Arqus Global Connect, training programme on COIL methodology

Arqus Global Connect is an initiative financed by the Arqus Innovation Fund, which has developed a training programme centred on the teaching methodology COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning).

Get to know this bottom-up initiative with this interview with the Arqus Global Connect coordinator, Marcela Maldonado Clavijo, from the University of Granada; as well as participating professors: Lidumila Arcimavičienė (Vilnius University), Luisa Delgado Márquez (University of Granada), Joanna Grzyb (University of Wrocław) and Rita Sousa (University of Minho).

Coordinator Marcela Maldonado Clavijo

What are the goals of the Arqus Global Connect initiative?

The goals of this initiative were: 

• ​​To develop a training programme centred on a teaching methodology that promotes internationalisation for learning, targeting both teachers and administrative staff responsible for managing internationalisation in the universities comprising the consortium. 
• To implement the COIL Methodology (Collaborative Online International Learning) as an innovative strategy for teaching and learning, which will not only strengthen the development of intercultural competencies in the academic community of Arqus but will also promote the internationalisation of the curriculum of the participating institutions.

What is the COIL methodology, and what are its benefits?

COIL is defined as a teaching and learning methodology that promotes the development of intercultural competences in the students who experience it, however, and from my experience, beyond that, COIL is a dynamic that not only allows intercultural and global learning, but also promotes spaces for collaboration, interaction and knowledge between people from different cultures, and when I say people I mean that not only students are protagonists of this process, although it is centred on them, teachers and university staff also play an important role in its implementation and develop interpersonal, intercultural and transversal skills that allow them to be global professionals and citizens of the world.

The most important and scientifically proven benefits include the development of soft skills, intercultural communication skills and interpersonal abilities inherent in interactions between cultures. However, I would also argue that it fosters values, raises awareness of human diversity, highlights global issues and encourages reflection on our local and global environments. In the current global context, it is particularly important that it enables us to empathise with others, understand their context, thinking and way of life. This is a valuable achievement in the internationalisation of the curriculum, which is often difficult to understand, implement and value in higher education institutions as a path towards global education.

What phases does Arqus Global Connect have?

1. Diagnosis and Pre-Planning Phase: Establish the bases and general guidelines of the project.
2. Contextualization Phase of the training programme: Adapt the training proposal in COIL methodology to the characteristics of the university context in which it will be carried out. Create the training programme in COIL methodology: contents, didactics, and computer resources necessary to train both population groups.
3. Training Phase: Implement the training programme for teachers and administrative staff.
4. Implementation Phase: Execution of the COIL experiences designed in the training programme.
5. Evaluation and Improvement Phase: Evaluate the progress, effectiveness, and impact of the implementation of the COIL experiences and identify areas for programme improvement.

What have you implemented so far?

We have progressed 90% of our initiative. We are currently in the evaluation and improvement phase, during which we will develop our final session. In this phase, we hope to collect not only the positive and noteworthy aspects but also those that we have not yet achieved.

How many participants have taken part?

Throughout the initiative, 54 people participated, including students, faculty, and staff, from the four universities that make up the initiative

What challenges have you faced implementing this initiative?

I think we faced many challenges in our different roles. However, in my role as coordinator, the greatest challenge I faced was bringing together all the members of the initiative in a single space and on the same page. Even though they are academics and staff from one of the Arqus universities, it remains challenging to develop a shared vision of a network, an alliance, and working together toward a common goal. However, this is also part of the challenges that those of us who work in COIL management commonly face daily.

The language was absolutely challenging. I didn’t see it as an obstacle; I embraced it as a challenge I had to overcome, not only because of my language proficiency, but also because of the need to communicate, simply, effectively, and with everyone involved in the initiative.

I also believe that involving the teaching staff was a challenge, as showing them the importance of their role in the internationalisation of the curriculum, the need we have as universities to train them in these issues, and the importance of making progress in them is not easy, due to the resistance we encounter when it comes to pedagogical innovation, what it means to learn new teaching and learning methodologies and what this entails, which ultimately means transforming our pedagogical practices, a very complex result to achieve if the teacher does not recognize this need from the outset and is not convinced of it.

