Establishing videoconferencing infrastructure in R. Macedonia

In the next decades European Higher Education will face the major challenges and opportunities of globalization with accelerated technological developments with new providers, new learners and new types of learning. New educational requirements stimulated by the innovative telecommunication technologies together with novel educational materials and methodologies pave the way for the introduction of videoconferencing systems that can be used to establish distance learning environments. The three-year Project ViCES (Video Conferencing Educational Services) was launched and financed by the European Commission within the TEMPUS (Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies) Programme. The VICES project will provide Republic of Macedonia with a technological infrastructure and learning environment that eases student and academic mobility as well as support the process of harmonization of different curricula among educational institutions. This paper presents the different characteristics of the ViCES infrastructure.