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Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)


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. As a pedagogical approach, COIL offers reciprocal exchanges for faculty and students that are bounded and purposeful. To learn more about COIL, please visit the Office for Education Abroad COIL webpage or see this informational flyer. There are several benefits of COIL 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 


Advancing COIL at MSU

Since 2023, the Center for Global Learning and Innovation (as the Global Youth Advancement Network and the Office for Education Abroad) have been coordinating broader COIL-related initiatives at Michigan State University, in partnership with other units within International Studies and Programs. We aim to keep facilitating professional development opportunities for faculty interested in joining our growing number of COIL fellows and COIL coordinators worldwide, in addition to advancing COIL scholarship.

Request a Consultation

If you want to find out more or if you are interested in collaborating with us, you may contact Dr. Leticia Cherchiglia (leticia(at)msu.edu), GYAN’s Faculty Liaison & Program Coordinator. Thank you!

Questions?

In case of questions, you may contact Dr. Leticia Cherchiglia (leticia(at)msu.edu), GYAN’s Faculty Liaison & Program Coordinator. Thank you!


COIL Fellowship Programs

Below you can find more information about our faculty fellowship programs; to learn more about our work, please read the following news article.


COIL Faculty Fellows Program-Africa


Launched in 2023 as a collaboration between MSU's Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) the Center for Global Learning and Innovation (as the Global Youth Advancement Network and the Office for Education Abroad), this faculty fellowship program is currently promoting global learning between MSU and African institutions part of the AAP Consortium.


COIL Faculty Fellows Program-Canada


MSU's Canadian Studies Center (CSC) and the Center for Global Learning and Innovation (as the Global Youth Advancement Network and the Office for Education Abroad) are pleased to announce a new iteration of our fellowship program, leading to COILed projects between MSU and Canadian Institutions connected with the CSC.