed. Despite the challenges evidenced by the research, the results showed that students felt highly satisfied with their mobility experience. Virtual mobility is a promising option for those people who for various reasons cannot travel abroad but can benefit from the mobility experienced from home.

Digital technologies and the rise of the internet have created new opportunities for journalists to collaborate across borders, driving the need for journalism education to evolve. This article presents a practical example of integrating cross-border journalism and the “Internationalization at Home” (IaH) concept, underscoring their importance for globally focused journalism programs. The study centres on the pilot project “Collaborate to Investigate: A Virtual Mobility for Media Students,” which connected students from three European universities (the University of Galway, the University of the Basque Country, and Comenius University in Bratislava). The fi ndings highlight the necessity of strengthening language and intercultural abilities, as well as developing technical competencies through hands-on learning. A survey conducted during the project reveals various challenges and suggests potential improvements for future virtual mobility initiatives, ultimately guiding the enhanced planning of upcoming international media education projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screen allows humans to experience and understand the world without being limited by the existence of their physical body. This is one of Anne Friedberg’s main ideas in her works, which supports the main basis for this article. The Covid-19 pandemic that has occurred since March 2020 has limited, reduced, slowed down, and in some situations it could even be said it almost stopped human mobility, for example, in areas over the world where the ‘lockdown’ policy was applied. As a consequence, mobility turns into immobility. This condition corresponds to the reality during the pandemic dominated by the presence of screen. There has been growing importance of domestic space as the centre of everydayness that gives crucial role to the screen as its window to the world. This could be perceived as virtual mobility, in the sense that it was a ‘mobility’ without bodily mobility. This article elaborates Friedberg’s thoughts with regard to virtual mobility that has been increasingly dominated by the screen, by examining its relevance to the actual conditions of the people during the pandemic. At the end of this article, the consequences of this massive virtual mobility and screen dominance during the pandemic are analysed—a situation that might bring further implications on the experiences of aura, panopticon, and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Publicaciones s de la Facultad de Educacion y Humanidades del Campus de Melilla (Universidad de Granada, Espana) is the property of Universidad de Granada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RHS: Revista Humanismo y Sociedad is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Remington and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education is the property of Comparative & International Education Society Higher Education SIG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article reflects on how offline and online everyday life coexists for encamped, young Karen living in protracted displacement. As part of the special issue 'Cultures of (im)mobile entanglements', edited by Earvin Cabalquinto and Koen Leurs, I centre the voices of young Karen living in Mae La refugee camp in Thailand and unpack how personal and social relationships are built and maintained physically in the camp, as well as in digitally mediated spaces. I focus on the tensions of (im)mobility and how life and presence were mediated before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. I emphasise the influence of culture, society, and infrastructure on my participants' living trajectories and find how social media expands their lived reality far beyond the confinement of the camp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are witnessing how significant changes are increasingly impacting our lives, future generations and society as a whole in a constantly evolving world. As a reflection of society and a place of formal education, schools provide guidance for tomorrow’s European citizens and prepare students for future challenges, even if they cannot be predicted. Teachers play a crucial role in facilitating learning, which is closely linked to personal and social development, particularly in the context of a future European society. Therefore, mobility in Teacher Education and beyond is essential to ensure high quality within the profession and to meet the expectation that teachers will become European role models. Improving the recognition of professional qualifications and detailed competences is crucial for sustainable mobility in all its dimensions. This paper aims to stimulate discussion on these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background For effective delivery of international experiential training programs, many universities in the global north, have created partnerships with universities in the global south especially in Africa to enhance their capacity and diversity of learning for their students. However, there is hardly any literature that exhibits the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. This study aimed at establishing the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. Methods This was a qualitative case study that examined the importance of instructors and experts from Africa in influencing student learning processes and outcomes in the GCC 3003/5003 - Seeking Solutions to Global Health Issues. Semi-structured interviews with (2) students, (2) University of Minnesota lead faculty for the course, and (3) in-country instructors/experts from countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa were conducted. Data was analyzed thematically. Results Four themes were identified: (1) Filling gaps in knowledge, (2) Orchestrating partnerships for practical exposure, (3) Improving the quality of training, and (4) orchestrating professional personal growth for students. The African in-country course instructors/experts contributed to student learning by providing a true picture reflection of happenings on the ground. Conclusion The importance of in-country African instructors’ can be viewed as that aimed at validating students’ ideas to apply to the local settings, streamlining students’ focus, providing a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement to a particular topic, coupled with bringing an in-country context experience in the classroom.

