*Original article in Spanish.
International mobility programs have brought to our universities the possibility of offering our students social, educational and cultural learning experiences around the world. Numerous studies address the benefits of these programs: a development of intercultural competencies, an increase in social mobility, the development of self-confidence or greater employability, are some of the most noteworthy. Benefits for our students and benefits for the societies in which we operate.
The outbreak of the pandemic brought these experiences to a sudden halt. At the University of Deusto, we wanted to maintain the responsibility we have towards our students with the launch of the International Virtual Campus. A project that sought to have a virtual campus where we could receive students from our partner institutions. A multidisciplinary offer of courses specifically designed for global citizenship (gender equality, multiculturalism, post-COVID19 societies, data management to navigate uncertainty, innovation, etc.). Courses in both English and Spanish designed for international learning contexts. Using the remote classroom methodology, we schedule classes in central European time to cover all geographical areas of the world. The program is designedd focused on the active role of the student and the monitoring and tutoring of the teacher. Distance learning is complemented with participation in virtual events of faith, culture and values, so that our students could enrich their academic experience with the cultural one.
Why not move towards having this International Virtual Campus among universities of the Society of Jesus? Thought international collaboration we can replicate this enriching experience among all of us and achieve multiplier effects that allow us to exercise this social responsibility in a more substantive and global way.
After the experience in the two semesters of the 2020/21 academic year, we have embarked on the path of collaboration. Not only will we have teachers from other universities in Spain and Latin America (Universidad Javeriana, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and Universidad Iberoamericana) for the 2021/22 academic year, but we will also offer new opportunities for internationalization and cultural exchange within the framework of the AUSJAL Virtual Electives Project. That is to offer what we already do in more collaborative spaces of sister universities. The question we are asking ourselves is whether we could collaborate even more. We would be delighted to receive more interest in collaborating at the level of faculty, course offerings or content to enrich the mobility experience.
The future means cooperation and collaboration.