Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

About COIL

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is SUNY's flagship model of virtual exchange that incorporates project-based learning and global teams into in-person and online classes.

COIL connects students and instructors from two or more countries and universities, fostering engagement and experiential learning through intercultural dialogue, teamwork and reflection.

Participants develop global skills by collaborating on innovative solutions to real-world problems. Some COIL projects can even be akin to virtual internships, with students working directly with communities, NGOs, startups and other organizations.

As a unique learning enhancement, COIL reflects SUNY's mission of Global Learning for All and delivers unprecedented access to global classrooms, knowledge and communities.

COIL is an integral part of UAlbany's success story and Strategic Plan, particularly in relation to inclusive student excellence and UAlbany as an engine of opportunity.

How does COIL work at UAlbany?

COIL is initiated by instructors who are separated by geography and time zones but united by their common purpose of revolutionizing learning spaces, communities and outcomes.

Partnered professors embed COIL modules into existing courses, with students registering at their own universities. UAlbany students can use the Schedule of Classes to search for COIL courses. Register for classes.

UAlbany's COIL program has fostered connections across academic disciplines and with a diverse range of countries. Previous partnerships have included:

Instructors and students from Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and Venezuela
Classes in anthropology, business, education, engineering, science, language, literature, law, leadership and public health

Students enrolled in COIL courses engage in authentic projects, collective decision-making and problem-solving with a purpose.

Contact UAlbany's COIL Coordinators

Annette Richie and Sharon Hope serve as UAlbany’s COIL Coordinators.

Participate in COIL as a Student

COIL allows students from two or more universities and countries to team up online for projects as part of their coursework.

Use the Schedule of Classes to search for COIL courses. Next, register for classes.

Four students smile as they sit at a table and write in their notebooks together.

Benefits of participating in COIL

Participating in COIL will help you acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to advance your academic and professional goals, including:

Knowledge: Interdisciplinary global learning, real-world problem-solving and digital literacy
Skills: Remote work on diverse global teams, active listening, project management and trans-cultural presentation
Attitudes: Equitable collaboration, perspective-taking, empathy and cultural humility

What to expect from a COIL course

A free online module lasting for part of a semester course
An icebreaker followed by a joint project and reflection, for credit and a grade
Engaging blend of synchronous and asynchronous on learning and social media platforms (such as Zoom and WhatsApp)
Group teamwork and class-to-class discussions
Teammates speaking multiple languages and living in different time zones

How to be successful in a COIL course

Follow your instructors’ leads and look forward to this exciting journey
Embrace the benefits and challenges of teamwork in diverse learning communities
Treat everyone and their ideas with respect
Approach new digital platforms and projects with curiosity and confidence
Practice flexibility with meeting times, connectivity issues and changes

Student Testimonials

"In my major, global leadership is at the forefront. I was so excited to take this course, which allowed me in real time to connect with students not only from Germany but from around the world and to expand upon language, culture and communication skills that are necessary for emerging young leaders." — UAlbany Leadership student

"The virtual international course helped me meet new people and broaden my horizons. Through collaboration, I learned new ways of thinking, which was very inspiring. I think a pure theory course is not that effective, but when you experiment with other students, present your results in the course and explain the procedure, it increases the learning process. This activity has encouraged me to learn more about the German culture, education system and the prevailing industry there, and to travel to Germany to see my new classmates." — UAlbany Engineering student

"Starting my studies, I was wondering what it would be like to work in the future with colleagues or business partners from other countries while speaking English. Getting to be a part of a COIL project gave me a taste of what that would be like. At the end of our group work, we all agreed on how much fun we had getting to know each other. We really liked working together and have invited each other to visit our cities and to spend some time together one day." — Berlin School of Economics and Law student

Participate in COIL as an Instructor

UAlbany Faculty Can COIL

Determine if COIL is right for your course

Reflect on COIL as pedagogy

Consider these questions:

Goals: There are many ways and reasons to add a COIL module to your course. How can COIL support your teaching and research goals, your department’s curriculum and priorities, and student learning outcomes (SLOs)?
Time: A COIL module typically lasts five to eight weeks and focuses on global project-based learning, with icebreakers, timely evaluation and reflection. How much time within your course could you devote to COIL? What would make an impact while remaining manageable?
Partnership: As an instructor, you regularly model engaging, equitable interactions for your students, and COIL is no different. Participating professors should enter the process open to their partner’s goals, students and institutional culture. How can you embrace that diversity and create an interdisciplinary partnership?