Introduction. Academic mobility of students is an integral part of quality higher education in Russia. A frequent problem is a difficult adaption to a foreign country. The article looks into to the problem of offsetting negative consequences of cultural adaptation of Russian students in German universities during short-term stay. The aim of the article is to work out recommendations on preliminary preparation of short-term international academic mobility programs between Russian and foreign partner universities, taking into account cultural adaptation of students. Materials and Methods. The research draws on surveys of students participating in the 6-month (1 semester) international Russian-German academic mobility program. As a survey technique, a group continuous correspondence survey was employed. The questionnaire was compiled following the conditions of relevance and representativeness using empirical indicators and descriptive statistics. The method of statistical factor analysis served a tool to identify the main factors influencing the quality of adaptation; for a comparative analysis of the results of the survey, statistical methods of comparing averages and statistical visualization were used. Results. The article analyzes the results of surveys of students of the German-Russian Institute of Advanced Technologies about the main points of education in Germany that cause them difficulties. A comparative analysis of learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (hybrid, almost completely remote learning) with the period before the pandemic (full face-to-face learning) was made. Conclusions are drawn about the prevailing factors that influenced the success of learning in both cases. Examples of practical recommendations are formulated as to the necessary preparation of Russian university students for studying at European universities in the years following the pandemic, taking into account the results of surveys of teachers from the host German university, as well as the observations of an expert from the Kazan National Research Technical University over the teaching process at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. Based on the results of the analysis of factors most affecting the success of Russian students in a foreign university, we propose measures aimed at accelerating and mitigating the adaptation of Russian-speaking students to a long stay in a foreign environment. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hybrid form of education looks most effective, as it increases the success of Russian students studying abroad. Discussion and Conclusion. The proposed approach to the assessment of influencing factors and the developed methods for their elimination will help prevent similar problems in the future. The conclusions made by the authors contribute to the practice of short-stay international academic mobility organization. The article materials are of interest to the scientific and pedagogical community, faculty and management of educational institutions.

Short-Term Study-Abroad (STSA) programs are popular in Japanese higher education; however, participating students’ experiences are under-researched, particularly in areas outside of second-language acquisition. This study empirically assessed the impact of a six-week study-abroad program with a US university (conducted online as a virtual program due to the COVID-19 pandemic) on sophomore Japanese university students’ Global-Mindedness (GM). This mixed-methods study employed experimental (n=53) and control (n=82) groups to investigate the following research question: What is the impact of a virtual STSA program on the GM of participating students? Quantitative data were collected at three time periods (pretest/posttest/post-posttest) using a modified version of the 30- item, five-factor GM Scale (GMS, see Hett, 1993). Descriptive statistics and two-way ANOVAanalyses revealed a significant increase in the experimental groups’ posttest results, which then returned to similar pretest levels in the post-posttest period. Reflection papers, surveys, and semi-structured interviews informed the qualitative perspective, and findings suggested a need for sustained post-program supportive measures to help maintain students’ GM.

