Blended mobility in teacher education: Policy frameworks and institutional practices from the Austrian context

This article examines how blended mobility was implemented in initial teacher education at PH Wien within the framework of Austria’s Higher Education Mobility and Internationalisation Strategy 2030 (HMIS2030). Using a qualitative, descriptive embedded case study design, the study analyses two blended school placement models at PH Wien: a pilot project in Crete and a sustained, curriculum-integrated implementation between 2021 and 2025. The data consist of aggregated institutional records and policy and programme documents, which were organised through a standardised six-dimensional template and analysed descriptively. The analysis focuses on documented features such as virtual preparation, short physical placement, curriculum integration, partnership structure, and policy alignment. The findings show that in the PH Wien cases, blended mobility was organised as a practicum-embedded and curriculum-recognised format that combined short physical school placements with virtual preparation or collaboration. The available records also indicate growth in participation and diversification of destinations across terms. Rather than demonstrating student-level outcomes or equity effects, the study documents how one university college of teacher education translated a national blended-mobility agenda into institutional arrangements within the structural conditions of teacher education. The study is limited by its single-institution focus, reliance on documentary and aggregated data, and lack of direct evidence on learning outcomes, perceptions, or classroom practice. Nevertheless, it offers cautious implications for institutions and policymakers seeking to design short-term international formats that fit existing teacher-education structures.