Pioneered by the SUNY COIL Center, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an educational methodology focused on fostering online intercultural learning experiences within universities in different countries. To learn more about COIL at MSU, please visit the Office for Education Abroad COIL webpage. There are several benefits of COIL for students, instructors, and institutions, including:

Students

- international experience: cultural exchange, new perspective-taking, global citizenship

- skills development focused on geographically dispersed teamwork: multicultural communication, remote collaboration, project-based approach, digital literacy

- access to global learning for those unable to travel abroad 

Instructors

- worldwide networking and collaboration with like-minded peers 

- professional development: multicultural teaching skills, global mindset

- curriculum internationalization: global and intercultural dimensions

- content for research, academic publications, and conference presentations 

Institutions

- support to broader internationalization plan: partnerships with international institutions, complement to other abroad experiences, sustainable practice with inclusion of trained staff/campus coordinators

- opportunity to develop “globally engaged citizen leaders” which in turn can help achieve higher institutional student success’ metrics

- positioning as global institution through internationalized programs and curricula 

COIL Faculty Fellows Program-Africa

MSU’s Global Youth Advancement Network, Alliance for African Partnership (AAP), and Office for Education Abroad are pleased to announce the launch of the COIL Faculty Fellows Program-Africa, an AAP-sponsored initiative focused on exploring the theory and practice of COIL through:

• Making global learning accessible to MSU students and students from African AAP-affiliated universities through COILed projects;
• Strengthening the ties between faculty/academic staff from MSU and African AAP-affiliated universities through the development and delivery of COILed projects;
• Supporting and helping advance the internationalization plan of MSU and African AAP-affiliated universities as the beginning of a broader COIL initiative.

This online fellowship program has the primary goal of assisting faculty or academic staff with teaching appointments from any discipline to design and implement COILed projects together. Stipends will be given to fellows to support professional and project development, and the program will also provide a blend of training workshops, presentations, and a fellows community of practice. Additionally, to further support fellows' learning and promote sustainable institutional internationalization efforts, fellows will be in close contact with MSU's COIL Faculty Learning Community and with appointed COIL African Campus Coordinators. After the COILed projects are implemented, the program will offer a culminating symposium/academic conference, which will be an opportunity for fellows to share insights and showcase their work.