Reviewing Virtual Campuses: Trends in the world

Introduction Higher education institutions have a new, unique, and valuable role in educating to participate in an increasingly global economy. ICT makes it possible to create flexible learning paths and to open the borders of the university to off-campus students and to support on-campus students in their regular learning experiences. Virtual Campus schemes could offer educational opportunities that are no longer location dependent and allow for collaboration with foreign students and teachers (and thus promote intercultural understanding). Apart from these cross-cultural and mobility aspects, a Virtual Campus has a huge potential to contribute to increased participation in lifelong learning: students learn from their homes, after work in the time that is available for them.