EPICS - European Portal for International Courses and Services for Virtual Erasmus
1 November 2008 – 31 October 2010
Summary
The main aim of the EPICS project is to increase the number of student mobility throughout Europe and to support the realisation of a European Higher Education Area by organising a Virtual Erasmus scheme, a scheme in which students have the opportunity and benefits of visiting other university programmes and courses without the necessity of being mobile. All this is organised within a framework of bilateral or multilateral agreements between universities on accepting visiting students (for the bigger part) on-line.
Therefore, the consortium of European Virtual Mobility coordinators, will shift project based Virtual Mobility to mainstream provision of international courses. To support universities in organising Virtual Mobility as integral part of their study offerings, partners will share gained expertise and experiences, build on existing networks in Virtual Mobility and broaden these with increased involvement of universities and staff. Next, the project team will develop the infrastructure of a European Portal for International Courses and Services. EPICS will not only be a database but also include on-line services to offer high quality guided independent learning and support organising mainstream offering of Virtual Mobility in a Virtual Erasmus scheme. Higher education institutions interested in being involved in EPICS as provider and/or user of Virtual Mobility courses are invited to join this initiative.
Project partners:
EADTU (NL), EuroPACE ivzw (BE), Swedish Agency for Networks and Cooperation in Higher Education (SE), Open University of the Netherlands (NL), Spanish National University of Distance Education (ES), Open University (UK), Estonian Information Technology Foundation/Tallinn University (EE), International Telematic University UNINETTUNO (IT), Portuguese Open University (PT), Anadolu University (T), Formation Universitaire à Distance Suisse / Distance learning university Switzerland (CH)
Project website: http://www.eadtu.nl/epics
Contact details: George Ubachs, EADTU
Supported by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme – ERASMUS – Multilateral projects – Virtual Campus