Internationalising Higher Education

Does the digital era make student and staff mobility unnecessary? Staff mobility has made teaching available in places it otherwise was not, bringing English language training to people in the most remote and diverse locations around the globe. However, with the explosion of global communications, this can now be done to a much greater extent using the internet. Rich, engaging and real-time interaction is now possible online. As internet connectivity grows, so does the accessibility of good teaching. We are now seeing greater cultural awareness of more cultures in less time. Therefore, learning online may offer more benefits to the student than international travel. Online learning websites are now appearing around the world (many with millions of users and growing) and millions of Americans already paying to learn online. Considering the evidence, is the writing on the wall for student and staff mobility?