Around the world, cultural and educational events are employed as a component of public diplomacy. Due to cultural and educational activities, there is a growth in mutual understanding between nations and a strengthening of long-term relations. Countries must listen to what others have to say in order to develop and effectively articulate their own interests. This is necessary for exchange programs to be effective public diplomacy tools. People get more connected to one another as they get to know and understand one another, miscommunications are cleared up, and lasting relationships are developed to open doors for various types of partnerships. By assessing virtual Erasmus+ mobility in the framework of exchange diplomacy during the Covid-19 pandemic phase, this study seeks to ascertain the status of making a contribution to public diplomacy. Answers to the research questions posed in the purpose section of the study are sought through structured interviews with international students using descriptive analysis, one of the qualitative research methodologies. This study is the first to evaluate virtual mobility within the context of exchange diplomacy, and it shows that programs for virtual exchange will also support public diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ensayos: Revista de la Facultad de Educacion de Albacete is the property of Ensayos Revista de la Facultad de Educacion de Albacete and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of International Students is the property of Journal of International Students and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of International Students is the property of Journal of International Students and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The popularisation of virtual mobility offers opportunities to reconsider power imbalances among different actors in higher education and to affirm the centrality of student agency and diversity. This article explores possibilities for applying the Students as Partners (SaP) approach to virtual mobility in order to empower students and foster reciprocal and ethical interactions. Drawing on interviews with students involved in an action research project, the article highlights the roles and perspectives of students in formulating authentic intercultural exchange experiences online. The findings suggest that application of the SaP framework reorganises students' agentic capacities and allows them to flourish in a way which, in turn, shifts the power balance in international learning and contributes to the ongoing re-configuration of approaches to internationalisation beyond the educator/student binary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ukraine’s National Strategy for Education Development aims to align its education system with global standards and sustainable development goals. One of the key objectives is to integrate higher education with European norms, offer diverse educational models, and meet information and communication needs. The European Commission supports this integration process by fostering initiatives such as the Bologna process, mobility, and cooperation with programs like Erasmus+. Mobility, enabled by information and communication technologies, is essential for building the European educational and scientific space. This paper explores the different aspects of mobility, such as geographic, social, professional, academic, learning, software, hardware, and technological mobility. It investigates how they relate to each other within socio-pedagogical and technical systems, highlighting their importance for the information society. Using historical and contemporary perspectives, the paper develops a holistic model of mobility in the information society. Future research directions include the dynamic evolution of mobility within higher education systems, its sociocultural implications, and its intersection with technological innovations and state-political transformations. Furthermore, the phenomenon of mobility in technological and pedagogical systems, driven by the spread of mobile information and communication technologies, deserves more attention.

Purpose: Despite progressing research in the field of Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home, recent theories and technologies are challenging to implement for Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The present paper focuses particularly on Albania, where the current education system has not been able to sufficiently incorporate Virtual Mobility and Internationalization in higher education programs. Study design/methodology/approach: This paper analyses the prevalent situation within Albania’s higher education system regarding Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home activities. The underlying data has been collected in qualitative semi-structured interviews, conducted with teaching staff and students from Albanian universities who are experienced with Virtual Mobility modules. It was evaluated through a mixed approach of qualitative content analysis by Mayring (2014) using inductive and deductive category formation. Findings: The results show the benefits that an increasing integration of Virtual Mobility activities in the education system could facilitate for students and teachers in Albania’s HEIs. Nevertheless, it became clear that in order to implement a higher degree of Virtual Mobility at university level, it is necessary to overcome the legal obstacles set by the Ministry of Education as well as structural obstacles within the HEIs. Originality/value: Due the actual lack of development, concepts, infrastructures, and legal foundations, the implementation of Virtual Mobility as an affordable instrument to foster the international experience of Albanian students is of high importance. This could raise the quality of academic education and tackle capacity gaps in the education system of Albania towards the grade of international experiences of students.

