The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) spearheaded a Virtual Student Exchange Programme (VSE) under the auspices of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) and launched the APRU VSE for the Association’s 60 members in August 2020 in response to the sharp disruption to international education. By April 2022, VSE has already offered 650 courses with some 1,800 student enrolments. We have seen the use of online platforms to create international education opportunities gained popularity worldwide. CUHK was invited to join a study led by the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO-IESALC) to look at the trend and how virtual exchanges can form part of a university’s international education strategy.
The report ‘Moving minds: Opportunities and challenges for virtual student mobility in a post-pandemic world’ was recently published. Based on 14 case studies of virtual student mobility that have been implemented by 73 higher education institutions and through partnerships in 38 countries in all regions of the world, including CUHK, the report provides recommendations to incorporate virtual student mobility as an additional form of student mobility and provides insight for other universities and organisations looking to develop or support such initiatives as part of their international education strategy.
Read more the full report of ‘Moving minds: Opportunities and challenges for virtual student mobility in a post-pandemic world’ by UNESCO-IESALC