The MVU project is a collaborative venture between leading institutions in the Mediterranean area and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland with Aalborg University, Denmark, building a network to collaboratively develop and deliver high quality online university courses.

MVU aims to develop a sustainable virtual university infrastructure where academic and technical expertise in e-learning can be exchanged between partners in Europe and the Mediterranean region.

The MVU has two primary aims.  First of all to develop and deliver high quality online modules which meet the requirements of industry and individuals.  The successful economic development of the Mediterranean fringe is dependent on high levels of education for its inhabitants provided in a local context.  Despite the slowdown in the IT industry Worldwide since the dot com bubble burst, high technology industries still provide enormous potential for Mediterranean economies, particularly as globalisation increases and multinational companies look to base research and production in relatively low-wage economies with highly educated citizens.  MVU’s highest priority will be to ensure that these citizens are indeed provided with relevant education which meets the requirements of both local enterprises and multinational companies based in the Mediterranean region.  A key feature of the MVU approach will be to target courses at traditionally disadvantaged members of the workforce such as women and people with special needs who find that studying at home through the use of technology makes higher education more accessible to them.  Thus MVU aims to have a social as well as an economic impact by bringing marginalised sectors of society into the workplace.  In addition MVU will upskill existing employees by providing online courses which can be accessed via the Internet from the workplace or from home.

MVU’s second main aim is to build a lasting international educational network where academic and technical expertise in e-learning can be exchanged between partners in Europe and the Mediterranean region.  In the initial development phase, partners will work closely together to build the modules.  Close relationships between those developing materials will be developed.  These will be further fostered when the courses are delivered and international collaboration takes place between students, between staff and between staff and students.  The exchange of pedagogical and technical expertise between participating staff in e-learning and also in the subject areas being taught will be extremely useful to all consortium members.  All staff developing and delivering modules will be trained in how best to facilitate e-learning using techniques based on recent research.  In conjunction with these efforts, a lasting collaborative network will be developed at the institutional level.  Payment for courses will vary between countries; MVU members will work together to develop policies on payment and redistribution of income (see Section 8).  MVU will also develop accreditation policies so that member institutions will ultimately be able jointly to accredit modules delivered from MVU.  One further aim is to develop a marketing and branding policy for the promotion of a distinctive MVU brand and to disseminate the initiative throughout the region.