Screen allows humans to experience and understand the world without being limited by the existence of their physical body. This is one of Anne Friedberg’s main ideas in her works, which supports the main basis for this article. The Covid-19 pandemic that has occurred since March 2020 has limited, reduced, slowed down, and in some situations it could even be said it almost stopped human mobility, for example, in areas over the world where the ‘lockdown’ policy was applied. As a consequence, mobility turns into immobility. This condition corresponds to the reality during the pandemic dominated by the presence of screen. There has been growing importance of domestic space as the centre of everydayness that gives crucial role to the screen as its window to the world. This could be perceived as virtual mobility, in the sense that it was a ‘mobility’ without bodily mobility. This article elaborates Friedberg’s thoughts with regard to virtual mobility that has been increasingly dominated by the screen, by examining its relevance to the actual conditions of the people during the pandemic. At the end of this article, the consequences of this massive virtual mobility and screen dominance during the pandemic are analysed—a situation that might bring further implications on the experiences of aura, panopticon, and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For effective delivery of international experiential training programs, many universities in the global north, have created partnerships with universities in the global south especially in Africa to enhance their capacity and diversity of learning for their students. However, there is hardly any literature that exhibits the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. This study aimed at establishing the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. Methods: This was a qualitative case study that examined the importance of instructors and experts from Africa in influencing student learning processes and outcomes in the GCC 3003/5003 - Seeking Solutions to Global Health Issues. Semi-structured interviews with (2) students, (2) University of Minnesota lead faculty for the course, and (3) in-country instructors/experts from countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa were conducted. Data was analyzed thematically. Results: Four themes were identified: (1) Filling gaps in knowledge, (2) Orchestrating partnerships for practical exposure, (3) Improving the quality of training, and (4) orchestrating professional personal growth for students. The African in-country course instructors/experts contributed to student learning by providing a true picture reflection of happenings on the ground. Conclusion: The importance of in-country African instructors' can be viewed as that aimed at validating students' ideas to apply to the local settings, streamlining students' focus, providing a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement to a particular topic, coupled with bringing an in-country context experience in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: After piloting an international and interdisciplinary Virtual Mobility module with eight participating institutions, the experiences will be processed as pedagogical patterns in OER format to facilitate future implementation. Study design/methodology/approach: The lessons learned from the executing institution's perspective will be presented from the perspective of the module supervisor as well as two experienced e-tutors who were involved in the design, implementation and evaluation and were generated through their reflections of them. Findings: The lessons learned focus on improving the organization of international e-tutor teams, the dropout management in group work with several institutions, and adapting the e-tutor qualification to enable adequate and qualitative equal support of all participants. Originality/value: Based on the findings of the Albanian needs report, Virtual Mobility modules have been implemented marginally in the Albanian HEI landscape so far. Thus, the experiences from the pilot are of particular importance for the further multiplication and improvement of the internationalization of Albanian HEIs.

In 2020 and 2021, the international spread of the SARS-COV-2 virus caused academic activities at universities to be carried out virtually. Due to this situation, the face-to-face mobility of the national postgraduate programs affiliated to the National Postgraduate System (SNP) of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) were affected, so that mobility had to be developed virtually. A questionnaire was designed and applied to graduate students in language and linguistics (n=46), with the purpose of collecting their experiences about the implementation of virtual mobility in their programs. The results showed that virtual mobility is considered as a good alternative, since for the participants this modality allowed them to continue developing their academic activities. Additionally, they consider that virtual mobility can help to avoid costs of transportation, rent housing, and transportation time. Furthermore, virtual mobility gives them the opportunity to be present virtually anywhere to participate and develop academic activities. Based on this, we propose this modality as different way to carry out mobility in postgraduate programs attached to the SNP, which would heed to the diversity of life conditions, and family and working conditions of students who study quality graduate programs in Mexico, thus contributing to a better construction of disciplinary and scientific knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly structured nature of the educational sector demands effective policy mechanisms close to the needs of the field. That is why evidence-based policy making, endorsed by the European Commission