Internationalising Higher Education

The 'Remote University Networks' (RUN) is a collaboration between University of Gothenburg (UG) and Stanford University (SU) through funding from a Wallenberg Global Learning Network grant. To address the need for better integration of computer, mathematics and physical sciences into biology curriculums, an interdisciplinary course model in exercise science was designed to enable cooperative learning between undergraduate students at UG and SU. The course utilises new technologies, encourages the development of original research and relies on frequent self-assessment and reflective learning. Unlike previous RUN projects, this project involves students at an advanced level to create an even more exciting multidisciplinary virtual learning environment made up of physiotherapy, sport science, technology, medicine, health promotion and others. UG and SU believe that the outcomes of this collaboration will allow them to focus on the sustainability of the interdisciplinary 'local' course design through optimisation of technology, content and pedagogy over an additional year of funding. In addition to preparing a curriculum that can be exported to other universities, UG and SU will begin the natural expansion to a more global university curriculum focusing on applied kinesiology. The global pilot curriculum was tested from October to December 2009 with eight universities participating simultaneously.