Overview of the project

The project How Long is Too Long (HLITL) aims at optimizing mobility in higher education in Europe, fostering mobility schemes with the greatest impact on students' key competences.

The aim of the project How Long is Too Long (HLITL) is to enable Higher Education leaders to adapt and improve their mobility strategies, fostering mobility schemes with the greatest impact on students' key competences (multilingualism, digital competences, interpersonal skills, sense of European citizenship, cultural awareness), including mobility schemes mixing distance learning and physical mobility (blended learning).

In a nutshell, the HLITL project aims to answer the following question: What are the most effective mobility schemes in order to improve students’ and staff skills and competences?

To anwer this  question, the project team takes into account 2 variables: the LENGTH of the mobility and the TYPE of the mobility (physical, virtual, blended). 
It is here to be noted that virtual mobility should rather be referred to as "virtual exchange" as "virtual mobility" does not imply any movement. 

The project is carried out as follows: 

-          A literature review of more than a hundred and sixty studies was undertaken on the impact of mobilities according to type (physical, virtual, blended) and length (up to 2 weeks, 2 weeks to 2 months, 2 - 6 months, 6 - 12 months) on students’ and staff’s competences. The findings are gathered in a report.

-          A survey was then conducted within partner universities in order to identify existing mobility practices (physical, virtual, blended), digital tools and infrastructures used for VM as well as core scientific areas for VM and BM.

-          Surveys were also carried out to better understand the experiences and expectations regarding mobility (physical, virtual, blended) of 238 students and staff from 21 HEIs (Higher Education Institutions).

-          An online course on travel literature was designed and implemented among three universities (UVSQ, Marburg, Porto). Feedback was collected from teachers and students. 

-          Finally, the project will lead to the development of institutional recommendations aimed at higher education institutions and policy recommendations aimed at European policy makers.