What impact is Arqus Global Connect having on its participants and in the Arqus Alliance?

How has the Arqus Innovation Fund contributed to your initiative?

The funding received has definitely been essential. Developing this type of initiative, although they do not require face-to-face development because their essence is virtuality and the use of technologies, virtual exchange initiatives such as COIL also require a budget and recognition, as most internationalisation initiatives have. This funding helped us not only to cover logistical expenses but also training, incentives, and, of course, the quality of its development. This allowed us to co-participate with the participation of international collaborators, experts, and international organisations leading on this subject and thus build a high-quality training programme. 

What are the next steps of the Arqus Global Connect collaborative learning initiative?

The next steps, if we are ambitious, could be several, including thinking about this becoming an initiative in which the 9 universities of the alliance participate, an ideal achievement, but for the moment, we want to collect the experiences we have lived and disseminate with the alliance and disseminate with the alliance what we have learned and the future collaborations that could be developed through this methodology to strengthen and position the internationalisation of the curriculum within the alliance and enhance the academic collaborations between the universities of the alliance.

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How has this international initiative transformed the way you teach or engage with your students?

Lidumila: It has positively transformed my teaching. My teaching has become more engaging, better organised and more collaborative.

Joanna: I found new possibilities to make students more interested in the subject I teach.

In what ways has the COIL experience challenged or enriched your growth as an educator?

Liudmila: It has challenged me in the way that I had to become better with time management and pre-teaching activities. COIL is successful if students get access to a clear set of guidelines. The preparation of guidelines took more time than expected. At the same time, it helped me become more organised and conscious of students’ needs. 

Joanna: The challenging part was to persuade students that within the COIL they are experts in their subject, and they shouldn’t be afraid to take an active part in organising their research tasks.

What obstacles did you encounter during training and while implementing COIL – and how did you overcome them?

Joanna: The main problem was communication. My students get used to answering within 24 hours, and prolonged time of waiting makes them anxious and afraid that they will not pass” the course. I decided just to encourage my students and assure, that I will accept their part as a full report. I think in the future, there should be some stricter rules for establishing contact rules also.

Has this experience opened new doors –collaborations, projects, or ideas– you hadn’t imagined before?

Can you share a moment from this experience that really stuck with you – something inspiring, unexpected, or funny?

Joanna: A very interesting observation students make during COIL – Polish people really complain more.

If you had to summarise your COIL experience in one sentence for a future participant, what would you say?

Liudmila and Rita: COIL experience dares you to step out of your comfort zone and makes you grow by challenging your perspectives, enhancing your intercultural understanding and strengthening your collaboration skills. Go for it!

Luisa: COIL is an enriching journey that challenges you to rethink teaching, deepen intercultural understanding, and foster meaningful global connections.

Joanna: I still need to learn a lot!

What element of this training did you find most eye-opening or useful for internationalising your curriculum?

Luisa: The most valuable takeaway was understanding how to integrate intercultural dialogue and collaborative activities, making it possible to envision more globally oriented learning experiences.

Joanna: There are unexpected differences within Europeans.

After this first experience, would you embark on a new COIL project? Why or why not?

Joanna: Yes, this is definitely a good, growing experience for students.

Would you recommend this type of international innovation project to other colleagues? Why?

Luisa: Yes, because it promotes reflection, inspires pedagogical innovation, and develops critical competencies such as collaboration, intercultural communication, and global awareness.

Joanna: Yes, it helps to broaden perspectives.

What advice would you give to a teacher starting their first COIL collaboration?

Luisa: Keep an open mind, plan well with your partners, and be ready to learn from the experience. It can really help you grow as a teacher and open up new ways of connecting your students with the world.

Joanna: Try to make a good plan and do not be afraid to change it.

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Arqus Global Connect is one of many bottom-up inititatives financed by the Arqus Innovation Fund. Learn more about it here.