Fully virtual mobility?
If you answered the last question of this module with 'fully virtual mobility', this module part is important for you.
If you answered the question with 'on site mobility', this module part does not play an important role for you. It deals with the realization of a fully virtual mobility. If the student, for whichever reason, wants to participate in a mobility without actually travelling, a fully virtual mobility is possible as well.
=> In case of a fully virtual mobility, many different things have to be anticipated before the mobility can start.
1) Online security
Work out an online environment with the company which the student can work in. It is important to respect the wishes of the company to protect their data. However, it is also important to integrate the student into the worklife of the company as much as possible.
Therefore, communicating via mail alone is not sufficient. You have to make sure that the company will offer things like online meetings for the means of communication. It is also not enough to simply send documents to the student to work with. A more appropriate way of online working could be a remote access for the student (for example via Citrix).
Exercise:
Prepare a draft for online security that you can present the company.
This can then be the basis on which you work out an online work environment for the student together with the company.
2) Workplace
After Covid19, most students are probably either sick of working from home or developed very creative ways of procrastination. Either way, it will most certainly be beneficial for the student to offer a workplace which the student can use during their mobility. This can for example work like a work-hub where all the students that are doing online mobilities can go to, have their own desks and work from. This will not only benefit the produtivity but also the being-at-work feeling.
Exercise:
Figure out whether your school/company has a spare room that can be redesigned into a work-hub.
Furnish the room with all the neccessary equipment (appropriate desks and chairs, technological devices (laptops, computer screens, printer, mouse, etc.), break area with meeting table, coffee machine etc., office supplies, internet connection etc.
3) Communication between student and company
It is crutial to figure out a way in which the student can properly communicate with the company. Those meetings cannot only deal with organizational questions and problems but need to include meetings about the workprocess and possible questions.
Exercise:
Set up an example meeting schedule for those interactions.
The company and the student can then alter your schedule according to their needs.
4) workplace health
Exercise:
Revise chapter 5.1.8 health and safety and make sure, your students and the company are aware of the risks of home office and know about strategies to secure the health of the student (a preparatory seminar might be appropriate).