under Erasmus+ Key Action 3, aims to make an alignment between the domains of policy and practice. Against this background, this article addresses two issues: First, that there is a vertical gap in the translation of higher-level policies to local strategies and regulations. Second, that there is a horizontal gap between educational domains regarding the policy awareness of individual players. This was analyzed in quantitative and qualitative studies with domain experts from the fields of virtual mobility and teacher training. From our findings, we argue that the combination of both gaps puts the academic bridge from secondary to tertiary education at risk, including the associated knowledge proficiency levels. We discuss the role of digitalization in the academic bridge by asking the question: which value does the involved stakeholders expect from educational policies? As a theoretical basis, we rely on the model of value co-creation for and by stakeholders. We describe the used instruments along with the obtained results and proposed benefits. Moreover, we reflect on the methodology applied, and we finally derive recommendations for future academic bridge policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how government-supported digital ID systems evoke novel conceptions of platform-based state-individual relationship by drawing on the concept of platformization and Estonian e-residency as the empirical case. E-residency is a policy concept introduced by the Estonian government, which allows foreigners to apply for a state-issued digital ID in order to gain remote access to Estonian public and private e-services. Based on qualitative interviews with individuals having an e-resident digi-ID, we examine the ways in which they construe e-residency from the perspective of state-individual relationship. Our findings indicate that apart from a transactional service-based relationship, being an e-resident can also imply a sense of membership in the state and thus serve as a basis for transnational belonging. Hence, the digital state is not only perceived as a platform manager and a service provider, but also as a membership organisation enacting its rules of inclusion through its digital ID schemes.

The globally mobile reality of today's world has made the field of intercultural communication increasingly relevant as people more often find themselves in intercultural situations. As a result, language teachers must be more prepared to work in intercultural contexts, and to teach their own students how to communicate across differences in intercultural situations both physically and virtually. The present paper examines this special issue's topic of physical and virtual mobility and intercultural competence through the lens of teacher education. Using narrative inquiry, two teacher educators in very different geographic and socio-economic contexts (US and Colombia) explore their own attempts at developing intercultural communication in teacher learners through a WhatsApp pen pal exchange project in their intercultural communication classes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal different ways in which virtual mobility and other affordances of WhatsApp can be harnessed to achieve various aims of intercultural education, but also how activities such as the pen pal exchange can be improved in order to align more with current theories of intercultural communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article attempts to present a number of key technologies that determine the new quality of life of people. The following content is specified and disclosed: autonomous artificial intelligence in a smartphone, professional robot assistants, available satellite intelligence, podcasts, digital urban planning tools. In the article, the authors hypothesize that Industry X.0 is by far the highest stage of digitalization and represents a concept of innovative and digital production, the components of which are «smart assets», «smart services», «smart business», and «smart government». Structural elements of the authors’ concept of X.0 Industry are indicated, its visual cut in virtual reality conditions is provided and the functioning of this Industry exclusively within the framework of the 7th technological mode is characterized. The authors have developed and presented the protocol of formation of the X.0 Industry through the prism of innovations, technologies in both the industry sector and business management. 4 stages of implementation of this protocol are defined, namely: determination of the innovative landscape of «technological breakthrough» in a particular industry within the formation of industry X.0; assessment of threats; determining the course of further development and the action plan (four main approaches to which organizations can apply: protection, adoption of innovations, initiation of subversive innovations, retreat); implementation of structural changes at the DNA level of the organization. The authors on the basis of a number of factors bring forward the argument that today’s realities of the digital space require the development of a new logic of running a platform business in terms of its digitization. It is concluded that in practice it is necessary to form a broad coalition of educators, government officials, analysts, high-tech specialists, economists, industrialists, scientists who will join the formation of the X.0 Industry on the basis of digitalization and innovatizing. The authors concluded that Industry X.0 is a new approach to the organization of production in the context of virtual reality, which is based on highly intelligent integrated new products and digital ecosystems that form an innovative digital value chain, add new competencies and implement deep cultural changes in the direction of the formation of a new virtual reality.

