Symposium: Blended Mobility in Higher Education

Call for Papers

An International Symposium at Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany

18–19 March 2027

Overview
We are pleased to invite paper submissions to the international symposium Blended Mobility in Higher Education: International Perspectives, Practices and Outcomes, to be held at Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany, on 18–19 March 2027. This symposium accompanies an edited volume of the same title, currently in preparation for publication. The symposium will bring together scholars, practitioners, and policy makers to share, debate and advance knowledge on Blended Mobility as a distinctive and rapidly evolving approach to internationalisation in higher education.
Blended Mobility combines phases of online learning involving teachers and students from partner institutions with periods of short-term physical mobility. A prominent format is the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), introduced in the 2021–2027 Erasmus+ programme, which requires collaboration between at least three higher education institutions from different countries and combines a compulsory virtual component with a short-term physical mobility phase.
In recent years, Blended Mobility has gained considerable traction within internationalisation strategies in higher education, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Digital Education Action Plan, and the European Universities Initiative. It addresses core objectives of contemporary higher education: fostering innovation through transdisciplinary and challenge-based teaching; enhancing inclusion by enabling participation among students who face barriers to long-term mobility; and building interconnection across institutions, disciplines, and sectors.

Aims of the Symposium
The symposium aims to:
Provide a forum for the dissemination of empirical research, theoretical frameworks, and evidence-based practice on Blended Mobility in higher education
Bring together the international community of researchers, educators, institutional leaders, and International Relations Office staff working in this area
Explore the quality dimensions, pedagogical design, and institutional integration of Blended Mobility
Examine the outcomes and impacts of Blended Mobility on students, faculty, and institutions
Reflect on the role of policy and funding frameworks in supporting the growth of Blended Mobility in Europe and beyond

Topics and Themes
We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

1. Approaches to Blended Mobility
Conceptual frameworks and theoretical underpinnings of Blended Mobility
Models and typologies of Blended Mobility, including BIPs, blended summer schools, and blended joint programmes
Strategic integration of Blended Mobility within internationalisation policies and university networks, including European University Alliances
Pedagogical design of Blended Mobility experiences across disciplines and contexts
Quality assurance frameworks for Blended Mobility initiatives

2. Examples of Good Practice
Case studies of innovative and effective Blended Mobility programmes, addressing methods used in online and physical stages, sequencing and integration of virtual and physical components, student and teacher learning outcomes, challenges encountered and how they were overcome, assessment and recognition practices, technological tools and platforms employed, and intercultural learning dimensions
Cross-institutional collaboration models and their implementation
Blended Mobility in traditionally underrepresented disciplines and highly regulated professional fields

3. Research and Evaluation
Empirical studies on the impact and outcomes of Blended Mobility for students, faculty, and institutions
Comparative analyses of Blended Mobility versus traditional physical or online formats
The role of Blended Mobility in fostering digital, intercultural, and international competences
Student and faculty experiences and perspectives
Institutional barriers and enablers for scaling Blended Mobility
The future of Blended Mobility in European higher education

4. Perspectives of International Offices, Administrative Staff, and Policy Makers
The experience of International Relations Offices in coordinating and administering Blended Mobility programmes
Administrative challenges and solutions in programme recognition, credit transfer, and mobility documentation
Institutional strategies and policies for mainstreaming Blended Mobility
The role of regional, national, and European policy in promoting and funding Blended Mobility
Perspectives of national agencies, public authorities, and programme managers on the implementation of Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes

Submission Formats
The symposium welcomes submissions in the following formats:
Research papers: Presentations of completed or ongoing empirical studies or theoretically grounded analyses (30 minutes including discussion)
Examples of good practice: Structured practitioner reports presenting a specific Blended Mobility programme or initiative, its design, implementation, and outcomes (30 minutes including discussion)
Perspectives from International Offices, administrative staff, and policy makers: Short presentations or panel contributions offering institutional, administrative, or policy-oriented insights into Blended Mobility (30 minutes including discussion)

Presentations which combine different perspectives — for example, students and faculty, or practitioners and researchers — are particularly encouraged. Proposals from all academic disciplines and institutional contexts are welcome.

Submission 

TBA
 

Contact: bm.symposium@leuphana.de