Virtual exchange. Offering 21st century skills training through interactive online collaboration in Higher Education

In the European Higher Education Area (EAEA), physical mobility has been the main driving force in internationalization for the last 30 years. The aim is to open Europe to students, sta! and higher education institutions by o!ering a variety of mobility schemes. These mobility programs have created a platform to develop a European identity within the higher educational community and share di!erent learning methodologies to enhance intercultural skills, develop competencies and provide international exposure and support collaboration. The impact on internationalization in Europe has been enormous through the di!erent funding schemes of Erasmus+. From 2014 to 2018, two million students and sta! took part in di!erent programs. The impact study from the European Commission describes the many bene"ts involved and also highlights several challenges that students must overcome. The students that participated in Erasmus+ indicated that nearly all were given European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits (90%). Furthermore, the majority of study abroad programs were tailored to the students’ degree programs (76%). In addition, students that participated in Erasmus believed they gained valuable knowledge, skills, and competencies. Nearly all students felt they improved their communication and intercultural competencies. Although these are all very important "ndings, it still raises many questions about why students are not taking part in these funding schemes (Erasmus+ Higher Education Impact Study 2019, European Commission)