Visit the SUNY COIL Center website for additional information, including instructor resources and workshops.

Request a COIL consultation

UAlbany’s COIL Coordinators provide on-demand support with:

Logistics, such as instructional technology, course attribute coding and onboarding students
Coaching, such as student learning outcomes (SLOs), intercultural learning and troubleshooting

Request a consultation by emailing [email protected]. We recommend reaching out at least one semester before you incorporate COIL into a new or existing course.

Add a COIL module to your course

Find a partner

If you don’t already have an international colleague in mind, UAlbany’s COIL Coordinators can help you find the right COIL partner. Contact us at [email protected].

There are many partnering sources, such as research collaborators, university exchanges, the SUNY COIL Center’s Global Partner Network, grant initiatives, and virtual exchange conferences and workshops.

Review the SUNY COIL Center's Finding and Building Strong COIL Teaching Partnerships guide to get started.

Once you have a partner, we recommend you meet weekly or biweekly leading up to the collaboration semester and throughout the semester.

Design the module

You’ll work with your partner instructor(s) to create a shared, online module for your courses and syllabi.

Engage in backwards design and discuss your individual and collective goals, including student learning outcomes (SLOs).

Consider these questions:

What meaningful activities will students engage in?
What icebreaker, teamwork and reflection exercises work best for this collaboration?
How will we communicate expectations to our students?
How will we provide guidance and feedback?
How will we form and coach student teams?
Where, how and when will students connect online?
How much creative autonomy and professional responsibility should we give students?

UAlbany’s COIL Coordinators can provide sample syllabi and resources for aligning your approaches. Contact us at [email protected].

We also strongly recommend you complete the COIL Readiness Self Assessment.

Additional Resources

Request a COIL-ready classroom

Work with your department's academic scheduler to ensure your class will have the technology and meeting time you need to participate in COIL.

Academic schedulers should review the Classroom Preferences page and instructors should review the Classroom Information page on the Registrar's Office website for detailed information.

Plan to meet virtually

Work with your COIL partner(s) to determine how you’ll meet virtually.

Zoom: Invite your COIL partner and their students to join you on Zoom for synchronous class sessions and student teamwork. For guidance, review Using Zoom with External Collaborators. All participants must have a Zoom account to join a meeting.
Teams: On Microsoft Teams, students can schedule their own meetings without guest users needing to log in.
Other Options: Students can also connect for teamwork on WhatsApp or other applications, when permitted and accessible where they live.

Consider these questions:

How can we best balance our teaching goals with students’ learning styles and schedules?
How can we leverage the benefits of both synchronous and asynchronous activities to engage all students?
Should one partner institution host the communication platform, or should the platform and its host be new to both institutions?
Is the platform accessible for students with disabilities?
Is the platform free, low bandwidth and authorized for use by all students?
What features does the platform offer? (Consider the need for live transcription and/or captioning, translation tools, and other features.)
Will the platform adhere to student data security rules, such as FERPA at UAlbany or GDPR at an institution in the European Union? (Determine whether students can self-select, sign up via email and choose their names.)

Prepare students to participate

Contact UAlbany's COIL Coordinators at [email protected] to:

Build strategies for student orientation and onboarding, including securing their informed consent and building their excitement for the COIL module
Mark your class as a COIL course in the Schedule of Classes
Troubleshoot concerns (please work with your COIL partner first)

We also encourage you to:

Feature the COIL module prominently in your syllabus
Award course credit for COIL activities (COIL should not be for extra credit)
Provide rubrics that reward students for the process as much as the products of COIL
Solicit and respond to student feedback throughout the semester