Call for Virtual Exchange & Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses; Online courses & Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Modules Development

To enrich the innovative and flexible academic offer of the Alliance, Arqus opens the first call for the design and implementation of Virtual Exchange & Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses; Online courses & Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Modules Development.

In the following sections, the Alliance support and selection criteria, application deadlines and procedures as well as contact information and internal calls in partners universities are detailed:

• Introduction
• Alliance support and selection criteria
• Application deadlines and procedures
• Contact information and internal calls in partner universities

Introduction

The Arqus Alliance aims to transform European higher education, research and innovation through deep cooperation and progressive integration, in pursuit of an equitable and sustainable future. In order to reach this aim, Alliance seeks to enhance local academic offer at partner universities and ensure that students develop global and forward-looking generic competences through the incorporation of flexible and innovative learning opportunities such as Virtual Exchange & Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses; Online courses & Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and other Modules.

• Virtual Exchange (in USA – Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)) is an accessible international experience, which leverages on new technologies and does not entail physical mobility. Organised jointly between at least two universities in geographically distant locations, Virtual Exchange is a form of student-centred learning, consisting of little traditional/lecture-based teaching so as to encourage a learner-led collaborative experience aimed at developing greater understanding of the common project, and/or discussing interdisciplinary topics with a challenged-based approach.

• Online courses are learning units of any kind that are delivered completely on-line and do not require physical presence at all. As any other course, they have specific learning objectives and a well-defined curriculum offering training on a set of competences and learning outcomes that the students should be able to achieve within a reasonable period of time. They can make use of learning materials and tools of any kind that are suitable for online delivery (videoconferencing, digital documents, recordings, quizzes, social media, etc.).

• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a specific type of online courses that offer training for large numbers of learners in an open and freely accessible way. In order to actively involve as many participants as possible, they promote community building and direct interaction among the learners, provide self-assessment tools, offer peer-to-peer evaluation, etc. Although MOOCs and their educational resources are freely accessible, specific personalised services such as follow-up, mentoring, correcting and grading of assignments, or final assessment and certification may be subject to fees.

More details about Virtual Exchange & Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses; Online courses & Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are provided in their descriptors:

• Virtual Exchange & Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses
• Online courses & Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

To enrich the academic offer of the Alliance with various virtual courses and modules successfully, Arqus opens a call for their development. This call serves as an umbrella for local calls and support usually held in partner universities and aims to assist academics in finding partners for collaboration.

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Alliance support and selection criteria

The Alliance has agreed that development of virtual courses and modules should be selected internally. Selection criteria^[1] will be announced in each partner university internal webpage together with an eligible application form.

Additional support from the Alliance will be ensured to all applicants by providing individual advice and expertise together with practical examples of virtual courses and modules development.

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^[1] Applied when internal funding at a particular university is provided for applicants.  Funding might be used according to the rules of the specific university.

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Application deadlines and procedures

Academics can apply for virtual courses or modules development by filling application forms provided by each partner university^[1]. The call is open from 2^nd of April to 17^th of May, 2024^[2].

Grant notification (where internal funding is applicable)  will be provided to applicants by mid-June, 2024. If your application is approved, funding is earmarked for use until the end of May, 2025. Postponing the activity after this period is not possible.

After the use of the grant, applicants need to report on the final results of the developed virtual activity by sending a form of reporting^[3] for the assigned home university coordinator.

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^[1] Local calls and application forms (if applicable) are provided in the links below or published in the local websites.

^[2] Actual dates might change according to the local calls of each partner university.

^[3] The form for reporting depends on internal rules and procedures of each partner.

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Contact information and internal calls in partner universities

Academics willing to collaborate with colleagues from partner universities for virtual courses and modules development should contact the local coordinator of each university. Local coordinators may help in finding partners in other universities, also they will provide individual advice and expertise after the courses and modules will be confirmed for development:

Call published on 09 Apr 2024