The innovative COIL methodology: online internationalization and collaborative work

CEU Universities are developing a new educational strategy oriented to internationalization and collaboration with renowned university centres. These are the innovative COIL projects (Collaborative Online International Learning), pioneers and interactive such as that of CEU San Pablo with the University of Monterrey (Mexico). They consist on activities developed by students of the three CEU universities and of different disciplines who work as a team in one same project with students from International universities connected from home.

Gaining international experience from home

With this approach the intention is to create alliances with universities from other countries as well as to boost the development of new e-learning projects, multidisciplinary and supervised by professors from at least two different countries; all of it within the framework of the virtual exchange mentioned by the EU.

Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera is a pioneer in the implementation of this methodology that has already developed for more than one year and a half designing modules and providing e-learning. Their members have received training and are committed to this format to be able to export it to the CEU San Pablo and CEU Abat Oliba.

COILs continue to grow and therefore the commitment of professors and high motivation of students is essential as well as the support of European institutions. At present, CEU UCH has 37 ongoing projects with over 700 students involved. In turn, during the first year of the COILs at CEU USP, they are developing 14 projects with 500 students. At CEU UAO, 100 students take part in 3 projects.

International partners of CEU Cardenal Herrera projects are the Florida International University (EE.UU); TEC from Monterrey (México), Austral from Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Kansai (Japan). CEU San Pablo works among others with the Coventry University (UK), the University of Howest (Belgium), the University of Monterrey (México) and the University of San Francisco from Quito (Ecuador). CEU Abat Oliba collaborates with the Canterbury Christ Church University and the Coventry University, both in the UK.

Also all COILs are included in the CEU Global Classroom, where all project boosting internationalization from home meet. Within this approach CEU offers its students an international learning experience from home regardless of their location. Without doubt, innovation, internationalization and digitalization are essential to design the university of the future. CEU aware of it and of the complex context we are living is focused on the construction of a global and digital campus to foster international employability. Therefore, CEU educational community is formed by teaching professionals, researchers and students that receive a sound education based on an educational model with a clear international vocation.