This paper presents the outcomes of the international research that took place in 2022–2023 and included the social sciences and humanities students at the university in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. We focus on the phenomenon of virtual mobilities and its place and potential for students in Higher Education. Specifically, we use the data gathered via 163 online student questionnaires focused on psychosocial and intercultural aspects impacting the quality of education. We analyse the place of virtual mobilities and its potential to enhance student competencies while considering the factors which play a role in students’ self-evaluation. Our results demonstrate the crucial dependence between study conditions and mobility evaluation. It also shows a strong correlation between the character of the study and the enhancement of competencies. With our research, we intend to contribute to quality enhancement of virtual mobilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting intergenerational knowledge transfer (IKT) among scientists is an essential aspect of universities' operations because it is a condition for the continuity of cultural values and scientific development. This article is guided by questions about a conceptual model that could support higher educational institutions in the purposeful programming of IKT. The supporting role of geographic and virtual mobility is emphasized as a possible instrument that assists IKT, both nationally and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than a decade, virtual mobility functioned as an add-on to a physical mobility and served as an inclusion strategy for Higher Education Institution in providing equality for diffable students. However, it has become the foremost option in time of the Covid-19 pandemic. This article describes the author’s effort of remodeling the physical cultural exchange program into a credit-based virtual mobility. The aim is to provide an international constructive learning process of capturing students’ own as well as other customs and ways of life into a video or photo collage using Visual Ethnography methods. The program was attended by 51 students coming from 6 countries. They were grouped in 11 small groups for which each was assigned a supervisor. In this program, the virtual and distant learning techniques were combined for delivering lectures, while blended learning technique was applied for live sessions. Participants’ discussion and collaboration were mediated through agreed ICT-based tools within the group. In addition to lectures, a synchronous Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was held once a week to monitor student tasks and progress on their final project. The assessment was based on participants’ engagement throughout the program and performance on completing the assigned tasks. The drop-off rate achieves 18% in which participants from Timor Leste contributed the highest rate due to the Internet connectivity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present paper is to review the importance of study abroad programs within the larger framework of internationalization of higher education and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon student mobility in Japan. Furthermore, it will examine a few reports of the students who completed virtual study abroad programs in Canada, Netherlands and Taiwan and will offer a few comments regarding the future of study abroad in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As COVID‐19 drastically affects cross‐border mobility, virtual mobility emerges as a viable alternative to cope with the crisis. This article reports on the integrated findings of an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to understand benefits and challenges of virtual mobility at a Chinese university and future projection of outbound student mobility. The mixed methods design used in this study is characterized by an initial quantitative phase of data collection and analysis, followed by a phase of qualitative data collection and analysis, with a final phase of integration or linking of data from the two separate strands of data. The study suggests Chinese students appreciate the flexibility and economic advantages of virtual mobility but also express concerns on several limitations. Online mobility may be viewed as a complement or alternative for Chinese institutions when the COVID‐19 crisis is over. As Chinese universities are promoting internationalization at home, the number of virtual programmes available to Chinese students will surge. In this context, coupled with the stress of geopolitical instability, the growth in Chinese student mobility may be entering a period of contraction, which may exert profound impacts on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic of COVID‐19 became a resilience test for internationalization in Russia and emphasized many systemic trends, both promising and concerning. The turbulence and instability during the pandemic initiated the growth of internationalization activities at the institutional level in two directions: first, it increased attention to the quality of work with current international students, including student support, adaptation issues, student engagement, and second, due to the risks in student enrolment, it brought universities to rethink their internationalization instruments and strategies for work with international applicants and future students. Indeed, the ongoing changes in global education call for reconsideration of the priorities and methods of internationalization: new forms of internationalization become widespread practices, new instruments are necessary for student recruitment, and new push and pull factors come into play. While internationalization of education in Russia during the pandemic was addressed at the national level to a degree, the universities carried out the key activities and had to come up with solutions "in the field". The paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of Russia's transition through the pandemic and tackle the changes at the university level, based on a comparison of data of the survey of international departments of Russian universities conducted in 2020 and the survey of 2021, supported by semi‐structured interviews. The research offers insights on the capacity for change and resilience in Russian universities within the internationalization domain and can help to develop data‐driven approaches for improvement of organizational capacity of universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]