Virtual Academic Mobility: the Case of Global Classroom Joint Project betweenAl Farabi Kazakh National University and Columbia

University

Rafis Abazov

Visiting Professor,

Al Farabi Kazakh National University

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Columbia University

My Presentation

First, the author assesses the concept of academic mobility and the different models and different levels of academic mobility.

Second, he analyses the implication of the development of academic mobility for the EuAsSec countries, especially Kazakhstan.

Third, he discusses the concept of virtual academic mobility using an example of global classroom project at Al Farabi Kazakh National University.

In the conclusion, he summarizes the main ideas of the presentation.

Academic Mobility: Background

During the last 20 years academic mobility has become an important part of educational process, as it has been designed to meet challenges of globalization. The most powerful driving forces behind this process have been the changes in labor markets across the globe and growing demand for new skills. In addition, the emergence of innovation economy required students, researchers and teachers to acquire new cutting-age skills. There are many models of academic mobility developed in different parts of the world. In this presentation I would like to present a concept of virtual mobility using the example of the Global Classroom project at Al Farabi Kazakh National University.

Academic Mobility: Globalization

1. It is important to remember that it was opening national and regional borders for free movements of goods, investments and people and increasing need to educate internationally competitive young professionals gave an impetus for academic mobility around the world. The philosophy behind the academic mobility is quite straightforward – to learn from the best and to bring to home institutions best ideas and best concepts to improve educational and research processes.

Academic Mobility: Trends

A.C. is a global trend. Students around the world have become increasingly mobile, as geographic distance, national and regional barriers and various forms of restriction no longer stop students from receiving education in the countries of their choice. The number of international students worldwide nearly doubled during the decade between 1999 and 2008, rising from about 1.68 million international students to 3 million (2008 est.).

Academic Mobility: Different levels

1. In order to be competitive universities in different parts of the world have promoted academic mobility at three major levels:

2. a) students;

3. b) researchers;

4. c) professors/educators.

5. At each level each group acquires specific set of knowledge, research and managerial skills and innovation.

Academic Mobility: Challenges

1. Academic mobility, however, raises a set of challenges. This include the issue of language, brain drain, the integration into the host research and teaching communities and reintegration into research and teaching communities upon returning back to home institutions. Global financial crisis also added some problems, as due to the cuts on educational spending in many countries it became quite difficult to maintain large scale programs to support academic mobility.

Academic Mobility: Alternatives

The main challenge is weather it is possible to get international experience without leaving a home institution. New information and communication technologies and the concept of virtual academic mobility provide new opportunities and interesting model for acquiring an international experience. The idea is to replicate the international experience, international environment, including learning and critical thinking environment, within a home institution in cooperation with an international partner

Academic Mobility: the Case Study

1. This approach can be illustrated by the example of the Global Classroom project, a join Project between Al Farabi Kazakh National University and Columbia University. This project was initiated late year during the visit of the former rector of Al Farabi University to Columbia University.

Academic Mobility: Global Classroom

The global classroom is organized as a weekly live lecture series hosted at Columbia University and broadcasted to 24 partner universities and research centers around the world. The global classroom is based on a concept of using modern information and communication technologies to connect a host university with partner universities during the live presentations and lectures.

Academic Mobility: IT Platform

AC/IT platform is used to promote active interaction between students, faculty and guest speakers. The difference from the ‘traditional’ on-line lecture is conceptual as it not only allows a speaker to present a lecture, but also create simultaneous inflow of comments, questions and live chat-based discussion and exchanges over the course of lecture.

Academic Mobility: Virtual International Environment

1. The global classroom discussion on the truly global issues is supplemented by a weekly seminar where students discuss those global issues using local content. In other words, students learn how to “localize” the international content by using local examples and the case studies.

Academic Mobility: Virtual Regional Environment

Partner universities in various countries organize regional teleconferences to discuss some regional issues between themselves without participation of the host university. This provides an opportunity to have virtual “regional experience” and to learn about the major regional issues and the ways how different governments address those issues at the national level.

Thank you

Please let me know if you have any questions