2022-12-02 –, Stage 2, Einstein-Saal, BBAW
This panel draws on case studies to critically discuss the multiple meanings and models of mobility. We pay special attention to mobility in joint degrees and reflect on barriers and enablers and the current policy work towards a European Degree Label. We suggest a conceptual shift to mobility from a ‘singular’ individual experience to a process by which multiple mobility options are organically integrated in an institution’s pedagogic offering
Mobility designs are directly related to the mobility of knowledge as a hallmark of the knowledge society. Fixity and fluidity were redefined during Covid-19 when academia became simultaneously mobile and immobile as well as digital not by choice. The disruption of the pandemic provided multiple opportunities for short term mobility and virtual designs. This increased participation in global learning by students who do not typically engage with traditional forms of mobility. As we are moving towards the aftermath of the 2019 pandemic, the time is right for conceptualising mobility beyond physical presence/absence and introduce designs that beyond binaries such as virtual/physical, on/off line or global/local.
Accordingly this panel, on behalf of The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, is to critically discuss and problematise the multiple meanings and models of mobility drawing on the experience of four countries and focusing specifically in the format of joint degrees as case studies. We explore the complex relationship between the triptych of mobility, flexibility and individualised learning as policy tools, such as the European Degree Label aspire to enhance European collaboration. We discuss the experience of models of blended and virtual mobility that we consider cases of good practice. In doing so, we also consider which aspects of learning are quintessentially social, and which cannot be replaced by online formats. Finally, we discuss ways in which HE institutions need to be supported to truly engage with and benefit from the Digital strategy and we propose a three-level framework of blended mobility bringing together transnational HE collaboration and curricular and co-curricular learning.
In closing, we suggest a conceptual shift to mobility from a ‘singular’ individual experience and ‘state of being’ to a process by which opportunity for international learning, short and longer, term are embedded in the curricular and co-curricular offering of an institution and which enables regional, national and international connectivity.
Professor Jo Angouri is the University-level Academic Director for Education and Internationalisation at the University of Warwick, a Visiting Distinguished Professor at Aalto University, School of Business, Finland and Affiliate -Visiting Professor- at Monash University. She has published extensively on Leadership, Identity, Decision Making and Problem Solving. In the last ten years she has published over 70 refereed papers, three special issues, two books, three edited volumes and two conference proceedings and is the Subject Chair for Linguistics, Language, Communication and Media on the Scopus board. Jo is a National Teaching Fellow (UK) and committed to pedagogic innovation and education for global citizenship. She has significant experience in research-led education, multidisciplinary curriculum design and undergraduate and postgraduate programme leadership. She is on The EUTOPIA University Alliance Education Team and is co-leading on the Learning Communities and Curriculum Development for the network.
Dr. S. Karin Amos, since October 2006 Professor of Education at the University of Tuebingen and since October 2013 Vice Rector for Academic Affairs. As professor of education, my focus is on international and intercultural education, my research focus is on education governance, processes of inclusion and exclusion in education. I look at how education is embedded in different societal contexts both synchronically, but also diachronically, and also at how these contexts themselves are changing. By way of example: Since the nineteenth century, from a European perspective, the main reference for education systems had been the nation-state; today this perspective no longer suffices to do justice to the complexities of the institutional and symbolic levels of education and the significant „rescoping“ and „rescaling“ of education.
Berit Eika became Prorector for Education at Aarhus University on 1 June 2014, and works with the University´s strategy and policies for education and chairs the committee of education. Before moving to this position, she was vice-dean at the Faculty of Health, a position held since 2011. As vice-dean, she attained the responsibility of developing medical teaching and education, which e.g. led to the establishment of the AU Centre for Health Sciences Education.
She graduated as a medical doctor (MD) in 1986 and received her PhD degree in 1994 from Aarhus University. From 1996 Berit Eika took on the position to revise the AU degree programme in Medicine. In 2005 she became the first Danish medical professor of Health Education and has supervised numerous successful PhD students in Aarhus, and has been an external examiner on PhDs at various universities in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Aune Valk (PhD in Psychology) is currently vice-rector for academic affairs at the University of Tartu, Estonia. In years 2008 – 2014 she was Estonian national project manager for OECD survey of adult skills – PIAAC, coordinating also national PIAAC research programme that resulted in seven thematic reports. In 2014 – 2018 she was working as a head of the analyses department in the Ministry of Education and Research providing educational and research-policy making with data, statistics and studies. Her earlier positions include being researcher in different institutions and being director of Open University – the brand for adult education at the University of Tartu. She has numerous publications on cross-cultural psychology and education.
Jan Palmowski has been Secretary-General of The Guild since its creation in 2016. He was Head of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at King’s College London (2008-12), and Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Academic Vice-President at the University of Warwick from 2013 to 2018.His wider international engagements include membership in the German Science Council’s Strategy Commission (2013-16), and the German Excellence Commission’s joint expert Group (2016-18). He currently he serves on the International Advisory Board of the Université Paris Cité (as Chair) and the Global Advisory Board of the University of Pompeu Fabra, and frequently speaks and writes about European higher education policy.